Altoona, PA vs Scranton, PA: cost of living compared
Price levels from BEA (2024); rent and home values from Zillow (September 2026).
The short answer
- Overall, Scranton, PA is 4.5% more expensive than Altoona, PA (BEA, 2024).
- To keep the same standard of living, $75,000 in Altoona works out to about $78,400 in Scranton, before taxes.
- Most of the difference is housing, which costs 21.8% more in Scranton. Goods are 0.0% higher and other services 0.0% higher.
- Typical asking rent is $1,362 a month in Scranton and $1,004 in Altoona, $4,296 a year more in Scranton (Zillow, September 2026).
- A typical home is valued at about $234,000 in Scranton and $175,000 in Altoona.
- The gap has widened since 2019, when Scranton was 2.4% more expensive than Altoona.
derived Calculated from BEA Regional Price Parities (2024) and Zillow data. Based on an average household's spending; taxes not included. How we calculate.
Category by category
Both cities against the US average (100). The gap in each row is what matters for a move.
Housing drives the gap: 21.8% higher in Scranton than in Altoona
Price level by category, 2024. US average = 100.
- Altoona, PA
- Scranton, PA
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Altoona, PA | Scranton, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 89.5 | 93.6 |
| Goods | 100.7 | 100.7 |
| Housing (rents) | 55.0 | 67.0 |
| Utilities | 107.7 | 106.5 |
| Other services | 97.7 | 97.7 |
| Category | Altoona | Scranton | Scranton vs Altoona |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 89.5 | 93.6 | +4.5% |
| Goods | 100.7 | 100.7 | 0.0% |
| Housing (rents) | 55.0 | 67.0 | +21.8% |
| Utilities | 107.7 | 106.5 | −1.1% |
| Other services | 97.7 | 97.7 | 0.0% |
| Typical asking rent | $1,004 | $1,362 | +35.7% |
| Typical home value | $175,000 | $234,000 | +33.4% |
| Salary to match $75,000 in Altoona | $75,000 | $78,400 | +4.5% |
Index values: BEA, 2024, US = 100. Rent and home values: Data Provided by Zillow Group, September 2026.
How the gap has changed since 2008
The price gap between Altoona and Scranton has widened since 2008: 1.2 points then, 4.0 now
Overall price level each year, 2008–2024. US average = 100.
- Altoona, PA
- Scranton, PA
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Altoona, PA | Scranton, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 93.9 | 95.1 |
| 2009 | 91.7 | 96.0 |
| 2010 | 93.7 | 94.1 |
| 2011 | 93.5 | 94.7 |
| 2012 | 92.3 | 94.0 |
| 2013 | 92.8 | 94.6 |
| 2014 | 89.3 | 91.5 |
| 2015 | 92.5 | 95.5 |
| 2016 | 91.5 | 94.8 |
| 2017 | 91.2 | 95.2 |
| 2018 | 91.3 | 92.9 |
| 2019 | 90.7 | 92.9 |
| 2020 | 89.7 | 93.1 |
| 2021 | 89.3 | 93.1 |
| 2022 | 89.0 | 91.9 |
| 2023 | 88.7 | 93.4 |
| 2024 | 89.5 | 93.6 |
Goods
- Altoona, PA
- Scranton, PA
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Altoona, PA | Scranton, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 101.0 | 101.0 |
| 2009 | 101.1 | 101.1 |
| 2010 | 98.0 | 98.0 |
| 2011 | 97.8 | 97.8 |
| 2012 | 97.6 | 97.6 |
| 2013 | 97.8 | 97.8 |
| 2014 | 97.9 | 97.9 |
| 2015 | 99.3 | 99.3 |
| 2016 | 98.4 | 98.4 |
| 2017 | 99.4 | 99.4 |
| 2018 | 100.4 | 100.4 |
| 2019 | 97.1 | 97.1 |
| 2020 | 98.8 | 98.8 |
| 2021 | 95.7 | 95.7 |
| 2022 | 97.6 | 97.6 |
| 2023 | 98.3 | 98.3 |
| 2024 | 100.7 | 100.7 |
Housing (rents)
- Altoona, PA
- Scranton, PA
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Altoona, PA | Scranton, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 61.0 | 66.5 |
| 2009 | 55.1 | 69.3 |
| 2010 | 69.5 | 67.9 |
| 2011 | 70.5 | 72.4 |
| 2012 | 64.9 | 70.9 |
| 2013 | 60.9 | 69.3 |
