Wednesday, July 19, 2023

Disappearing cities of the United States: Scranton, Pennsylvania (2022 census estimate)


Scranton registered a very small (0.3%) increase in population in 2020 but has since lost the resident it had gained during the 2010s.  Nonetheless, its population has decreased % since its 1930 peak 0f 143,433.  And it now about the same number of residents as it did in 1890. 

SourceWikipedia

New data from the Census Bureau reveal that residents are fleeing Pennsylvania at an alarming rate. Pennsylvania lost nearly 40,000 residents to other states from July 2021 to July 2022. Only seven states lost more residents to domestic outmigration during that period. And, with 23,000 more deaths than births, Pennsylvania’s total population loss ranks fourth-highest in the nation. Only New York, California, and Illinois saw bigger declines. 
Why are Pennsylvanians fleeing? According to data from United Van Lines, the leading reason is to look for a new job. This is no surprise, as the state has yet to recover from payroll job losses during the pandemic, while others states have seen significant job growth.

1/13/2022 update starts here

Scranton at its peak

  • From Retiring Guy's postcard collection
After losing nearly half of its population since 1930, Scranton has turned the corner with a 0.3% increase in 2020.



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Original 1/14/2019 post starts here

Scranton, in north-eastern Pennsylvania, has long been synonymous with industrial decline. A former big coal centre, it saw its main industries weaken or leave altogether over the past 50 years. Since the 1930s its population has fallen by almost half, to 76,000. Now it is also a byword for fiscal strife. Its pension funds are severely underfunded. Its budget deficit approaches $17m. Last month capital markets froze the city’s borrowing after its parking authority was late with a city-guaranteed $1m bond payment.

Source:  Wikipedia

Scranton's population peaked at 143,433 in 1920.  Its 2017 estimated population is 77,291 -- a drop of 66,142, or 46%.


Scranton is located in Lackawanna County.  The county's population peaked at 310,297 in 1930.  Its 2017 estimated population is 210,761, a drop of 32%.  

Related reading:
Why Are There So Many People in Jail in Scranton, PA?:  Poverty and thte Culture of Local Incarceration in the Rust Belt.  (Vera)

The disappearing cities:
Aliquippa, Pennsylvania.  (1/12/2019)
Baltimore, Maryland.  (12/31/2018)
Buffalo, New York, (1/8/2019)
Cairo, Illinois.   (1/5/2019)
Cleveland, Ohio (1/2/2018)
Detroit, Michigan.  (1/1/2019)
East St. Louis, Illinois.  (1/11/2019)
Flint, Michigan.  (1/7/2019)
Gary, Indiana.  (1/4/2019)
Johnstown, Pennsylvania.  (1/6/2019)
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  (1/13/2019)
St. Louis, Missouri.  (1/2/2019)
Youngstown, Ohio.  (1/9/2019)


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