MonkeyRun2014, 2014
Simpson’s story
208 years in pictures
The archive holds 5 old photos and papers going back to 2014 and 4 maps from 1892 on.
- 1818Simpson is settled
SimpsonPA
Population
1,475
Census survey, 2020–24
Median home value
$158K
Census ACS
Household income
$53K
median
Median age
42.3
years
Jobs based here
376
A commuter town
Is Simpson a good place to live?
Simpson’s typical July afternoon high is 80°F, below both Pennsylvania’s towns (85°F) and U.S. towns (85°F). Simpson’s trail density is 1.3 miles per square mile, above both the Pennsylvania town median (0.4) and the median of U.S. towns (0.4). We don’t grade Simpson yet; the figures below are still real.
What makes Simpson stand out
Where Simpson beats most towns.
Small town
1,475 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
Moving to Simpson: who provides what
Simpson is unincorporated, so Lackawanna County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerPPL Electric Utilities18.6¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterPa Amer Water Co BrownellNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesLackawanna CountyLackawanna County provides services here
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 code1840718407 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 Simpson.
Natural hazards
Simpson faces a very high natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
The FEMA risk score here in Simpson is 80 of 100. FEMA puts 87% of the town’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding.
80risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland flooding
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commute
With only 0.6 jobs per working resident, most people in Simpson work out of town
The share of working residents in Simpson who work locally is 3.3%. Half of commuters travel less than 14 miles. For Simpson, the middle household income is $53,000. The top destinations are Scranton (10%), Carbondale (10%) and Fell Township (5%).
3%work in town
| Simpson | Typical Pennsylvania town | Typical U.S. town | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $53,000 | $81,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 3.3% | 6.3% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 23 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Simpson3%
Scranton10%
Carbondale10%
Fell Township5%
Forest City4%
14 mi
median commute distance
376
jobs based in Simpson
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
69″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter18–34°
Spring34–56°
Summer56–78°
Fall39–59°
Oct 1
typical first frost
May 14
typical last frost
+1.4°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Simpson is
A fifth of Simpson adults binge drink. The town tracks Pennsylvania closely on all 26 CDC measures. Among adults in the town, 41% sleep under 7 hours and 26% have been diagnosed with depression.
| Simpson | Typical Pennsylvania town | Typical U.S. town | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 18% | 16% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 38% | 36% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 24% | 23% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 17% | 14% |
26 measures vs. Pennsylvania
0 better26 too close to call0 worse
Wayne Memorial Hospital
11.3 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: dental
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Outdoors
Conserved land covers 6.4% of Simpson
1.2 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve. Its park or preserve gives Simpson 4 acres of open land.
6.4%conserved
6.4%
conserved · 36 of 565 acres
1.2 mi
of trails · 1.3 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Jefferson Street Park | — | 4 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Housing
A home in Simpson sells for about $186K at the median
For Simpson, the median rent is $1,002 a month. Nearly three quarters of households live in a home they own here.
$186Kmedian sale price
| Simpson | Typical Pennsylvania town | Typical U.S. town | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,002 a month | $1,115 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 74% | 78% | 73% |
1
homes sold in September
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Nearby attractions
All 41 attractions →Lake Wallenpaupack and 16 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Simpson. Close and well known come first.
17 mi LakeLake Wallenpaupack
16 mi National Historic SiteSteamtown National Historic Site61K visitors a year10 mi Ski areaElk Mountain Ski Resort28 runs · 908 ft vertical
40 mi National park siteMiddle Delaware National Scenic River4.1M visitors a year
38 mi Ski areaCamelback Mountain Resort37 runs · 804 ft vertical
40 mi State parkHickory Run State ParkSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Lake Wallenpaupack: Doug Kerr from Albany, NY, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Steamtown National Historic Site: National Park Service, Public domain · Middle Delaware National Scenic River: Mike Serfas, Public domain · Camelback Mountain Resort: Calzarette at en.wikipedia, Public domain · Hickory Run State Park: Mtruch, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Keep exploring
Everything we know about Simpson
16pages on Simpson
The big questions
Out and about
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
3 within 15 miles of the center of Simpson
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State ScrantonUniversity or college · Public · Dunmore12.9 mi$15,208 in-state tuitionJohnson CollegeCommunity college · Private nonprofit · Scranton13 mi$21,225 tuitionMarywood UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Scranton13.5 mi$41,420 tuition
About 1 of every 100 Simpson residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Pennsylvania.
A commuter town
97% of working residents leave Simpson for work
Where Simpson’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
376jobs based in Simpson
3%of working residents work in town
14 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Simpson
Unincorporated community in Pennsylvania, US
Simpson is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Fell Township, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is directly north of the city of Carbondale on Pennsylvania Route 171. As of the 2010 census the population of Simpson was 1,275. Simpson was settled in 1818 and organized in 1845. It is named after Clarence D. Simpson, who was one of the large independent coal magnates in the Northern Anthracite Region. Early industries included trapping, tanning and lumbering. Later, coal mining and railroading became dominant professions. The coal miners were often immigrants from Russia, Poland, and Slovakia. Local businesses of the past include Fell Brewing Co., makers…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.9 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,197 ft
Questions about Simpson
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Simpson, PA a good place to live?
We don’t grade Simpson yet; the figures below are still real.