Pennsylvania · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Lackawanna County, PA

Prices around Lackawanna County, PA run 6.4% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $66,223 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,252 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $50,080 a year.

Lackawanna County, PA at a glance

Median household income

$66,223$5,519 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,252HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)93.6-6.4% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity21.7¢per kWh · EIA Residential PA
Population216,146Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Lackawanna County, PA?

HUD’s fair market rent for each size, against what a typical household here earns. Change the income to see yours.

Affordable (< 30% of income)
HUD Fair Market Rent$1,252Monthly market rent
Share of gross income22.7%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$50,080To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,656At 30% of $66,223
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Lackawanna County, PA? By bedroom, 2026

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA MSA, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Lackawanna County, PA, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$863$10,356$34,52015.6%
1-Bedroom Apartment$1,028$12,336$41,12018.6%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,252$15,024$50,08022.7%
3-Bedroom Home$1,631$19,572$65,24029.6%
4-Bedroom Home$1,766$21,192$70,64032%

Rent in Lackawanna County, PA, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Lackawanna County, PA

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $66,223 a year ($5,519 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,759/moRent ($1,252 2-BR), utilities (~$196/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,656/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,104/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $66,223 leaves after Pennsylvania taxes

Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Pennsylvania tax on the local median income. Change the salary to see yours.

$66,223
$25,000$135,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$66,223
Net 81%
Fed 9%
PA 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$53,357After all taxes
Monthly deposit$4,446Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,052Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate19.4%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$5,767 / yr
Pennsylvania state income tax$2,033 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$5,066 / yr

Living in Lackawanna County, PA: common questions

What is the median household income in Lackawanna County, PA?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Lackawanna County, PA is $66,223 per year (approximately $5,519 per month).

What is the average rent in Lackawanna County, PA?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $863 for a studio, $1,028 for one bedroom, $1,252 for two, $1,631 for three and $1,766 for four, utilities included.

It is not an average of listings. HUD sets it at the rent 40% of recent movers paid or less for a standard unit, so a new lease on a nicer place will usually cost more.

Is Lackawanna County, PA expensive to live in?

Prices there run 6.4% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 93.6, where the U.S. is 100. Rent moves the number most: housing is where places differ, while goods cost about the same everywhere.

How much do you need to earn to comfortably afford rent in Lackawanna County, PA?

To keep a $1,252 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $50,080 a year, or $4,173 a month. That is 76% of what the typical household in Lackawanna County, PA earns.

How much do you need to live comfortably in Lackawanna County, PA?

On the local median income of $66,223 ($5,519 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,759 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,656 for everything else and $1,104 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,252 takes 45% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Lackawanna County, PA?

Homes in Pennsylvania paid 21.7¢ per kWh on average (EIA). At 900 kWh a month, a typical use, that is about $196. Your bill depends mostly on heating and cooling.