City comparison
Erie, PA is about 225 miles (375 km) from Scranton, PA in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 300 miles, or about 4 h 45 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 Erie, PA to Scranton, PA takes about 28 min, covering roughly 225 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.
Erie has a population of 94,826, vs 76,119 in Scranton — about 1.2× larger by population. By land area, Scranton covers about 25 sq mi vs 19 sq mi for Erie.
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 | Erie | Scranton | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $809/mo | $933/mo | 15.3% higher in Scranton |
| Median home value | $101,500 | $125,700 | 23.8% higher in Scranton |
| Median household income | $43,135 | $48,776 | 13.1% higher in Scranton |
| Groceries index | 100.7 | 100.7 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 106.1 | 105.9 | ≈ equal (Erie slightly higher) |
| Transportation index | 97.6 | 97.6 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 98.3 | 98.3 | ≈ 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 Erie, you'd need $105,197 in Scranton to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Erie, PA is about 4.9% cheaper overall than Scranton, PA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 18% higher in Scranton than in Erie. If you earn $80,000 in Erie, you'd need about $84,158 in Scranton to keep the same standard of living.