| 2014 | 54.6 | 62.6 |
| 2015 | 59.0 | 73.6 |
| 2016 | 58.6 | 70.9 |
| 2017 | 54.1 | 66.5 |
| 2018 | 58.7 | 63.2 |
| 2019 | 56.6 | 66.0 |
| 2020 | 54.0 | 67.0 |
| 2021 | 55.8 | 68.5 |
| 2022 | 53.6 | 65.0 |
| 2023 | 53.0 | 68.9 |
| 2024 | 55.0 | 67.0 |
Utilities
- Altoona, PA
- Scranton, PA
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Altoona, PA | Scranton, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 113.9 | 113.1 |
| 2009 | 118.8 | 116.8 |
| 2010 | 110.4 | 110.2 |
| 2011 | 112.5 | 112.3 |
| 2012 | 106.2 | 106.4 |
| 2013 | 105.7 | 106.0 |
| 2014 | 104.4 | 104.5 |
| 2015 | 103.9 | 103.9 |
| 2016 | 107.0 | 106.8 |
| 2017 | 111.6 | 111.4 |
| 2018 | 113.8 | 115.1 |
| 2019 | 114.9 | 115.8 |
| 2020 | 111.0 | 111.5 |
| 2021 | 109.3 | 110.3 |
| 2022 | 110.2 | 109.8 |
| 2023 | 117.1 | 116.4 |
| 2024 | 107.7 | 106.5 |
Other services
- Altoona, PA
- Scranton, PA
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Altoona, PA | Scranton, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 101.1 | 101.1 |
| 2009 | 101.3 | 101.3 |
| 2010 | 99.9 | 99.9 |
| 2011 | 98.8 | 98.8 |
| 2012 | 98.8 | 98.8 |
| 2013 | 101.4 | 101.4 |
| 2014 | 97.8 | 97.8 |
| 2015 | 100.4 | 100.4 |
| 2016 | 101.0 | 101.0 |
| 2017 | 102.5 | 102.5 |
| 2018 | 98.0 | 98.0 |
| 2019 | 98.8 | 98.8 |
| 2020 | 99.2 | 99.2 |
| 2021 | 100.0 | 100.0 |
| 2022 | 96.6 | 96.6 |
| 2023 | 98.6 | 98.6 |
| 2024 | 97.7 | 97.7 |
Rent and home values
Typical asking rent: $1,362 in Scranton vs $1,004 in Altoona
Typical asking rent for a new lease, dollars per month. Quarterly.
- Altoona, PA
- Scranton, PA
- United States
Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index (typical asking rent, all homes, smoothed), through September 2026. Data Provided by Zillow Group.
Show the numbers
| Altoona, PA | Scranton, PA | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2015 | – | $734 | $1,145 |
| Jun 2015 | – | $740 | $1,170 |
| Sep 2015 | – | $748 | $1,181 |
| Dec 2015 | – | $759 | $1,182 |
| Mar 2016 | – | $749 | $1,195 |
| Jun 2016 | – | $766 | $1,219 |
| Sep 2016 | – | $773 | $1,225 |
| Dec 2016 | – | $764 | $1,222 |
| Mar 2017 | – | $776 | $1,245 |
| Jun 2017 | – | $783 | $1,270 |
| Sep 2017 | – | $798 | $1,276 |
| Dec 2017 | – | $812 | $1,275 |
| Mar 2018 | – | $799 | $1,296 |
| Jun 2018 | – | $822 | $1,320 |
| Sep 2018 | – | $832 | $1,327 |
| Dec 2018 | – | $842 | $1,329 |
| Mar 2019 | – | $848 | $1,349 |
| Jun 2019 | – | $876 | $1,376 |
| Sep 2019 | – | $872 | $1,383 |
| Dec 2019 | – | $874 | $1,381 |
| Mar 2020 | – | $880 | $1,402 |
| Jun 2020 | – | $917 | $1,406 |
| Sep 2020 | – | $934 | $1,410 |
| Dec 2020 | – | $963 | $1,407 |
| Mar 2021 | – | $997 | $1,443 |
| Jun 2021 | – | $1,042 | $1,512 |
| Sep 2021 | – | $1,069 | $1,590 |
| Dec 2021 | – | $1,090 | $1,622 |
| Mar 2022 | – | $1,131 | $1,661 |
| Jun 2022 | – | $1,153 | $1,721 |
| Sep 2022 | – | $1,180 | $1,748 |
| Dec 2022 | – | $1,171 | $1,735 |
| Mar 2023 | $841 | $1,180 | $1,757 |
| Jun 2023 | $847 | $1,205 | $1,785 |
| Sep 2023 | $845 | $1,217 | $1,797 |
| Dec 2023 | $857 | $1,223 | $1,786 |
| Mar 2024 | $864 | $1,238 | $1,807 |
| Jun 2024 | $870 | $1,251 | $1,837 |
| Sep 2024 | $897 | $1,273 | $1,845 |
| Dec 2024 | $897 | $1,280 | $1,836 |
| Mar 2025 | $894 | $1,296 | $1,860 |
| Jun 2025 | $922 | $1,296 | $1,880 |
| Sep 2025 | $956 | $1,310 | $1,881 |
| Dec 2025 | $948 | $1,320 | $1,873 |
| Mar 2026 | $954 | $1,345 | $1,894 |
| Jun 2026 | $986 | $1,347 | $1,921 |
| Sep 2026 | $1,004 | $1,362 | $1,932 |
Typical home value: $234,000 in Scranton vs $175,000 in Altoona
Typical home value, dollars. Quarterly.
