Buy a Laundromat in Scranton, PA
To buy a laundromat in Scranton, PA, use local household and employer data to choose where to investigate, then test the individual store's income, lease and equipment. This page separates the geographic evidence from the questions a site visit must answer. It does not list businesses currently offered for sale.
Key takeaways
- Scranton, PA: 76,033 residents and $50,739 median household income (Source: ACS 2020–2024).
- Match the data boundary to the address you are considering.
- Verify operating competitors and laundry access within the store's catchment.
- Include labor, reserves and replacement costs in the acquisition model.
What local records should buyers check in Scranton, PA?
Request the account's rate-zone designation, EDU count and full tariff/rider breakdown alongside 12–24 months of bills. Reconcile meter readings, billing days and water units before relating consumption to machine activity. A lower invoice after a retool could reflect a tariff change, reading correction or shorter bill period; it is not by itself proof of improved equipment efficiency.
Authority findings and limits
- The utility's current rate index identifies August 13, 2026 rates. In the linked wastewater tariff, Supplement 69, printed page 12.1 (PDF page 28), Rate Zone 2a identifies the Scranton Sewer combined system. The nonresidential schedule lists $40.00 monthly service charge per EDU and $2.4385 per 100 gallons. The tariff describes billing from water usage or sewage flows at the utility's discretion. These are wastewater charges, not drinking-water prices or a complete account quote. Sources: Pennsylvania American Water; Pennsylvania American Water.
Sources checked 2026-09-25. The opening paragraph is our transaction-preparation analysis; the cited findings describe the authorities' published guidance. This focused review does not establish a property's compliance, account classification or transaction clearance. Have the relevant authority and your advisers confirm current terms for the actual entity, address and proposed work.
What does the Scranton, PA household data show?
| ACS 2020–2024 estimate | Scranton, PA | Published margin of error |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 76,033 | ±54 |
| Renter-occupied households | 15,164 | ±632 |
| Renter share of occupied households | 50.1% | Derived ratio; no combined margin calculated |
| Median household income (2024 dollars) | $50,739 | ±$2,359 |
Source: ACS 2020–2024 five-year estimates via Census Reporter. Margins of error apply to the published estimates. Renter tenure does not measure access to a washer, and household income is not an attendant wage.
What should the Scranton, PA figures prompt you to investigate?
The Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA Metro Area population of 569,788 is much larger than a single store's travel area. Scranton, PA contributes 13.3% of those residents but 19.8% of its renter households. Begin an address-level screen inside the intended catchment rather than treating all 76,419 metro renter households as prospective customers.
Camden, NJ has the closest renter-household count to Scranton, PA among the 80 cities covered here (16,025 versus 15,164). The housing mix differs: 15.3% of Scranton, PA's units are in five-plus-unit buildings, 3.2 percentage points below Camden, NJ. This is a demographic comparison, not a ranking of investment returns or evidence of equivalent competitors.
The biggest gap across pre-1980 housing, small multifamily housing and renter vehicle access is renter households without a vehicle: Scranton, PA records 24.0%, versus 37.8% in Camden, NJ. That suggests a concrete inspection question about walking access, safe crossings and realistic parking alternatives. It does not answer that question. The comparison uses point estimates and has not been tested for statistical significance.
Older housing is a prominent feature of the Scranton, PA extract: 87.5% of units predate 1980. Ask separately about apartment laundry retrofits and the candidate property's utility improvements. The housing-age statistic does not establish either condition, so obtain plans, inspections or direct observations.
Sources: ACS 2020–2024, Census CBP 2023, ZIP Business Patterns 2023 where shown, and BLS QCEW 2024. The linked geography extracts below reproduce the demographic comparisons. Read the methodology before using them in a transaction.
Which geographic boundary fits a Scranton search?
| Measure | Scranton | Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA Metro Area |
|---|---|---|
| Population estimate | 76,033 | 569,788 |
| Renter-household share | 50.1% | 32.6% |
| Median household income | $50,739 | $65,158 |
| CBP 2023 employer establishments | Not measured at city level by this table | 12 |
Source: ACS 2020–2024 and Census CBP 2023, NAICS 812310. Scranton's renter share differs from the metro by 17.5 percentage points. These boundaries describe different populations. A regional count is too broad to choose a store. Draw the travel area around each candidate address and record operating competitors and machine capacity.
Which housing features should a Scranton, PA buyer investigate?
| Housing measure | Scranton, PA |
|---|---|
| Housing units | 35,512 |
| Units in buildings with at least five units | 15.3% |
| Units in buildings with two to four units | 25.2% |
| Units built before 1980 | 87.5% |
| Renter households without a vehicle | 24.0% |
| Median gross monthly rent | $1,048 |
Source: ACS 2020–2024, tables B25024, B25034, B25044 and B25064. During a Scranton, PA site visit, check apartment laundry facilities, walking routes, parking and bus access. Building age and vehicle availability identify questions to investigate; they do not establish laundry access or customer behavior.
