Lackawanna County, PA

Living in Lackawanna County means settling into a place that feels both stubbornly old-school and quietly reinventing itself. It’s a region of former coal towns, tight-knit neighborhoods, and a pace of life that values a Friday-night high school football game over a trendy new brunch spot. You’ll find people who’ve never left, and others who moved back after a stint in Philadelphia or New York, drawn by the low cost of living and the simple fact that you can still buy a decent home for under $200,000.

The Daily Rhythm: Work, Errands, and the Weekend

Most days here move at a deliberate, unhurried pace. The average commute clocks in at just over 21 minutes, which means you’re not spending your life in a car. People tend to work in healthcare, education, or local government—Geisinger and the University of Scranton are major anchors. Shopping is practical: you’ll hit the Viewmont Mall in Dickson City for chain stores, or head to the local butcher in Dunmore for a weekend cookout. Weekends in fall are dominated by high school football, especially in places like Scranton and Dunmore, where the stands are packed and the rivalry between Scranton Prep and West Scranton is a genuine community event. In summer, you’ll find families at Nay Aug Park in Scranton, or driving out to the Lackawanna River Heritage Trail for a bike ride. The region’s median age of 41.9 reflects a population that’s settled—many are raising kids or have already raised them, and the social scene leans toward church picnics, Little League games, and the occasional night at a local VFW hall.

Sports, Community, and the Local Identity

Sports aren’t just a pastime here—they’re a core part of the county’s identity. High school football is the biggest draw, with the Lackawanna Football Conference producing state-championship contenders year after year. The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (Yankees’ Triple-A affiliate) offer affordable summer baseball in Moosic, and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL hockey) bring a solid crowd to the Mohegan Sun Arena. But the real passion is for the local high school teams—Friday nights in Old Forge or Carbondale are a ritual. The cultural identity is rooted in the area’s coal-mining and immigrant past. You’ll see it in the food: pierogies, halushki, and kielbasa are staples at any church festival. The La Festa Italiana in Scranton draws tens of thousands each summer, and the Old Forge Pizza rivalry (it’s a thick, square, cheese-heavy style) is a legitimate point of local pride. The county is also home to the Steamtown National Historic Site, a railroad museum that honors the region’s industrial backbone. There’s a quiet, unpretentious pride here—people don’t boast, but they’ll tell you exactly where their grandparents came from and which mine they worked in.

What’s There to Do: Honest Entertainment and Outdoor Options

Entertainment is more about community gathering than flashy attractions. The Scranton Cultural Center hosts Broadway tours and concerts, and the Montage Mountain Ski Resort in Scranton offers skiing, snowboarding, and a summer water park. For a night out, locals head to Backyard Ale House in Scranton for craft beer and live music, or Cooper’s Seafood House for a quirky, nautical-themed dinner. The Lackawanna River runs through the county, and the Heritage Trail is popular for walking and cycling. The Lackawanna State Park in North Abington Township has a lake for fishing and kayaking, plus camping. But the honest truth is that nightlife is limited—if you want a club scene or a late-night food scene, you’ll be driving to Wilkes-Barre or making a trip to New York City (about two hours away). The biggest frustration for locals is the lack of new, diverse dining options—the restaurant scene is heavy on pizza, Italian, and diners, with little in the way of Asian or Latin cuisine outside of a few spots in Scranton.

Pros and Cons of Living Here: The Trade-Offs

• Pro: Cost of living is genuinely low. With a cost-of-living index of 77 (100 is the U.S. average), your money goes far. The median home value is $189,900, meaning a family can buy a three-bedroom in a place like Taylor or Moosic without being house-poor. The median household income of $64,691 supports a comfortable, if not lavish, lifestyle.
• Con: The economy is limited. Job growth is slow, and many well-paying positions are in healthcare or education. The college-educated population is only 30.1%, and young professionals often leave for Philadelphia or New York for better opportunities. The violent crime rate of 227.4 per 100,000 is slightly above the national average, though it’s concentrated in certain Scranton neighborhoods, not the suburbs or rural areas.
• Pro: Strong community and family focus. Schools are a central hub—places like Abington Heights and North Pocono school districts have active parent groups and well-supported sports programs. The weather brings four distinct seasons, with snowy winters that make for good skiing but also mean shoveling and plowing.
• Con: Winters are long and gray. From November through March, expect clouds, snow, and cold. The seasonal affective disorder is real, and the lack of sunny days can wear on people who aren’t used to it. The flip side is that summer and fall are genuinely beautiful, with mild temperatures and vibrant foliage.

The kind of person who fits in here is someone who values stability, family, and tradition over novelty and hustle. It’s a place for people who want to own a home, raise kids in a community where neighbors know each other, and not feel pressured to keep up with trends. If you’re looking for a vibrant nightlife, a booming job market, or cultural diversity, you’ll be frustrated. But if you want a place where a handshake still means something, where you can buy a house for under $200,000, and where Friday night means a football game and a slice of Old Forge pizza, Lackawanna County might feel like home.