Hazleton vs Scranton
Hazleton, Pennsylvania versus Scranton, Pennsylvania: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Hazleton and Scranton score about the same overall (53 vs 51 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Hazleton | Scranton |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $39k | $49k |
| Cost of Living | $43k | $43k |
| Home Value | $120k | $126k |
| Monthly Rent | $970 | $933 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.42% | 2.26% |
| Income Tax | 4.60% | 5.50% |
| Sales Tax | 6.34% | 6.34% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 11.00% | 13.42% |
| Unemployment | 6.9% | 5.6% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 27°F | 27°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 72°F | 73°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.1 in | 38.7 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 41.5 in | 45.1 in |
| Sunny Days | 204 days | 204 days |
| Summer Humidity | 61°F | 61°F |
| Comfortable Days | 83 days | 93 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 14.4 | 36.0 |
| Air Quality | 49 AQI | 47 AQI |
| School Quality | 65.7 | 71.4 |
| Violent Crime | 562/100k | 1402/100k |
| Property Crime | 967/100k | 1702/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 29,671 | 76,119 |
| Median Age | 37.1 | 37.3 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.65 | 0.43 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.05 | 0.99 |
| Political Leaning | R+15 | Even |
| White (%) | 34.1% | 68.6% |
| Black (%) | 2.8% | 5.8% |
| Hispanic (%) | 62.2% | 16.1% |
| Asian (%) | 0.0% | 4.7% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 0.9% | 4.8% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 23 min | 20 min |
| Walkability | 9.3/20 | 10.7/20 |
| Airport Distance | 84 mi | 92 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 81.3% | 84.4% |
| Amenities Nearby | 33.37 | 34.95 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Excellent |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Hazleton or Scranton more affordable?
- Scranton has the lower cost of living: its index is $43k, compared with Hazleton's $43k and Scranton's $43k. Median rent is $970 in Hazleton versus $933 in Scranton.
- Is Hazleton or Scranton safer?
- Hazleton has the lower violent crime rate. Hazleton reports 562/100k and Scranton reports 1402/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Hazleton or Scranton?
- The median home value is $120k in Hazleton and $126k in Scranton, so homes are more affordable in Hazleton.