The Town FilesScranton, Iowa
City in Greene County · population 511 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $86,300
- Household income
- $53,864
- Jan low / Jul high
- 9° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 32 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 22
- Median age
- 41.2
Scranton is a city of 511 people in Greene County, Iowa. The median home is worth $86,300, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300). It ranks easier by car than 90% of Iowa towns, better for young professionals than 83% of Iowa towns, better for first-time buyers than 81% of Iowa towns.
How Scranton ranks
Percentile among Iowa towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Iowa towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Scranton is worth $86,300, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300). Homes cost about 1.6 times the median household income of $53,864, which is more affordable than 91% of Iowa towns. Median rent is $825 a month. 67.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Scranton | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $86,300 | $156,300 |
| Median rent | $825 | $820 |
| Median household income | $53,864 | $69,254 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.6× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 67.3% | 77.1% |
| Median year built | 1938 | 1962 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Scranton
| People | Scranton | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.2 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.4% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 18.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 6.3% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 22.5% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 15.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 0.9% | 7.1% |
| Average commute | 20.8 min | 21.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.7% | 88.5% |
Weather in Scranton
July highs average 83.4°F and January lows 9.1°F. About 35.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 31.7 inches of snow (typical Iowa town: 32.5 in). Expect about 19 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 149 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
22 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Scranton since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Iowa town. 9 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on May 27, 1995 about 0.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 13, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 52 times; the largest was 5.50 inches on May 22, 2004.
Severe weather in Greene County since 1996
Greene County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| February 23, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4642: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| August 17, 2020 | Severe Storm | DR-4557: Severe Storms |
| March 23, 2020 | Biological | DR-4483: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3480: Covid-19 |
| March 23, 2019 | Flood | DR-4421: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Greene County
Greene County had 3,206 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,866 a year. Unemployment was 2.2% in 2023; in Scranton itself the ACS puts it at 2.1%.
Towns near Scranton
- Jefferson, IA8.7 mi · 4,182 people · home $155,800
- Glidden, IA9.5 mi · 1,151 people · home $154,200
- Coon Rapids, IA12.0 mi · 1,300 people · home $134,100
- Grand Junction, IA16.1 mi · 725 people · home $77,000
- Carroll, IA16.6 mi · 10,321 people · home $188,700
- Lake City, IA19.5 mi · 1,731 people · home $100,900
- Lake Panorama, IA21.9 mi · 1,266 people · home $388,600
- Gowrie, IA22.3 mi · 952 people · home $109,900
Scranton questions
Is Scranton, Iowa a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Scranton scores better for retirees than 46% of Iowa towns and quieter than 70%. 16.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.2).
How much does a house cost in Scranton?
The median owner-occupied home in Scranton is valued at $86,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $53,864, so homes cost about 1.6 times income. Median rent is $825 a month.
What is the weather like in Scranton?
July highs average 83.4°F and January lows 9.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 35.3 inches of precipitation a year and 31.7 inches of snow.
Does Scranton get tornadoes?
22 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Scranton since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on May 27, 1995. The typical Iowa town has had 24.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)