City comparison
Allentown, PA is about 60 miles (90 km) from Scranton, PA in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 70 miles, or about 1 h 15 min behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Allentown, PA to Scranton, PA takes about 7 min, covering roughly 60 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Allentown has a population of 125,292, vs 76,119 in Scranton — about 1.6× larger by population. By land area, Scranton covers about 25 sq mi vs 18 sq mi for Allentown.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Allentown | Scranton | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,202/mo | $933/mo | 28.8% higher in Allentown |
| Median home value | $168,800 | $125,700 | 34.3% higher in Allentown |
| Median household income | $52,449 | $48,776 | 7.5% higher in Allentown |
| Groceries index | 100.6 | 100.7 | ≈ equal (Scranton slightly higher) |
| Utilities index | 106.8 | 105.9 | 0.9% higher in Allentown |
| Transportation index | 97.6 | 97.6 | ≈ equal (Allentown slightly higher) |
| Healthcare index | 98.4 | 98.3 | ≈ equal (Allentown slightly higher) |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Allentown, you'd need $84,581 in Scranton to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Scranton, PA is about 15.4% cheaper overall than Allentown, PA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 55% higher in Allentown than in Scranton. If you earn $80,000 in Allentown, you'd need about $67,665 in Scranton to keep the same standard of living.