Scranton, PA Housing Market
AI-powered market intelligence for the Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA metro area.
PropertyIQ Scores
Scranton, PA Market Analysis
Market Overview
Scranton’s PropertyIQ Score of 44 out of 100 places the market in a moderate-to-weak position relative to a neutral midpoint. The score reflects mixed signals across valuation, momentum, and market activity. The median home value is $230,799, which is well below the Pennsylvania state average of $290,552. That price gap may suggest relative affordability at the property level, but local incomes also trail the state, with a median household income of $63,656 compared with the state’s $76,081. As a result, Scranton’s lower home prices do not necessarily translate into stronger purchasing power for local residents.
The market’s momentum indicators are also divided. The 12-month home value momentum is positive at 5.17%, but the 3-month momentum is negative at -2.14%, indicating that shorter-term price conditions have cooled even though the longer annual trend remains positive. Median days on market sit at 44 days, and 19.0% of listings have a price cut, which points to a market where sellers are adjusting to buyer resistance. The reported year-over-year home value change of $6 is effectively flat and reinforces the picture of very limited near-term price growth.
Rental conditions look stronger by comparison. Scranton’s rent index is $1,333, while the state average is $1,162. That means local rents are above the state benchmark even though home values are below the state benchmark. The unemployment rate is 4.2%, nearly identical to the state average of 4.1%. Overall, Scranton presents a mixed profile: lower entry prices and stronger rent levels are offset by weak recent price momentum, below-average local incomes, and a modest but meaningful share of listings requiring price reductions.
Key Trends
One clear trend is the divergence between annual and short-term home value momentum. The 12-month home value momentum of 5.17% shows that prices have risen over the past year from a longer perspective. However, the 3-month momentum of -2.14% shows that the most recent period has reversed some of that strength. Combined with a year-over-year home value change of $6, the data suggest that appreciation has stalled in the near term even if the trailing 12-month window remains positive.
A second trend is the cooling market activity reflected in days on market and price cuts. At 44 days, the median time on market is not extreme, but it is elevated enough to indicate that homes are not selling instantly. More notably, 19.0% of listings have had a price cut. That means nearly one in five sellers has adjusted their asking price, which typically signals that buyer demand is not absorbing inventory at initial list prices. With 1,020 homes for sale, buyers have a meaningful number of options, and sellers face more competition.
A third trend is the tension between property prices and local income levels. The median home value of $230,799 is lower than the state average of $290,552, which could attract buyers looking for more affordable entry points. But the median household income of $63,656 is also below the state average of $76,081. That income gap may limit how much local buyers can stretch, even at lower price points. Affordability is therefore not as straightforward as the lower median home value alone would suggest.
A fourth trend is the relative strength of the rental market. Scranton’s rent index of $1,333 exceeds the state average of $1,162 by $171. That is notable because home values in Scranton are below the state average. For rental property owners, this combination of lower home prices and higher rent levels may offer a more favorable income-to-price dynamic than the state as a whole, though other factors such as tenant demand and operating costs still matter.
Who Is This Market For
Scranton is likely best suited for affordability-focused buyers and rental investors rather than short-term speculators. First-time buyers may find lower median home values attractive compared with the state average, but they should weigh that against the area’s below-average median household income. The 19.0% share of listings with price cuts and a 44-day median days on market suggest that buyers have some negotiating room, especially if they are willing to be patient.
Rental investors may see Scranton as an interesting market because the rent index of $1,333 is above the state average while home values remain below the state average. That combination can support stronger gross rental yields than markets with higher property prices and lower rent benchmarks. However, investors should account for the weak 3-month home value momentum of -2.14%, which suggests limited short-term appreciation potential. This is not a market where rapid equity gains are currently being signaled by the data.
Move-up buyers and sellers may find the current environment less favorable. A PropertyIQ Score of 44 out of 100, a negative 3-month momentum reading, and a meaningful share of listings with price cuts indicate that sellers may need to price competitively. Buyers looking for a stable or appreciating asset may prefer markets with stronger short-term momentum and higher income growth, though Scranton’s lower price points can still appeal to those with a long-term horizon.
Outlook
The near-term outlook for Scranton appears cautious but not sharply negative. The 3-month home value momentum of -2.14% and the 19.0% share of listings with price cuts suggest that seller pricing power has weakened in the short run. At the same time, the 12-month home value momentum of 5.17% shows that the market has posted positive appreciation over the longer window, even if the most recent months have pulled back. The $6 year-over-year home value change indicates that annual price growth is essentially flat, which supports a slow or sideways near-term expectation rather than a strong rebound.
Affordability relative to the state may continue to draw interest from value-conscious buyers and rental investors, but the local income gap could limit how much demand can accelerate. With a median household income of $63,656, well below the state average, buyer budgets may remain constrained even at lower home prices. Unemployment at 4.2% is close to the state average of 4.1%, so the labor market does not appear to be a major drag. Population growth data is not available, so the demand outlook cannot fully account for demographic trends. Based on the data provided, the most likely near-term scenario is a market with modest price softening, steady but unhurried sales, and opportunities for buyers or investors who are not relying on quick appreciation.
AI-generated analysis based on current market data. Last updated August 19, 2026.
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Scranton, PA market data
Scranton, PA Housing Market Overview
Scranton, PA's median home value is $231K, up 5.2% over the past year. Homes here sell in a median 44 days. Its PropertyIQ Score of 44 sits modestly below the state average of 50.
