Newton Township, Lackawanna Co., PA (4), July 2024, 2024
Ransom Township’s story
176 years in pictures
The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2024 and 5 maps from 1893 on.
- 1850Ransom Township is settled
Ransom TownshipPA
Population
1,495
2025 Census estimate · +6.5% since 2020
Median home value
$257K
Census ACS
Household income
$60K
median
Median age
55.2
years
Jobs based here
123
A commuter town
Is Ransom Township a good place to live?
The best of Ransom Township’s subject grades are an A for schools and an A− for health; the weakest is a D for walkability. 22% of residents live below the poverty line in Ransom Township, above both Pennsylvania’s towns (7.6%) and U.S. towns (9.6%). Ransom Township’s trail density is 1.5 miles per square mile, above both the Pennsylvania town median (0.4) and the median of U.S. towns (0.4). The biggest park or preserve is Pinchot State Forest, at 30 acres. Ransom Township has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Ransom Township stand out
Where Ransom Township beats most towns.
Small town
1,495 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Exeter TownshipScrantonNewton TownshipOld ForgeDuryeaUpper ExeterRansom Township
How Ransom Township grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Pennsylvania), ordered by how far Ransom Township is from typical.
SchoolsBeat 89% of Pennsylvania districts on tests and graduationAOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 4.9 of 20; 3.7% of households have no car; 0.6% of workers walk, bike or ride transitDOpen →HealthRegional Hospital of Scranton 5.4 miles awayA−Open →Jobs & income$60K median household income; 123 jobs based hereC−Open →Cost of livingTypical home $257K, 3.9 years of the Scranton metro’s $65K median household incomeC+Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 47% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1% conserved landCOpen →HistoryB−Open →Civic life2.5 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsC+Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Ransom Township: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Ransom Township, and how to reach them.
PowerPPL Electric Utilities18.6¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterPaw Nesbitt water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers95% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Ransom Township’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Pennsylvania you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person until 15 days before Election Day, or by mail (received 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereLackawanna County Board of ElectionsLackawanna County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP codes18411, 1850418411 77% · 18504 23%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 Ransom Township.
HealthA−
Ransom Township ranks healthier than 81% of the country’s towns
Ransom Township beats the Pennsylvania average on 5 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 15% of Ransom Township adults report frequent mental distress.
81%healthier than U.S. townsA−Health Grade
| Ransom Township | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 16% | 17% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 35% | 35% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 18% | 16% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 24% | 25% |
26 measures vs. Pennsylvania
5 better20 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Ransom Township | PA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 8.8% | 14.5% |
| Fewer smokers | 13.4% | 15.8% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.1% | 8.8% |
Regional Hospital of Scranton
In Scranton · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: dental
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C−
Ransom Township has 0.2 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
Most working residents leave Ransom Township for work: only 1% work in town. The average trip to work in Ransom Township is 32 minutes. The top destinations are Scranton (22%), South Abington Township (6%) and Newton Township (5%).
1%work in town
| Ransom Township | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 32 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $60,000 | $81,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 1.4% | 6.3% | 8% |
| Work from home | 13% | 12% | 11% |
Where working residents work
In Ransom Township1%
Scranton22%
South Abington Township6%
Newton Township5%
Clarks Summit4%
9 mi
median commute distance
123
jobs based in Ransom Township
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
D
Walkability grade: more walkable than 14% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Ransom Township has snowy winters and pleasant summers
Ransom Township has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. Ransom Township’s July high is 82°F.
45″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter20–36°
Spring36–57°
Summer58–79°
Fall41–60°
Oct 20
typical first frost
Apr 23
typical last frost
+1.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Who lives here
Older than Pennsylvania overall
People 65 and older are 28% of residents (20% statewide); adults 18 to 34 are 16% of residents (22% statewide). 15% of residents are under 18 in Ransom Township. Ransom Township has grown 6.5% since 2020, to 1,495 residents in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate.
55.2median age · PA 40.9
| Ransom Township | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 55.2 years | 43.2 years | 40.5 years |
| Aged 65 or older | 28% | 21% | 18% |
| Under 18 | 15% | 20% | 22% |
Ransom TownshipPennsylvaniaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
23%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma7%
High school45%
Some college13%
Associate’s7%
Bachelor’s18%
Graduate10%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±4 points. Across Pennsylvania, 50.7% of residents are women.
| Ransom Township | PA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 5.4% | 10.8% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 9.9% | 9.7% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 6.2% | 9% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 9.9% | 13% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 7.2% | 12.6% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 11.1% | 11.9% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 22.6% | 13.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 15% | 11.4% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 12.6% | 8.1% | 7% |
| No diploma | 7.4% | 7.9% | 10.4% |
| High school | 44.6% | 32.9% | 26% |
| Some college | 13% | 15.1% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 7.1% | 8.9% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 17.8% | 20.9% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 10.2% | 14.3% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,500, single groups can be off by several points
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B−
Ransom Township faces a moderate natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 53% of U.S. communities. Since 1983, 9 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Ransom Township.
47risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold waves
9
paid flood claims since 1983
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
0.9%conserved
0.9%
conserved · 107 of 11,514 acres
26 mi
of trails · 1.5 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Pinchot State Forest | — | 30 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Nearby attractions
All 54 attractions →Steamtown National Historic Site and 18 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Ransom Township. Close and well known come first.
5 mi National Historic SiteSteamtown National Historic Site61K visitors a year
28 mi LakeLake Wallenpaupack
26 mi State parkRicketts Glen State Park5 mi Theme parkRocky Glen Park
7 mi Ski areaMontage Mountain Ski Area25 runs · 998 ft vertical
26 mi State parkHickory Run State ParkSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Steamtown National Historic Site: National Park Service, Public domain · Lake Wallenpaupack: Doug Kerr from Albany, NY, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Ricketts Glen State Park: en:User:Msitler, Public domain · Montage Mountain Ski Area: Montage Mountain Resorts, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Hickory Run State Park: Mtruch, CC BY-SA 3.0
.jpg){kind=link}
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Ransom Township
18pages on Ransom Township
The big questions
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
12 within 15 miles of the center of Ransom Township
Lackawanna CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Scranton5.8 mi$18,400 tuitionUniversity of ScrantonUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Scranton5.9 mi$53,983 tuitionPennsylvania State University-Penn State ScrantonUniversity or college · Public · Dunmore8.1 mi$15,208 in-state tuition
About 2 of every 100 Ransom Township residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Pennsylvania.
A commuter town
99% of working residents leave Ransom Township for work
Where Ransom Township’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
123jobs based in Ransom Township
1%of working residents work in town
9 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Ransom Township
Township in Pennsylvania, US
Ransom Township is a township in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,401 at the 2020 census. The township includes the village of Milwaukee.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 18 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,129 ft
Questions about Ransom Township
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Ransom Township, PA expensive?
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C+.