Side-by-side comparison of Scranton, PA and Allentown, PA — cap rates, rent, prices, and investment metrics.
Cash flow: Scranton has the edge with an estimated cap rate of 4.37% compared to Allentown's 3.54%. Neither city passes the 1% rule outright, so deal sourcing and value-add strategies become more important. Median home prices are $220,000 in Scranton vs $350,000 in Allentown, while rents come in at $1,300/mo and $1,770/mo respectively. For context, the national average cap rate is 3.81% and average price is $333K.
Growth & appreciation: Allentown is growing faster at 0.3% annually, while Scranton is losing population. Allentown leads on home value appreciation at 2.5% per year.
Costs & risk: Property taxes are 1.44% in Scranton vs 1.38% in Allentown. Vacancy rates of 6.8% and 5.8% are mixed — Allentown has the tighter rental market.
Entry point: Scranton offers a lower entry at $220K vs Allentown's $350K — a difference of $130K. With a 20% down payment, that's $44K vs $70K. Scranton combines the lower price with a higher cap rate — a compelling combination.
Bottom line: Allentown edges out Scranton on most key metrics. While cap rates are moderate at 3.54%, Allentown's overall profile is stronger. Use our free calculators to model specific deals in Scranton or Allentown.