Population 167,515 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Monroe County
Household size in Monroe County
| Period | Monroe County | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.75 | 2.51 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.90 | 2.53 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.93 | 2.50 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.75 | 2.46 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.00 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
The typical household in Monroe County holds 2.75 people, slightly more than the U.S. average of 2.65. Households are largest in the north and smallest in the southeast. Monroe County has the largest households of any Pennsylvania county.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Monroe County
| Period | Monroe County | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.6 | 40.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 41.0 | 41.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 42.5 | 41.8 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 44.1 | 42.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.5 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
Monroe County skews older: half of its residents are older than 44.1, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 39.6, mirroring the country.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Monroe County
| Period | Monroe County | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.9% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 12.7% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.3% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.4% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.5 pts | +0.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in ten households in Monroe County (10.4%), a little below the national share of 11.6%. That is in line with the rest of Pennsylvania. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 1.5 points, mirroring the country.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Monroe County
Renters in Monroe County
| Period | Monroe County | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.6% | 29.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 20.5% | 30.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 23.0% | 31.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 19.8% | 30.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.2 pts | +1.7 pts | +1.5 pts |
Monroe County is largely a place of homeowners: only 19.8% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 37.7% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. Only five of Pennsylvania's 67 counties have a lower share of renters.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Monroe County
| Period | Monroe County | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 20.2% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 24.0% | 10.5% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 25.2% | 10.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 19.8% | 9.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.3 pts | −1.2 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 19.8% of the housing in Monroe County, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Monroe County has a higher vacancy rate than the great majority of Pennsylvania counties.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Monroe County
| Period | Monroe County | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1979 | 1963 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1981 | 1964 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1982 | 1965 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1982 | 1967 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +4 | +6 |
The typical home in Monroe County was built around 1982, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). Homes here are newer than in Pennsylvania as a whole, where the median home dates to 1967. Newer construction is concentrated in the west, while the southeast has the oldest housing. Only two of Pennsylvania's 67 counties have newer homes.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Monroe County
| Period | Monroe County | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $975 | $829 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,073 | $923 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,163 | $1,039 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,505 | $1,323 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$530 | +$494 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Monroe County costs $1,505 a month with utilities, close to the national median of $1,571. Rents here are higher than in Pennsylvania overall ($1,323). Rents are up $530 a month from 2006–10, a 54% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 37.4% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Monroe County
Bachelor's degrees in Monroe County
| Period | Monroe County | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 24.2% | 27.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 23.6% | 28.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 24.9% | 31.8% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 27.8% | 35.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +3.6 pts | +8.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
More than a quarter of adults 25 and older in Monroe County (27.8%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 3.6 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the southeast and least in the west.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Monroe County
| Period | Monroe County | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 88.7% | 87.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 90.0% | 88.8% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 89.7% | 90.3% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 90.3% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.6 pts | +4.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Monroe County is close to the national rate: 90.3% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 1.6 points, as it has nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Monroe County
| Period | Monroe County | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.4% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 13.8% | 8.8% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.4% | 5.5% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.7% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.7 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little harder to find in Monroe County than nationally: unemployment was 6.7%, against 5.4%. Of Pennsylvania's 67 counties, only five have higher unemployment. Unemployment is down 3.7 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Monroe County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monroe County | 2.75 | 44.1 | 10.4% | 19.8% | 19.8% | 1982 | $1,505 | 27.8% | 90.3% | 6.7% |
| Sussex County | 2.55 | 44.4 | 8.6% | 16.3% | 8.7% | 1972 | $1,719 | 40.7% | 95.4% | 5.2% |
| Luzerne County | 2.40 | 42.3 | 13.2% | 32.2% | 11.4% | 1960 | $1,078 | 24.5% | 89.3% | 5.9% |
| Columbia County | 2.36 | 42.5 | 7.4% | 30.5% | 11.7% | 1968 | $966 | 27.1% | 92.7% | 5.8% |
| Passaic County | 3.01 | 39.0 | 16.8% | 46.9% | 5.1% | 1956 | $1,783 | 29.7% | 83.7% | 8.0% |
| Bergen County | 2.77 | 42.9 | 8.9% | 34.7% | 5.3% | 1961 | $2,193 | 53.4% | 92.9% | 5.8% |
| Rockland County | 3.51 | 35.9 | 9.1% | 32.1% | 5.9% | 1975 | $2,035 | 39.1% | 85.8% | 5.5% |
| Montour County | 2.26 | 42.7 | 9.8% | 31.5% | 4.0% | 1974 | $1,114 | 38.6% | 93.8% | 3.0% |
| Westchester County | 2.76 | 42.3 | 10.6% | 38.2% | 6.7% | 1960 | $2,238 | 52.7% | 88.8% | 6.0% |
| Union County | 2.46 | 43.6 | 13.9% | 27.7% | 11.1% | 1970 | $1,058 | 32.5% | 88.1% | 2.0% |
| Clinton County | 2.38 | 41.6 | 11.1% | 27.7% | 14.6% | 1967 | $899 | 21.4% | 90.4% | 5.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Comal County, TX · Hendricks County, IN · Paulding County, GA · Guadalupe County, TX · Greene County, OH · Kootenai County, ID · Ector County, TX · Dorchester County, SC · Davidson County, NC · Chittenden County, VT
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Monroe County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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