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Rent Affordability Calculator for Scranton, PA
Local data pre-filled
Median rent in Scranton, PA is $1,320/month. With a median household income of $63,656, rent consumes about 24.9% of gross income — within the recommended 30% guideline. Use this calculator to find your personal rent comfort zone in Scranton.
✓ Calculator below is pre-filled with Scranton local data
Data as of · Sources: Zillow, Census ACS, Tax Foundation, Freddie Mac
Pennsylvania Financial Snapshot (2026) — Rent Affordability Calculator
Home value, monthly carrying cost, property tax, and insurance are the four levers for the rent affordability calculator in Pennsylvania.
How the Rent Affordability Calculator Math Works Under Pennsylvania Law
Every real-estate number on this page runs through the same core identity: the monthly principal-and-interest payment on a fully amortizing fixed-rate loan is M = P · r / (1 − (1+r)^(−n)), where P is the loan principal, r is the monthly rate (annual rate / 12), and n is the term in months. For a typical Pennsylvania buyer in 2026, P starts from an $265,000 median home value (Zillow ZHVI)[1], minus a standard 20% down payment.
On top of P&I the calculator adds the two Pennsylvania-specific carrying costs: property tax at the state effective rate of 1.49%[2] and homeowners insurance at roughly $1,030/year (NAIC state average)[3]. The Freddie Mac PMMS national average 30-year fixed rate (6.30% (Freddie Mac PMMS · week of ))[4] drives the payment curve — Pennsylvania rate quotes can move a few basis points around that number depending on lender, loan size, and credit band.
Local context: Scranton, PA
Housing economics in Scranton, PA. The median home value runs 39.3% below the U.S. baseline for Scranton, PA is $217,200 per Zillow's home-value index. Median rent runs $1,320 a month per Zillow ZORI, cheaper than the national $1,850 baseline. Effective property tax sits at 1.50% of assessed value, meaningfully higher than the 0.99% national average tracked by the Tax Foundation.
Income and tax climate. Pennsylvania's top marginal state income tax bracket lands at 3.07% — compared to the volume-weighted national average around 4-5%. BEA's Regional Price Parity scores Scranton, PA at 85.0 (national = 100), meaning a dollar in Scranton, PA buys 118¢ — more goods and services than the same dollar nationally.
Local context as of 2026-04-19.
Scranton versus the U.S. baseline
| Metric | Scranton, PA | U.S. baseline | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value[zillow] | $217,200 | $358,000 | -39.3% |
| Median monthly rent[zillow] | $1,320 | $1,850 | -28.6% |
| Property tax (effective)[tax-foundation] | 1.50% | 0.99% | 51.5% |
| State top marginal income tax[tax-foundation] | 3.07% | ~4.08% (volume-weighted) | -1.0 pp |
| State cost-of-living index[bea-rpp] | 85.0 | 100.0 | -15.0 pts |
How to use the Rent Affordability Calculator
Walk through using the Rent Affordability Calculator with Scranton, PA-specific defaults pre-loaded from primary sources.
- Enter your Scranton numbersFill in the rent affordability inputs. Defaults reflect Scranton, PA 2026: median home $217,200, median rent $1,320/mo, 1.50% effective property tax.
- Apply the local 2026 inputsThe median home value in Scranton is $217,200 (Zillow ZHVI), with median monthly rent running $1,320/mo.
- Compare against Scranton contextMonthly PITI on the $217,200 median home in Scranton is ~$1,567/mo — vs a $1,320/mo median rent.
How Pennsylvania Compares to Neighboring States
| State | Median home | Top inc tax | Prop tax rate | RPP (US=100) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania (this page) | $265,000 | 3.07% | 1.49% | 97.4 |
| Delaware | $350,000 | 6.60% | 0.58% | 98.8 |
| compare to Maryland | $415,000 | 5.75% | 1.09% | 104.6 |
| New Jersey side-by-side | $520,000 | 10.75% | 2.47% | 108.9 |
| check New York | $470,000 | 10.90% | 1.72% | 107.8 |
Sources: Zillow ZHVI[1], state Departments of Revenue / Tax Foundation[2], Tax Foundation property taxes[3], BEA Regional Price Parities[4].
What Changes Your Result in Pennsylvania
- Down payment size:Pennsylvania's typical down payment is 10.0%according to NAR survey data. Every 5% shift changes the monthly P&I by roughly 5–6% of the headline payment.
- First-time buyer programs:Pennsylvania runs state-level first-time buyer programs (DPA, MCC) that can cut effective down payment costs by $5,000–$15,000 for qualifying buyers. See programs block below.
- County-level property tax variance:The state effective rate shown in the snapshot is a statewide weighted average. Within Pennsylvania, county rates can swing ±30% around the median, especially in border counties with differing school-district mill levies.
Related Calculations for Pennsylvania
- Pennsylvania rent vs buy rates — rent affordability on the rent side.
- Pennsylvania cost of living comparison numbers for 2026 — rent is the biggest COL line.
