Population 9,476 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in South Side
Household size in South Side
| Period | South Side | Scranton | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.38 | 2.35 | 2.51 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.44 | 2.48 | 2.53 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.46 | 2.37 | 2.50 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.43 | 2.37 | 2.46 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.06 | +0.02 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
Households in South Side run small, averaging 2.43 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Since 2006–10, household size has crept up from 2.38, even as the national average fell. Households are largest in the west and smallest in the east.
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 South Side
| Period | South Side | Scranton | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.2 | 39.6 | 40.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.2 | 39.4 | 41.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 35.3 | 38.8 | 41.8 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 38.2 | 38.9 | 42.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.0 | −0.7 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
South Side is a little younger than the country as a whole: its median age is 38.2, against 40.1 nationally. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 37.2, mirroring the country. Residents skew youngest in the center and oldest in the east.
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 South Side
| Period | South Side | Scranton | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.2% | 12.8% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 13.6% | 12.9% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 14.2% | 14.0% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 17.4% | 15.1% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +2.1 pts | +2.3 pts | +0.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in South Side: 17.4% of all households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share is up 2.1 points from 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
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 South Side
Renters in South Side
| Period | South Side | Scranton | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 45.8% | 45.3% | 29.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 49.0% | 48.0% | 30.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 53.9% | 51.4% | 31.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 53.4% | 50.0% | 30.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +7.6 pts | +4.8 pts | +1.7 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in South Side: 53.4% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. Among homeowners, 59.8% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has risen 7.6 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 South Side
| Period | South Side | Scranton | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.2% | 14.5% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 14.2% | 13.9% | 10.5% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 16.1% | 14.8% | 10.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 15.7% | 14.8% | 9.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.5 pts | +0.3 pts | −1.2 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 15.7% of the housing in South Side, 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. Vacancy is down 1.5 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 South Side
| Period | South Side | Scranton | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1939 | 1944 | 1963 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1939 | 1945 | 1964 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1939 | 1945 | 1965 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1941 | 1945 | 1967 | 1980 |
| Change | +2 | +2 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in South Side is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1941, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates.
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 South Side
| Period | South Side | Scranton | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $583 | $637 | $829 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $695 | $737 | $923 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $770 | $818 | $1,039 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,059 | $1,071 | $1,323 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$476 | +$434 | +$494 | +$606 |
A typical rental in South Side costs $1,059 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $476 a month from 2006–10, an 82% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 41.1% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. The priciest rents are in the west; the most affordable are in the north.
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 South Side
Bachelor's degrees in South Side
| Period | South Side | Scranton | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.8% | 19.1% | 27.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 18.8% | 21.2% | 28.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 19.8% | 21.8% | 31.8% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 16.5% | 23.3% | 35.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +0.8 pts | +4.2 pts | +8.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in South Side: 16.5% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 0.8 points from 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the southwest and least in the center.
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 South Side
| Period | South Side | Scranton | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 82.6% | 82.7% | 87.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 85.5% | 85.4% | 88.8% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 81.0% | 85.3% | 90.3% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 79.5% | 86.7% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | −3.0 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in five adults in South Side never finished high school, well above the national share: only 79.5% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has fallen 3.0 points, even as the national rate rose.
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 South Side
| Period | South Side | Scranton | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.1% | 6.6% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.3% | 9.5% | 8.8% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.6% | 5.2% | 5.5% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.3% | 5.5% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Change | +1.2 pts | −1.1 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment runs high in South Side: 7.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment has edged up 1.2 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate fell. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
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).
South Side compared with nearby neighborhoods
| Neighborhood | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Side | 2.43 | 38.2 | 17.4% | 53.4% | 15.7% | 1941 | $1,059 | 16.5% | 79.5% | 7.3% |
| Downtown | 1.99 | 32.2 | 5.8% | 89.8% | 17.0% | 1952 | $988 | 33.3% | 91.2% | 5.8% |
| The Hill Section | 2.44 | 33.8 | 10.9% | 63.4% | 12.9% | 1941 | $1,199 | 29.4% | 82.7% | 3.7% |
| Petersburg | 2.40 | 36.9 | 11.4% | 50.4% | 15.3% | 1938 | $1,240 | 29.4% | 87.7% | 4.7% |
| West Side | 2.46 | 38.1 | 20.6% | 54.4% | 14.5% | 1939 | $1,126 | 15.7% | 83.6% | 9.4% |
| Green Ridge | 2.06 | 38.8 | 14.8% | 59.0% | 15.8% | 1942 | $1,185 | 24.1% | 91.0% | 4.1% |
| Providence | 2.50 | 41.0 | 18.5% | 44.2% | 17.7% | 1942 | $1,152 | 18.3% | 86.7% | 4.4% |
| The Plot | 2.30 | 37.8 | 13.4% | 45.4% | 18.4% | 1940 | $1,089 | 25.5% | 92.4% | 8.0% |
| Parsons | 2.63 | 34.1 | 17.8% | 38.0% | 10.6% | 1946 | $1,058 | 18.4% | 88.4% | 5.7% |
| North End | 3.04 | 29.3 | 29.1% | 47.4% | 19.6% | 1943 | $1,220 | 14.7% | 85.3% | 6.4% |
| Mayflower | 2.37 | 41.7 | 19.1% | 54.2% | 12.7% | 1957 | $955 | 17.0% | 87.2% | 14.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Highland Square, Akron, OH · Whitney Ranch, Henderson, NV · Vista, Boise, ID · Village East, Aurora, CO · Van Mall, Vancouver, WA · University Area, Anchorage, AK · Twin Lakes, Federal Way, WA · Silver Terrace, San Francisco, CA · Ravenna, Seattle, WA · Airport, Riverside, CA
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 South Side. 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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