HomePennsylvaniaLackawanna County
Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania: commercial real estate data.
Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania has a population of 216,146 across 459 square miles, up 0.4 percent since the 2020 census base. 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.
128 sourced county values · tier FULL · 12 sections
Lackawanna County
How many people live in Lackawanna County
- Population216,146
- 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-equivalents325th
Lackawanna County is the 17th largest of 67 Pennsylvania counties by population. A median home costs 3.0 times median household income, which is an affordable ownership market 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 growing
- Population change since the 2020 census base0.44 percent
- Census 2020 base population215,911
- 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
The county has grown 0.44 percent since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration alone 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 people moving to Lackawanna County come from
- Tax returns filed by households arriving4,038
- People arriving, from those returns6,887
- Adjusted gross income arriving$233.1 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$57,737
- Largest single originLackawanna County Non-migrants (86,405 households)
- Largest single destination (86,405 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lackawanna County Non-migrants | 86,405 | 163,547 | $6.48 bn |
| Other flows - Different State | 1,167 | 2,061 | $64.3 m |
| Luzerne County | 708 | 1,120 | $42.6 m |
| Other flows - South | 503 | 863 | $31.0 m |
| Other flows - Northeast | 356 | 619 | $11.6 m |
| Wayne County | 299 | 496 | $16.4 m |
| Monroe County | 251 | 446 | $11.2 m |
| Other flows - West | 192 | 346 | $12.9 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is Lackawanna County Non-migrants, 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 the Lackawanna County economy runs on
- 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 Pennsylvania counties19th
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents352nd
- 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
Who employs people in Lackawanna County
- Covered employment, annual average98,108
- Establishments reporting5,565
- Average annual pay$53,720
- Average weekly wage$1,033
- Sector 62, employment20,267
- Sector 62, average annual pay$56,517
- Sector 44-45, employment11,259
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$34,443
- Sector 31-33, employment10,209
- Sector 31-33, average annual pay$64,929
- Sector 72, employment8,148
- Sector 72, average annual pay$21,721
- Sector 48-49, employment7,189
- Sector 56, employment4,633
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 62 | 20,267 | 890 | $56,517 |
| Sector 44-45 | 11,259 | 797 | $34,443 |
| Sector 31-33 | 10,209 | 220 | $64,929 |
| Sector 72 | 8,148 | 571 | $21,721 |
| Sector 48-49 | 7,189 | 178 | $49,052 |
| Sector 56 | 4,633 | 258 | $43,065 |
| Sector 61 | 3,910 | 69 | $53,706 |
| Sector 23 | 3,717 | 458 | $73,536 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 20,267 jobs, 20.7 percent of covered employment. Average pay per job sits below median household income, so households here typically need more than one earner.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Lackawanna County
What businesses operate 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.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Lackawanna County
What is being built in Lackawanna County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 2024250
- Declared construction value permitted$90.2 m
- Single family units authorised204
- Multifamily units authorised46
- Multifamily share of units18.4 percent
- Average declared value per unit$360,672
- Units authorised per 1,000 households2.8
Multifamily is 18.4 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is predominantly for sale product.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Lackawanna County
How much SBA lending happens in Lackawanna County
- 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$700,000
- 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)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals77.6 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$143.7 m
The average approval of $332,936 sits well above the median of $141,000, so a small number of large deals is pulling the mean up. The median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here actually 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
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.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Lackawanna County
Which parts of Lackawanna County get the lending
- Places in the county with recorded lending37
- Scranton, approvals103
- Clarks Summit, approvals23
- DUNMORE, approvals17
- CARBONDALE, approvals12
- OLYPHANT, approvals11
- Moosic, approvals10
| Place | 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 |
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 big 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
What hazards affect Lackawanna County
- EPA radon zone predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/LZone 1
- Communities in the NFIP Community Status Book40
- Of those, participating in the NFIP40
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
The EPA places the county in radon zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L.
US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001. FEMA OpenFEMA, NFIP Community Status Book, Community Status Book, as retrieved.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Every item below could be filled with a plausible figure. None of them is. On a page a lender may read, a number that cannot be traced is worse than an absence, so the absences are named.
- Flood zone record counts are not held. The flood coverage export has not landed, so no count is shown rather than an estimated one.
- Traffic counts resolve in the platform, not in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here.
- Zoning is in build. Parcel level zoning is not published on this page.
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.
- Population216,146
- 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?
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 growing?
The population has grown 0.44 percent since the 2020 census base. 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 there 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 the average wage in Lackawanna County?
Average annual pay is $53,720, or $1,033 a week, across 98,108 covered jobs. 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 totalling $95.6 m since FY2020, across 37 lenders, with a median approval of $141,000, plus 83 504 approvals worth $48.1 m. 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.
What is being built in Lackawanna County?
250 housing units were authorised 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 Lackawanna County Non-migrants, with 86,405 households. Arriving households report an average income of $57,737 against null 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?
Not yet. The zoning layer is in build. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame with confirm locally attached.