What can Pennsylvania employer records tell a buyer?
| BLS QCEW 2024 measure | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|
| Covered NAICS 812310 establishments | 2 |
| Average weekly wage per covered employee | Not published |
| Establishment location quotient | Not calculated for combined counties |
| Change in establishments from prior year | +0 |
Source: BLS QCEW 2024 annual averages, NAICS 812310, private ownership. Wage coverage: 0 of 1 counties; the remainder are not included in the wage average. The location quotient compares industry concentration with the national business base. It does not measure capacity or unmet demand in Pennsylvania. Build payroll from required shifts, local hiring evidence and employer costs; the industry average is neither an hourly quote nor a full-time attendant salary.
How should Pennsylvania utility costs be tested?
Pennsylvania's 2024 all-sector average retail electricity price was 12.51 cents per kWh (Source: EIA State Electricity Profiles, 2024). An all-sector average is not a commercial tariff or your store's effective rate. Obtain the address-specific tariffs, fixed charges and demand charges, and compare them with actual bills and machine usage.
Other Pennsylvania markets to compare
Cities can share county or metro statistics. Compare the city household and housing tables before treating the pages as independent market observations.
What must a Scranton, PA buyer verify before an offer?
| Buyer decision | Evidence that can change it |
|---|---|
| Revenue is reproducible | Match original deposits and settlements to tax returns, machine reports and attended collections |
| Price leaves enough cash | Model debt service, owner labor, repair reserve and working capital |
| Site remains usable | Review zoning, occupancy, utilities, lease assignment and option rights |
| Competition fits the catchment | Visit operating stores, record machine capacity and observe utilization |
Use the due-diligence checklist and income-verification method to turn unanswered questions into offer conditions. Municipal permits, water/sewer prices and local wage rules have not been verified for a particular address here. The lender and your advisors must confirm applicable terms before you waive a contingency.
The Next Step If You Are Looking to Buy
Frequently Asked Questions
Are laundromats for sale in Scranton, PA listed here?
This is a research and brokerage-intake page, not a current listing feed. A buying search needs your budget, location constraints, operating plan and funding evidence. Actual opportunities must be confirmed with the seller or authorized representative before availability, financials or a price can be represented.
What does the Scranton, PA household screen show?
ACS 2020–2024 estimates 76,033 residents and 50.1% renter-occupied households in the geography shown (Source: Census Reporter). These estimates frame further research. They do not show how many households use commercial laundry or what competing machine capacity can serve them.
Do the employer figures show how many laundromats compete in Scranton, PA?
They report establishments within the specified industry and administrative boundary, rather than a complete list of nearby competitors. Nonemployers and classification differences limit coverage. Visit the candidate's travel area and record active machines, hours and prices before interpreting competitive conditions.
How do I compare two Scranton, PA acquisition candidates?
Use the same revenue-verification standard, staffing assumptions, debt terms and replacement reserve for both. Then compare the remaining lease control, installed equipment quotes and actual utility bills. Shared county statistics cannot distinguish two stores whose trade areas and operating records differ.
Sources
- Census Reporter, ACS 2020–2024 place/state estimates and margins of error — https://api.censusreporter.org/1.0/data/show/acs2024_5yr?table_ids=B01003,B25003,B19013&geo_ids=16000US4269000
- Census Reporter, ACS 2020–2024 housing characteristics — https://api.censusreporter.org/1.0/data/show/acs2024_5yr?table_ids=B25024,B25034,B25044,B25064&geo_ids=16000US4269000
- U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023 — https://www.census.gov/data/datasets/2023/econ/cbp/2023-cbp.html
- BLS QCEW, 2024 annual averages, NAICS 812310 — https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2024/a/industry/812310.csv
- Census, 2022 NAICS 812310 definition — https://www.census.gov/naics/?input=812310&year=2022&details=812310
- Census Reporter, ACS 2020–2024 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA Metro Area — https://api.censusreporter.org/1.0/data/show/acs2024_5yr?table_ids=B01003,B25003,B19013&geo_ids=31000US42540
- Pennsylvania American Water, Current rates introduction and wastewater tariff link; reviewed 2026-09-25 — https://www.amwater.com/paaw/rates
- Pennsylvania American Water, Supplement 69; printed page 12.1, PDF page 28; Rate Zone 2a combined sewer system, Scranton Sewer; reviewed 2026-09-25 — https://www.amwater.com/paaw/Resources/PDF/Rates/Pennsylvania%20American%20Water%20Wastewater%20Tariff.pdf
- Census Reporter, ACS 2020–2024 comparison geography Camden, NJ — https://api.censusreporter.org/1.0/data/show/acs2024_5yr?table_ids=B25003,B25024,B25034,B25044,B25064&geo_ids=16000US3410000
- EIA, State Electricity Profiles 2024 — https://www.eia.gov/electricity/state/
This page is general information about laundromat transactions, not legal, tax, or investment advice, and not a guarantee of sale price, timing, or financing approval. Verify current rules with your own CPA, attorney, lender, and the relevant state or municipal agency before acting.