How Scranton Compares to the National Average
Understanding how Scranton stacks up helps you calibrate your financial planning.
| Metric | Scranton, PA | US Average | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $217,200 | $420,800 | -48.4% |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,320 | $1,713 | -22.9% |
| Median Household Income | $63,656 | $74,580 | -14.6% |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.50% | 1.10% | +36.4% |
| Cost of Living Index | 85 | 100 | -15.0% |
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, BLS, Zillow, NAR (2024–2025). Green = favorable for residents; red = less favorable.
Scranton Financial Snapshot
- Population (Metro)
- 560,000
- Unemployment
- 4.4%
- Avg Commute
- 22 min
- Median Age
- 40
- Price-to-Rent Ratio
- 13.7x
- Annual Property Tax
- $3,258
More Financial Calculators for Scranton, PA
Rent Affordability Calculator in Other Pennsylvania Cities
Frequently Asked Questions — Scranton
- Can median-income households afford the median home in Scranton?
- With a ~$1,567 monthly PITI and $63,656 median income, housing would consume ~29.5% of gross annual income. Qualifying under the 28% DTI rule requires ~$67,157 in annual income. Educational reference only.
- Is it better to rent or buy in Scranton?
- Scranton's price-to-rent ratio (13.7x) tilts toward buying — below 15x, homes are economical relative to renting.
- What is the annual property tax bill on the median home in Scranton?
- Approximately $3,258/yr at the 1.50% effective rate on the $217,200 median home. The national average effective rate is 1.07%.
- What share of median income goes to rent in Scranton?
- The $1,320/mo median rent represents 24.9% of the $63,656 median household income. The recommended housing cost threshold is 30%; Scranton falls within that guideline. Educational reference only.
- How much does commuting cost in Scranton?
- Average commute time in Scranton is 22 minutes per ACS. Estimated annual commute cost runs about $3,832. Educational reference only.
- How does the cost of living in Scranton compare to the national average?
- Scranton's BEA RPP index is 85, 15% below the national baseline of 100. For a household earning the national median income of $77,540, this translates to ~$11,631/yr in purchasing power difference. Educational reference only.
- What is the median home price in Scranton, PA?
- The median home price in Scranton is $217,200 as of 2025–2026.
- What is the average rent in Scranton?
- The median monthly rent in Scranton, PA is $1,320.
- Does the rent affordability replace professional advice?
- No. This calculator gives educational estimates using public Scranton data and standard formulas. It is not personalized tax, legal, or investment advice. Consult a licensed professional for decisions with material consequences.
Pennsylvania State Context
Pennsylvania Real Estate Tips
Pennsylvania's median home price of $295,000 is 30% below the national average, with Pittsburgh and rural areas well below that.
PHFA (Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency) offers multiple programs with up to $10,000 in down payment assistance.
Pennsylvania has a 2% realty transfer tax (split buyer/seller), plus Philadelphia adds its own 4.278% transfer tax.
Pennsylvania has some of the most complex property tax structures — each municipality, school district, and county sets its own rate.
Pennsylvania Homebuyer Programs
- ✓PHFA Keystone Home Loan Program — affordable mortgages with below-market rates.
- ✓PHFA Keystone Advantage Assistance — up to $6,000 in DPA as a 0% interest second mortgage.
- ✓PHFA HFA Preferred — reduced PMI costs for qualifying buyers.
Statewide Pennsylvania figures apply broadly across Scranton. County- and city-level variation can be significant — verify against local sources before closing a transaction. [3]
How we compute this — methodology
The Scranton page uses local median home price ($217,200), median rent ($1,320/mo), and property tax rate (1.50%) alongside the calculator's client-side formula. Calculations run in your browser — no inputs are sent to a server.
Known limits: ZIP-level variance within Scranton can be substantial — the figures shown are city-wide medians. For a precise property tax quote, consult your county assessor.
Sources
- Zillow Research — ZHVI (Zillow Home Value Index) + ZORI (Zillow Observed Rent Index), city-level. zillow.com/research/data. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
- U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates for median household income and population. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs.
- CalcFi state financial context — tips + first-time homebuyer programs compiled from each state's Housing Finance Authority (HFA) public pages. See
src/data/state-financial-context.ts. - Tax Foundation — state property tax effective rates and state/local sales tax rates. taxfoundation.org.
- Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) — weekly national mortgage rate averages used by mortgage-related calculators. freddiemac.com/pmms.
- Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) — weekly national mortgage rates — www.freddiemac.com/pmms. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
- NAIC Dwelling Fire, Homeowners Owners, and Homeowners Tenants Insurance Report — content.naic.org/article/homeowners-insurance-report. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
- State Departments of Revenue — official bracket + deduction publications (one primary URL per state; linked in the brackets table below) — taxfoundation.org/data/all/state/state-income-tax-rates. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
- Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities by State — www.bea.gov/data/prices-inflation/regional-price-parities-state-and-metro-area. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
- U.S. Department of Labor — State Minimum Wage Laws — www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/minimum-wage/state. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
- FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) — real median household income, unemployment, HPI, LFPR per state — fred.stlouisfed.org. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) — state-level occupational wages — www.bls.gov/oes. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
Spot an error? Email [email protected] with the URL and the correct figure.
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National reference: Rent Affordability Calculator Calculator