Sell Your Commercial Property In Scranton, PA

Who rents in Scranton

Scranton has 76,033 residents and 30,247 occupied homes, and 15,164 of those are rented, a 50.1% renter share in the ACS 2020–2024 estimates. The median household income is $50,739. Of renter households, 7,286 (48.0%) spend 30% or more of income on rent, and 4,251 (28.0%) spend at least half.

Demand rests on the city's hospitals and colleges and on the distribution centers that line Interstates 81 and 84 through the Lackawanna and Wyoming valleys. Health care, education and logistics jobs together give Scranton a broader tenant base than a single-employer town.

Rents and affordability

The Census median gross rent of $1,048 includes utilities and averages leases from 2020 to 2024. That is $12,576 a year, about 25% of the citywide median household income. HUD's Fair Market Rents for the Scranton–Wilkes-Barre metro, which set voucher payment standards in Lackawanna and Luzerne counties, rose about 11% at every size for FY2026:

HUD's worksheet shows why. Recent movers in the metro paid $1,103 at the 40th percentile, about 18% more than the $932 five-year figure for the same percentile, and HUD built that gap into the new standards. For owners with long-term tenants, it is a rough measure of how far in-place rents trail new leases.

The apartment stock

Scranton's housing is very old, with a median year built of 1938. Of 35,512 housing units, 17,292 are detached houses and 3,753 (10.6%) are attached. The defining feature is small multifamily: 8,933 units, a quarter of the stock (25.2%), are in two- to four-unit buildings, a higher share than in Erie, Reading or Philadelphia. Buildings with five or more units hold 5,426 units (15.3%): 1,551 in buildings of five to nine units, 952 in buildings of 10 to 19, 710 in buildings of 20 to 49 and 2,213 in buildings of 50 or more.

The areas on our Scranton page span two counties. Dunmore borders Scranton in Lackawanna County. Wilkes-Barre, Hazleton and Pittston are in Luzerne County, with their own assessments, tax rates and local rental rules.

Property taxes after the 2026 reassessment

Lackawanna County's 2026 reassessment is the main tax story. The county mailed new valuations that municipalities, school districts and the county now use as the basis for 2026 taxes. The Assessment Office reports that the county rate fell from 89.98 mills to 5.79 mills, and that municipal rates dropped sharply to offset the higher values. The reassessment replaced values based on 1968 with current market values, according to a county reassessment guide.

Lower rates do not mean lower bills for every building. A property whose value rose more than the county average can pay more even after the rate cuts; one that rose less can pay less. Apartment owners should compare their new assessment with recent sales and income before listing. At sale, the Commonwealth's 1% realty transfer tax is added to a local tax, with buyer and seller jointly liable.

Landlord rules and local compliance

• Licensing: under the RENTAL Ordinance of 2022 and Chapter 373 of the city code, every rental property needs a Scranton rental license, renewed by March 15 each year. New units must be licensed within 30 days of tenancy, and landlords must name a local emergency contact. Renting an unlicensed unit has been a violation since September 16, 2023, and the city can refuse a license or impose fines and other penalties.
• Fees: $45 per unit for properties with one to three units, then flat fees of $150 for 4 to 9 units, $250 for 10 to 19, $350 for 20 to 49 and $450 for 50 or more. Family-occupied units need a license but pay no fee. A 12-unit building, for example, pays a flat $250 a year, about $21 per unit.
• Inspections: properties are inspected on a three-year cycle. The first re-inspection is free; later ones carry a fee, and failing can cost the license.
• Vacant and distressed property: any Scranton property in mortgage default, foreclosure, or a tax sale process must be registered with the city, occupied or not.
• State rules: the Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951 caps deposits at two months' rent in the first year and one month afterward. Pennsylvania has no rent control, and no Pennsylvania city caps rent increases on market-rate apartments.

What this means if you own a building here

The reassessment reset every building's tax base, and HUD's standards rose about 11%. A buyer will underwrite both, plus the three-year inspection record and a 1938 median build year. Skyline buys 5+ unit buildings in Scranton and the surrounding Lackawanna and Luzerne communities, stabilized or in need of work. Try the apartment building value calculator, or start at sell my apartment building.