The Scranton, PA metro area is one of 900+ US metropolitan markets that PropertyIQ scores each month. A single PropertyIQ Score blends Zillow price momentum with Realtor.com market-flow signals to estimate 3-year excess appreciation versus the market's state — showing not just where prices stand today, but how the market is positioned relative to its peers.
The Mid-Atlantic corridor benefits from proximity to major financial centers and government institutions. Housing markets in this region balance urban density with suburban expansion, creating varied opportunities from walkable city neighborhoods to rapidly growing exurbs. Within the Mid-Atlantic, Scranton, PA's PropertyIQ Score of 44 runs below the Mid-Atlantic norm.
Pennsylvania's housing market spans from Philadelphia's dense urban neighborhoods to Pittsburgh's tech-driven renaissance and rural communities in between, offering diverse investment profiles at various price points.
Each month, PropertyIQ updates its score for Scranton, PA using four inputs: Zillow ZHVI twelve-month and three-month momentum, Realtor.com median days on market, and the Realtor.com share of listings with price cuts. These four signals are combined into a single 1 to 99 score computed across all metro markets and calibrated so 50 represents the state average, making it a direct read of how this market is positioned to perform relative to its state. Momentum here has been positive, with home values up 5.2% over the past year.
Explore the interactive map to see how Scranton, PA compares to neighboring metros, or view the full market dashboard for detailed analytics including time-series trends, score breakdowns, and AI-generated market reports.
Counties in the Scranton, PA metro area
ZIP codes in the Scranton, PA metro area
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Market data through July 2026. Sourced from Zillow, Realtor.com, Redfin, U.S. Census Bureau, FRED, BLS, and BEA. Per-statistic source and date shown above.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Scranton, PA a good place to buy real estate in 2026?
PropertyIQ doesn't label markets simply good or bad. Instead, the PropertyIQ Score measures a market's demand momentum against its own state, where 50 marks the state average. Scranton, PA currently scores 44, a easing-momentum reading that leaves it positioned to lag its state modestly over the next three years. For buyers, softening demand tends to open up negotiating room as listings sit longer and price cuts become more common. Backing that up, the median home value here is $231K, up 5.2% over the past year. So whether Scranton, PA is right for you comes down to your goals: a rising-momentum market can favor long-term appreciation but offers less room to negotiate, while a cooling one hands buyers more leverage. Treat the score as a timing signal to weigh alongside your budget, holding period, and plans for the property, not a verdict on the market's quality.
What is the PropertyIQ Score for Scranton, PA?
Scranton, PA's PropertyIQ Score is 44, indicating easing momentum on a 1-to-99 scale. The score distills four transparent inputs into a single number: Zillow home-value momentum over the past 12 months, Zillow home-value momentum over the past 3 months, the median days homes spend on the market from Realtor.com, and the share of listings with a price cut, also from Realtor.com. Rising values and faster sales push the score up, while slow sales and frequent price cuts pull it down. The scale is calibrated so 50 equals the state average, meaning a score above 50 predicts the market will outperform its state over the next three years and a score below 50 predicts underperformance. PropertyIQ computes the score across every US market nationally, then recenters it against each state, so 44 places Scranton, PA below its state benchmark.
Are home prices in Scranton, PA rising or falling?
Home prices in Scranton, PA are rising. Over the past year, the median home value increased 5.2%, reaching $231K. Over the latest three months, values slipped 2.1%, a sign near-term demand is softening. PropertyIQ derives these figures from Zillow's home-value index, which tracks the typical value across the market rather than only the homes that happened to sell, giving a steadier read than a raw median sale price. Both the 12-month and 3-month momentum readings feed directly into the PropertyIQ Score, so this price trend is one of the core signals behind Scranton, PA's current score. Keep in mind that appreciation can vary widely by neighborhood and price tier across the metro area, so treat these figures as the market-wide baseline rather than a guarantee for any single property.
How quickly do homes sell in Scranton, PA?
In Scranton, PA, homes sell in a median of 44 days from listing to pending sale, based on Realtor.com market data. Median days on market is one of the clearest real-time reads on local demand: when homes move quickly, buyers are competing and sellers hold the advantage, while lengthening timelines signal cooling interest and more room to negotiate. Alongside sale speed, about 19% of active listings here have taken at least one price cut — a complementary demand gauge, since a rising share of reductions often precedes slower sales and softer prices. Both median days on market and the price-cut share feed directly into the PropertyIQ Score, where faster sales and fewer cuts push the score higher. As a general guide, medians under about 30 days indicate a brisk, competitive market, while medians well beyond 60 days point to buyers regaining leverage. Actual time on market still varies by price band, property type, and season, so treat the median as a market-wide baseline.
How current is this metro area data?
This Scranton, PA market data is refreshed on a monthly cycle, with the latest figures current through July 2026. PropertyIQ ingests fresh data every month from a range of authoritative sources: home values and rents from Zillow, days on market and price-cut activity from Realtor.com, additional housing signals from Redfin, demographic and housing-stock data from the U.S. Census Bureau, mortgage and macroeconomic series from FRED, and employment figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Bureau of Economic Analysis. The PropertyIQ Score itself is recomputed every month once the new source data lands, so the score and its four underlying inputs always reflect the most recent complete reporting period rather than a static snapshot. Because official housing data is typically released with a short lag, the current-through date usually trails the present by a few weeks, which is normal across the industry and not a sign the data is out of date.