Kansas.little town1974.0024, 2008
Scranton’s story
154 years in pictures
The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2005.
- 1872Scranton is settled
ScrantonKS
A town of 637, settled in 1872.
Photo: Ichabod · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
637
2025 Census estimate · −2.6% since 2020
Typical home
$223K
−0.1% in a year
Household income
$57K
median
Median age
36.9
years
Jobs based here
22
A commuter town
Is Scranton a good place to live?
Only 2 of the 152 Kansas towns we compare have a lower share of working residents who work in town than Scranton. Scranton has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
637 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Scranton: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Scranton, and how to reach them.
PowerCity of ScrantonEIAHIFLD · EIA
WaterCity of Scranton water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Scranton’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Kansas you can register online until 21 days before Election Day, in person until 21 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 21 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereOsage County ClerkOsage County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Dec 2025
ZIP code6653766537 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Scranton.
Work & commute
With 0.1 jobs for every working resident, most of Scranton’s workers commute out
Most working residents leave Scranton for work: only 1% work in town. 18% of Scranton residents live below the poverty line, against 9.1% in Kansas’ towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. The average trip to work in Scranton is 29 minutes.
1%work in town
| Scranton | Kansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 18% | 9.1% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 29 minutes | 20 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $57,000 | $73,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Scranton1%
Topeka34%
Burlingame5%
Lawrence3%
Wichita3%
20 mi
median commute distance
22
jobs based in Scranton
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazards
Scranton faces a high natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 73% of U.S. communities.
73risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingIce stormsTornadoes
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Scranton has four seasons and hot summers
Scranton has chilly winters and warm summers. Scranton’s July high is 90°F, near the Kansas town median (91°F) and above the median of U.S. towns (85°F).
12″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter23–43°
Spring44–66°
Summer66–87°
Fall45–68°
Oct 31
typical first frost
Apr 8
typical last frost
+1.1°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Scranton is
Scranton beats the Kansas average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 4. 43% of adults have obesity in Scranton.
| Scranton | Kansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 43% | 37% | 35% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 15% | 14% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 35% | 36% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 26% | 25% |
32 measures vs. Kansas
0 better28 too close to call4 worse
| What stands out | Scranton | KS |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 15.2% | 11.3% |
| More smokers | 18.1% | 14% |
| More adults with COPD | 8.4% | 6.7% |
VA Eastern Kansas Healthcare System
17.3 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Housing
Homes in Scranton are worth about $223K, by Zillow’s estimate
The typical Scranton home is worth about $223,000, about the same as a year ago, 9% below the Kansas typical home. 87% of Scranton households own their home.
$223KZillow home value
Typical home value
Scranton$223K
Kansas$246K
−0.1%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Nearby attractions
All 25 attractions →Combat Air Museum and 13 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Scranton. Close and well known come first.
12 mi MuseumCombat Air Museum
18 mi National Historical ParkBrown v. Board of Education National Historical Park18K visitors a year19 mi Zoo & aquariumTopeka Zoo
30 mi MuseumSpencer Museum of Art
30 mi MuseumUniversity of Kansas Natural History Museum19 mi MuseumKansas Historical SocietySources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Combat Air Museum: Eric Friedebach, CC BY 3.0 · Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park: James Michael DuPont, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Spencer Museum of Art: Alan Islas, CC BY-SA 4.0 · University of Kansas Natural History Museum: InaMaka, CC BY 3.0
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Keep exploring
Everything we know about Scranton
16pages on Scranton
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Scranton; the nearest are
Rasmussen University-KansasUniversity or college · Private for-profit · Topeka15.4 mi$17,160 tuitionWashburn UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Topeka17.8 mi$9,945 in-state tuitionFlint Hills Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Emporia36 mi$6,400 in-state tuition
About 2 of every 100 Scranton residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Kansas.
A commuter town
99% of working residents leave Scranton for work
Where Scranton’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
22jobs based in Scranton
1%of working residents work in town
20 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Scranton
City in Osage County, Kansas
Scranton is a city in Osage County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 653. It was named after the city of Scranton, Pennsylvania due to its coal mining in the 19th century.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.1 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,122 ft
- ZIP code
- 66537
- Area code
- 785
Questions about Scranton
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Scranton, KS a good place to live?
Scranton has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.