Flint vs Scranton
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $53,500 in Flint and $158,100 in Scranton.
- Households earn more in Scranton ($50,739 vs $37,646 median).
- Scranton has the warmer winter: January highs of 36°F vs 30°F.
- Commutes are shorter in Scranton (19 vs 23 minutes each way).
Side by side
| Flint, MI | Scranton, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 79,306 | 75,514 |
| Growth since 2020 | -2.4% | -1.1% |
| People per square mile | 2,372 | 2,984 |
| Median age | 36.9 | 37.2 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14% | 23% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $37,646 | $50,739 |
| Median home value | $53,500 | $158,100 |
| Home value to income | 1.4× | 3.1× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $915 | $1,048 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 93.0 | 93.6 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 74.0 | 67.0 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $69,800 | $70,200 |
| Homeowners | 54% | 50% |
| Top state income tax | 4.25% | 3.07% |
| Combined sales tax | 6% | 6.34% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 22.7 | 19.3 |
| Work from home | 9% | 9% |
| Take public transit | 3% | 1% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 14.8% | 5.4% |
| Poverty rate | 34.1% | 23% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 30° / 16° | 36° / 20° |
| July high / low | 82° / 60° | 85° / 63° |
| Precipitation per year | 32 in | 39 in |
| Snowfall per year | 52 in | 45 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 11 | 12 |
| Nights below freezing | 141 | 122 |
| Comfortable months | 5 | 6 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Moderate | Relatively Moderate |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 92.2 | 89.9 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 83% | 72% |
| Home prices, past year | +3.8% | +7.5% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +40.7% | +56.7% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Flint: May to September. Scranton: May to October.
Full monthly tables: Flint weather by month and Scranton weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $69,800 in Flint and $70,200 in Scranton. Moving from Flint to Scranton, you would need about $75,400 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
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