HomePennsylvaniaLackawanna County
Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania: commercial real estate data.
Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania had an estimated 216,859 residents on July 1, 2024, up 0.4 percent since the 2020 census base of 215,911, across 459 square miles. County output reached $13.42 bn in 2024, 5,198 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 287 7(a) approvals worth $95.6 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Lackawanna County
How many people live in Lackawanna County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024216,146
- Households88,263
- Average household size2.45
- Median household income$66,223
- Median age41.9
- Median gross rent$1,007 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$201,800
- Home value to household income3.0 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income18.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher30.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree12.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over152,596
- Population under 1844,213
- Share under 1820.5 percent
- Population 65 and over44,410
- Share 65 and over20.5 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 64127,523
- Civilian labor force105,624
- Unemployment rate4.9 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over61.4 percent
- Rank by population among Pennsylvania counties17th of 67
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included325th of 3,222
Lackawanna County is the 17th largest of 67 Pennsylvania counties by population. A median home costs 3.0 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 20.5 percent against 20.5 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Lackawanna County
Is Lackawanna County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 2024216,859
- Census 2020 base population215,911
- Population change since the 2020 census base0.44 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024387
- Births, 20241,940
- Deaths, 20242,632
- Natural change, 2024-692
- Net domestic migration, 2024-51
- Net international migration, 20241,135
- Total net migration, 20241,084
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20241,882
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1673rd of 3,144
The county has grown 0.44 percent since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 and the population still grew, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration is more sensitive to a change in relative cost than one growing from household formation.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Lackawanna County
Where are people moving to Lackawanna County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving4,038
- People arriving, from those returns6,887
- Tax returns filed by households leaving3,932
- Net household movement106
- Adjusted gross income arriving$233.1 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-16.7 m
- Average income of an arriving household$57,737
- Average income of a leaving household$63,530
- Largest single originLuzerne County (708 households)
- Largest single destinationLuzerne County (665 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Luzerne County | 708 | 1,120 | $42.6 m |
| Wayne County | 299 | 496 | $16.4 m |
| Monroe County | 251 | 446 | $11.2 m |
| Wyoming County | 137 | 204 | $7.0 m |
| Susquehanna County | 126 | 209 | $5.1 m |
| Philadelphia County | 115 | 162 | $10.5 m |
| Bronx County | 103 | 214 | $3.6 m |
| Kings County | 88 | 175 | $4.0 m |
Households arriving report $5,793 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Luzerne County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Lackawanna County
What is the Lackawanna County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$13.42 bn
- County GDP, 2023$12.91 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20244.0 percent
- GDP change over five years28.6 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Pennsylvania areas BEA publishes19th of 67
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes352nd of 3,127
- GDP per resident$62,094
Output grew 4.0 percent in the latest year and 28.6 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Lackawanna County
Employment by industry in Lackawanna County
- Covered employment, annual average98,108
- Establishments reporting5,565
- Average annual pay$53,720
- Average weekly wage$1,033
- Health care and social assistance, employment20,267
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$56,517
- Retail trade, employment11,259
- Retail trade, average annual pay$34,443
- Manufacturing, employment10,209
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$64,929
- Accommodation and food services, employment8,148
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$21,721
- Transportation and warehousing, employment7,189
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment4,633
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 20,267 | 890 | $56,517 |
| Retail trade | 11,259 | 797 | $34,443 |
| Manufacturing | 10,209 | 220 | $64,929 |
| Accommodation and food services | 8,148 | 571 | $21,721 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 7,189 | 178 | $49,052 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 4,633 | 258 | $43,065 |
| Educational services | 3,910 | 69 | $53,706 |
| Construction | 3,717 | 458 | $73,536 |
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 20,267 jobs, 20.7 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Lackawanna County
How many businesses are in Lackawanna County?