- Altoona, PA
- Scranton, PA
- United States
Source: Zillow Home Value Index (typical home value, middle tier, smoothed, seasonally adjusted), through September 2026. Data Provided by Zillow Group.
Show the numbers
| Altoona, PA | Scranton, PA | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2015 | $117K | $125K | $189K |
| Jun 2015 | $120K | $127K | $192K |
| Sep 2015 | $122K | $128K | $195K |
| Dec 2015 | $124K | $130K | $199K |
| Mar 2016 | $124K | $131K | $202K |
| Jun 2016 | $126K | $129K | $204K |
| Sep 2016 | $126K | $129K | $206K |
| Dec 2016 | $127K | $129K | $209K |
| Mar 2017 | $129K | $128K | $213K |
| Jun 2017 | $134K | $128K | $216K |
| Sep 2017 | $134K | $129K | $219K |
| Dec 2017 | $132K | $133K | $223K |
| Mar 2018 | $131K | $137K | $227K |
| Jun 2018 | $131K | $139K | $230K |
| Sep 2018 | $129K | $139K | $234K |
| Dec 2018 | $130K | $138K | $236K |
| Mar 2019 | $130K | $140K | $239K |
| Jun 2019 | $129K | $142K | $242K |
| Sep 2019 | $134K | $145K | $244K |
| Dec 2019 | $137K | $147K | $247K |
| Mar 2020 | $140K | $150K | $252K |
| Jun 2020 | $142K | $152K | $255K |
| Sep 2020 | $143K | $154K | $260K |
| Dec 2020 | $148K | $163K | $271K |
| Mar 2021 | $149K | $171K | $282K |
| Jun 2021 | $149K | $176K | $296K |
| Sep 2021 | $151K | $181K | $306K |
| Dec 2021 | $151K | $185K | $314K |
| Mar 2022 | $152K | $191K | $330K |
| Jun 2022 | $153K | $196K | $346K |
| Sep 2022 | $151K | $195K | $348K |
| Dec 2022 | $149K | $194K | $345K |
| Mar 2023 | $150K | $199K | $343K |
| Jun 2023 | $150K | $200K | $347K |
| Sep 2023 | $152K | $203K | $352K |
| Dec 2023 | $153K | $205K | $354K |
| Mar 2024 | $153K | $210K | $357K |
| Jun 2024 | $156K | $216K | $361K |
| Sep 2024 | $155K | $217K | $361K |
| Dec 2024 | $158K | $220K | $363K |
| Mar 2025 | $161K | $225K | $364K |
| Jun 2025 | $163K | $228K | $362K |
| Sep 2025 | $165K | $229K | $362K |
| Dec 2025 | $169K | $228K | $364K |
| Mar 2026 | $174K | $230K | $366K |
| Jun 2026 | $175K | $231K | $365K |
| Sep 2026 | $175K | $234K | $366K |
More about each city
What this comparison leaves out
- Taxes. State and local income, sales and property taxes can change the result a lot, especially between states.
- Neighborhoods. These are metro-wide averages; a city center and its outer suburbs can differ by more than two metros do.
- Your own spending mix. The default uses an average household. Use the housing slider above if rent is a bigger share of your budget.
- Timing. BEA price levels are for 2024; Zillow figures are monthly and newer.