Neighborhood · Scranton, PA

Downtown Eviction Risk: Elevated

2 census tracts · pop 6,054 · pop-weighted Eviction Risk Score 6.9/10 · range 6.8–7.1

Downtown is a white-hispanic neighborhood in Scranton with 2 census tracts and a population of 6,054 residents. The neighborhood's pop-weighted eviction-risk score of 6.9/10 (Elevated tier) blends state law, county-level filing rates, parent-city politics, and tract-specific rent-to-income ratios + poverty. 49% of renters here pay at least 30% of household income on rent, and 32% are severely cost-burdened (≥50% of income). Average gross rent of $829/month sits 21% lower than the Scranton citywide average ($1,048).

Risk score

6.9

Elevated

2 tracts · population-weighted

Downtown vs Scranton How this neighborhood stacks against the citywide average

% of income on rent

48.8% +55%

Scranton: 31.4%

Average gross rent

$829 -21%

Scranton: $1,048

Average HH income

$31,234 -37%

Scranton: $49,531

Poverty rate

33.1% +51%

Scranton: 22.0%

Renter share

81.6% +63%

Scranton: 50.1%

Peer neighborhoods

Neighborhoods with similar eviction risk

Same county, closest by Eviction Risk Score.

Geographic context

Risk heat across Downtown and the region

Click any tract to drill in · 2 tracts span score 6.8–7.1

Why Downtown scores 6.9

9 axes · pop-weighted · 1 = landlord-friendly

State political climate

legislature & governorship · Range 3.4–3.4 across tracts

3.4

Regional political climate

County-level mix · 2024 presidential margin · Range 5.4–5.4 across tracts

5.4

Local political climate

Parent city governance · Range 5.9–5.9 across tracts

5.9

Rent control risk

49% of income on rent · Range 6.7–6.7 across tracts

6.7

Eviction process difficulty

State notice requirements & court backlog · Range 3.3–3.3 across tracts

3.3

Tenant organizing strength

82% renter households · Range 9.1–9.1 across tracts

9.1

Housing court bias

County bench composition · Range 7.5–7.5 across tracts

7.5

Economic stress

33.1% below poverty line · Range 7.1–9.5 across tracts

8.3

Supply constraint

Rent-to-FMR gap & zoning friction · Range 1.3–3.4 across tracts

2.4

Risk score comparison

Downtown vs. parent city, state, U.S.

Eviction Risk Score (0–10 scale).

Census tracts

2 tracts in Downtown

Ranked highest-risk first. Click for per-tract detail.

Tract↕	Score↕	Pop↕	% over 30% on rent↕	Average rent↕
42069100200	7.1	2,901	39%	$706
42069102500	6.8	3,153	58%	$943

Social Vulnerability Index

CDC SVI percentile: 93

Pop-weighted across 2 tracts. Higher = more vulnerable to disaster, displacement, and rent shocks. Source: CDC/ATSDR SVI 2022.

Socioeconomic status 88%ile

Poverty, unemployment, no-HS-diploma, housing cost burden

Household characteristics 91%ile

Single-parent HH, disability, language barriers, age 17- / 65+

Racial/ethnic minority 68%ile

Hispanic + non-white share of population

Housing & transport 88%ile

Multi-unit structures, mobile homes, crowding, no vehicle

Eviction filings · Princeton Eviction Lab

Court-record eviction history in Downtown

Aggregated across 2 validated constituent tracts. Filing rate is filings per 100 renter households, pop-weighted.

Historic baseline (2000–2018)

540Total filings (sum)
4.32%Avg annual filing rate
8.1%Peak year (2006)
5.71%Latest filed (2006)

Frequently asked

About Downtown

What is the eviction-risk score for Downtown?

Downtown scores 6.9/10 (Elevated tier) across 2 census tracts. The pop-weighted Eviction Risk Score blends state law, county filing rates, parent-city politics, and tract-specific rent-to-income and poverty signals.

How does Downtown compare to Scranton overall?

Downtown scores 2.8 points higher than Scranton overall (4.1/10). Renters spend 49% of income on rent vs 31% citywide. Average rent: $829 vs $1,048.

What is the average rent in Downtown?

Average gross rent in Downtown is $829/month (pop-weighted across 2 census tracts, ACS 5-year 2023). 49% of renter households are cost-burdened.

What percentage of Downtown residents are renters?

82% of Downtown households are renter-occupied (vs 50% in Scranton). The neighborhood has 6,054 residents.

Is Downtown a high social-vulnerability area?

Downtown sits in the 93rd percentile nationally on the CDC Social Vulnerability Index (highly vulnerable). The index combines poverty, unemployment, household composition, racial/ethnic minority share, and housing/transportation factors across all US census tracts.

Which tracts in Downtown have the highest eviction risk?

The highest-risk constituent tract in Downtown is census tract 42069100200 (score 7.1/10). Across the 2 tracts in this neighborhood the score ranges from 6.8 to 7.1, a spread of 0.3 points.

How safe is Downtown for landlords?

Downtown carries a elevated-tier eviction-risk profile for landlords (6.9/10). Pop-weighted across 2 constituent tracts, the score blends parent-city rent-control posture, county eviction-process timelines, and tract-specific rent-to-income / poverty signals. Compared to Scranton as a whole (4.1/10), this neighborhood is higher-risk.

What is the demographic breakdown of Downtown?

Downtown has 6,152 residents (White-Hispanic Neighborhood). Top groups: White (non-Hispanic) (48.6%), Hispanic / Latino (26.3%), Black (non-Hispanic) (12.2%). Source: ACS 5-year 2023, table B03002.

Nearby

Other neighborhoods near Downtown

6.4 Hill Section 3 tracts · pop 11,052 6 West Side 7 tracts · pop 17,169 6.2 South Side 4 tracts · pop 10,877 6.6 Providence 3 tracts · pop 7,428 4.9 Petersburg 2 tracts · pop 4,790 4.8 Green Ridge 2 tracts · pop 5,484

Sibling neighborhoods

Other neighborhoods inside Scranton

Same parent city, ranked by score similarity to Downtown.

6.6 Providence 3 tracts · pop 7,428 6.4 Hill Section 3 tracts · pop 11,052 6.2 South Side 4 tracts · pop 10,877 6 North Scranton 1 tracts · pop 2,674 6 West Side 7 tracts · pop 17,169 5.8 Mt. Dewey 1 tracts · pop 4,795

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