- Establishments, all industries5,198
- Employment at those establishments91,059
- Annual payroll$4.49 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents24.0
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Lackawanna County
Building permits in Lackawanna County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024250
- Declared construction value permitted$90.2 m
- Single family units authorized204
- Multifamily units authorized46
- Multifamily share of units18.4 percent
- Average declared value per unit$360,672
- Units authorized per 1,000 households2.8
Single-family homes are 81.6 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Lackawanna County
SBA loans in Lackawanna County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded287
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$95.6 m
- Average 7(a) approval$332,936
- Median 7(a) approval$141,000
- 10th percentile approval$30,000
- 90th percentile approval$682,900
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)2,004
- Jobs per approval7.0
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active37
- Distinct industries receiving approvals114
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer11.8 percent
- Loans on real estate terms34
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter233
- Franchise loans12
- Franchise share of approvals4.2 percent
- Leading industry by approval countFull-Service Restaurants (23)
- Most active lenderPS Bank (75)
- 504 approvals recorded83
- 504 gross approval dollars$48.1 m
- Average 504 approval$579,783
- Median 504 approval$401,000
- Distinct CDCs active6
- 504 jobs per approval11.1
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved19.2
- Most active CDCNEPA Alliance Business Finance Corporation (40)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$143.7 m
The average approval of $332,936 sits well above the median of $141,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 11.8 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Lackawanna County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Lackawanna County
Do SBA loans in Lackawanna County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded56
- Paid in full55
- Charged off1
- Charge-off rate on resolved loans1.8 percent
- Status: Paid in full55
- Status: Exempt from disclosure197
- Status: Cancelled21
- Status: Charged off1
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed13
Of the 56 loans that have reached a final outcome, 1.8 percent were charged off. This is computed only over resolved loans, because a loan still running has not yet succeeded or failed and counting it either way would be wrong.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Lackawanna County
SBA lending by place in Lackawanna County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending36
- Scranton, approvals103
- Clarks Summit, approvals23
- Dunmore, approvals17
- Carbondale, approvals12
- Olyphant, approvals11
- Moosic, approvals10
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Scranton | 103 | $42,935,600 |
| Clarks Summit | 23 | $10,250,500 |
| Dunmore | 17 | $6,824,300 |
| Carbondale | 12 | $1,831,700 |
| Olyphant | 11 | $3,763,300 |
| Moosic | 10 | $3,214,000 |
| Scott Township | 10 | $1,544,000 |
| Throop | 9 | $1,865,900 |
| 28 other borrower cities | 92 | $23,323,300 |
Scranton accounts for 103 approvals against 23 in Clarks Summit. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Lackawanna County
How large is Lackawanna County?
- Land area459 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Pennsylvania counties48th of 67
- Width, east to west20.4 mi
- Height, north to south33.2 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land471
- Establishments per square mile11.32
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Lackawanna County
Flood risk in Lackawanna County
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book40
- Of those, participating in the NFIP40
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Lackawanna County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/LZone 1
The EPA places Lackawanna County in radon zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 100.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Lackawanna County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Lackawanna County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024216,146
- Households88,263
- Average household size2.45
- Median household income$66,223
- Median age41.9
Common questions
Lackawanna County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania?
The Census Bureau estimates 216,859 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 216,146, in 88,263 households, ranking 17th of 67 Pennsylvania counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Lackawanna County's population growing?
The population has grown 0.44 percent since the 2020 census base of 215,911, to 216,859 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 1,940 births against 2,632 deaths, with net migration of 1,084. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Lackawanna County?
$66,223. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $201,800, which is 3.0 times income, and median gross rent is $1,007 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Lackawanna County?
5,198 establishments, employing 91,059 people with an annual payroll of $4.49 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Lackawanna County?
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 20,267 jobs, 20.7 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 98,108 jobs at an average annual pay of $53,720, or $1,033 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Lackawanna County?
287 7(a) approvals totaling $95.6 m since FY2020, across 37 lenders, with a median approval of $141,000, plus 83 504 approvals worth $48.1 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Lackawanna County get paid back?
Of the 56 loans that have reached a final outcome, 55 were paid in full and 1 charged off, a charge-off rate of 1.8 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
How many building permits were issued in Lackawanna County?
250 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $90.2 m. Multifamily was 18.4 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Lackawanna County?
Zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Lackawanna County come from?
The largest single origin is Luzerne County, with 708 households. Arriving households report an average income of $57,737 against $63,530 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Lackawanna County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Lackawanna County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Lackawanna County
Cities and places in Lackawanna.
26 Census places lie wholly or partly in Lackawanna County. All 26 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scranton | city | 76,033 | 103 | Wholly in this county |
| Dunmore | borough | 14,181 | 17 | Wholly in this county |
| Carbondale | city | 8,789 | 12 | Wholly in this county |
| Old Forge | borough | 8,573 | 9 | Wholly in this county |
| Archbald | borough | 7,404 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Blakely | borough | 6,662 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Taylor | borough | 6,265 | 6 | Wholly in this county |
| Dickson City | borough | 6,023 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| Moosic | borough | 5,973 | 10 | Wholly in this county |
| Olyphant | borough | 5,381 | 11 | Wholly in this county |
| Clarks Summit | borough | 5,073 | 23 | Wholly in this county |
| Jessup | borough | 4,495 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Throop | borough | 4,081 | 9 | Wholly in this county |
| Chinchilla | CDP | 2,213 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Jermyn | borough | 2,141 | 8 | Wholly in this county |
| Mount Cobb | CDP | 2,065 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Mayfield | borough | 1,876 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Moscow | borough | 1,798 | 9 | Wholly in this county |
| Clarks Green | borough | 1,656 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Simpson | CDP | 1,475 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Big Bass Lake | CDP | 1,428 | None recorded | 80.9 percent here, 19.1 percent Wayne County |
| Dalton | borough | 1,415 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| Glenburn | CDP | 989 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Vandling | borough | 964 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Waverly | CDP | 653 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Eagle Lake | CDP | 0 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 51 of the county's 287 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Lackawanna County, the largest being Scott Township (10), Covington Township (9), Eynon (7). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.