Scranton is a small town of 522 in Iowa, with a median household income of $51,625
and a 2.5% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 86 (US average = 100), which is
14% below the national average.
Strengths:
Scranton stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, short average commutes.
Trade-offs:
No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Scranton is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Scranton city data on this page comes from official government sources —
the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 86.1
Scranton's overall cost of living index is 86.1,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Scranton costs roughly 14% less than the average American city.
Metric
Scranton, IA
National Avg
Median Home Value
$55,600
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$847
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
64.1%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$51,625
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Very Safe
Scranton's violent crime rate is 45.0 per 100,000 residents
— 88% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
45.0 /100k
Property Crime
596.3 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Metric
Scranton, IA
National Avg
School District
N/A
—
Elementary Schools
N/A
—
Middle Schools
N/A
—
High Schools
N/A
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
N/A
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
7.2%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
87.3%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Scranton sees average highs of 27.6°F in January
and 83.4°F in July,
with 35.3 inches of annual precipitation
and 31.7 inches of snow per year.
Scranton's cost of living index is 86, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Scranton roughly 14% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $55,600 and median rent is $847/month.
Scranton's violent crime rate is 45.0 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 596.3 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
School district information is sourced from NCES Common Core of Data.
Scranton, IA has a population of 522, a median household income of $51,625, and an unemployment rate of 2.5%.
It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Scranton averages 27.6°F in January and 83.4°F in July. Annual rainfall is 35.3 inches
with about 31.7 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Scranton, IA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 51462.
The population of Scranton, Iowa is 522 with a median age of 47.3. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Scranton: cost of living index 86 (100 = US average), median home $55,600, median household income $51,625, crime index 18 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Scranton side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
