City comparison
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 | Bethlehem | Scranton | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,218/mo | $933/mo | 30.5% higher in A |
| Median home value | $220,300 | $125,700 | 75.3% higher in A |
| Median household income | $62,072 | $48,776 | 27.3% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 100.7 | 100.8 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 105.1 | 104.4 | 0.7% higher in A |
| Transportation index | 97.2 | 97.2 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 99.8 | 99.8 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Bethlehem, you'd need $85,833 in Scranton to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Scranton, PA is about 14.2% cheaper overall than Bethlehem, PA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 33% lower in Scranton than in Bethlehem. If you earn $80,000 in Bethlehem, you'd need about $68,666 in Scranton to keep the same standard of living.