CitytisticsShortlist

Cost of living, pay and housing

41.49° N · 75.60° W · GEOID 4206928

Blakely

Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania · part of the Scranton, PA metro

PennsylvaniaBlakely, PABlakelyBlakely

The short answer

Blakely is home to 6,662 people. Median household income is $55,855 a year and median rent is $1,063 a month, 22.8% of income (a ratio of two medians, not any one household's burden). Rent pressure is lighter than in most places. The median home is valued at $198,300, about 3.5x annual median household income.

The story in Blakely is how fast things are changing. Housing became less affordable between 2019 and 2024: rent went from 18.5% to 22.8% of income. Also notable: Household income growth is 0.6% a year, against 4.5% a year in its closest peers.

40OF 100

CTXCitytistics Index

Below average

Blakely scores better than 40% of the 6,612 places we rate, and ranks 197th of 271 in Pennsylvania.

How the CTX is built

Category ratings · 0 to 100, typical place 50

Affordability 20%45
Economy 20%34
Safety 20%77
Amenities 15%11
Education 10%41
Commute 10%88
Growth 5%8
Median gross rent
$1,063
22% below the median place
Median household income
$55,855
30% below the median place
Median home value
$198,300
38% below the median place
Unemployment
4.9%
0% above the median place

Compared with the median of the 6,645 places we track. The bundle was checked 2026-11-14; each measure may refer to an older release.

What stands out about Blakely

  • AffordabilityAfter the median rent, with other prices set to the US average, the median household keeps about $43,500 a year, less than in 86% of the 1,875 places under 10,000 people we track.
  • HousingHalf the homes were built before 1945, older housing than in 95% of the 2,479 places under 10,000 people we track.
01

Moving to Blakely

Lackawanna County gains about 1.4 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in6,839
Moved out6,601
Net+238

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Luzerne County, PA1,1221,091+31
Wayne County, PA496410+86
Susquehanna County, PA206273−67
Wyoming County, PA220249−29
Kings County, NY191103+88

Within Pennsylvania, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within PennsylvaniaOther statesAbroad

Income per tax return

Arrivals$54K
Leavers$67K

People on tax returns who moved between counties, from IRS migration data, 2022 to 2023. Figures are for all of Lackawanna County; flows under 20 returns are not published.

Who moves here
5.5% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 2.2% from another state. County figure.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into Lackawanna County report $53,600 a year in income on average; those leaving, $67,100, so leavers earn more than newcomers.
Income you would need
$42,500 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $1,063 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $1,422 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $198,300.
Getting to work
18 minutes each way on average; 9.2% work from home.
If it is close but not quite
Ellwood City, PA matches it on character for less of your income. Compare the two
Income of households moving in8
$53,649
24% below the median place
Net movers per 1,000 people8
1.4
above the median place (median -0.6)
Income of households moving out8
$67,134
4% below the median place
All 5 moving measures
MeasureBlakelyAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year1County figure5.5%4% below
Moved from another state1County figure2.2%12% above
Net movers per 1,000 people8County figure1.4above (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in8County figure$53,64924% below
Income of households moving out8County figure$67,1344% below
02

What it costs to live here

Home values are about 28% higher than we would expect for a place with these incomes, education levels, housing age and household types in the same metro area. The premium usually reflects location, amenities or schools that these figures do not capture.

Blakely22.8%
Typical place20.4%

Share of the median household income that goes to the median rent. Above 30% is the usual stress line.

Income needed to rent
$42,520
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
22.8%
12% above the median place
Home price to income
3.5x
7% below the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
23%
comfortably under the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$43,700
a year
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in Blakely, $1,063 a month, and local prices for everything else (99.0 against a US average of 100). It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Like Blakely, but easier on the budget

Places that match Blakely on character (size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, remote work and climate) but where rent takes a clearly smaller share of income. Cost was left out of the match on purpose.

PlaceMatchRent to incomeMore left a year
Ellwood City, PA9515.5% vs 22.8%$13,600Compare
Lancaster, NY9417.6% vs 22.8%$11,600Compare
Manchester, IA9415.7% vs 22.8%n/aCompare
Ilion, NY9413.3% vs 22.8%$12,000Compare

Moving from somewhere else? Work out the salary you would need in Blakely.

Sponsored · exampleMoving to Blakely? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Median year built1
1945
2% below the median place
Renters paying 30%+1
34.4%
32% below the median place
Median home value1
$198,300
38% below the median place
All 16 cost and housing measures
MeasureBlakelyAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1$1,06322% below
Rent to income122.8%12% above
Property tax rate10.9%1% above
Home price to income13.5x7% below
Prices vs US average2Metro figure93.67% below
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms3County figure$1,36316% below
HUD area median income4County figure$92,40014% below
Property tax paid (median)1$1,83044% below
Median home value1$198,30038% below
Home prices, 1-year change5County figure4.9%54% above
Home prices, 5-year change5County figure54.1%5% above
Homeownership168.1%3% above
Renters paying 30%+134.4%32% below
Owner costs with a mortgage1$1,42224% below
Vacant homes110.6%51% above
Median year built119452% below
03

Work and pay

Mean commute is 18 min, 26% below the median place.

Mean commute1
18 min
26% below the median place
Median household income1
$55,855
30% below the median place
Income per person1
$32,032
20% below the median place
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureBlakelyAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$55,85530% below
Income per person1$32,03220% below
Unemployment1County figure4.9%0% above
Average annual pay6County figure$55,42316% below
Pay growth, 1 year6County figure3.2%14% below
Jobs6County figure98,79834% below
Poverty rate19.0%16% below
Mean commute118 min26% below
Works from home19.2%26% below
Commutes by transit1County figure0.6%32% below
04

Who lives here

Homes with broadband is 81.9%, 11% below the median place.

Homes with broadband1
81.9%
11% below the median place
Median age1
49.6
27% above the median place
Household size1
2.1
14% below the median place

More about who lives here, against the typical place

No health insurance3.5% −45%
Bachelor's or higher27.8% −13%
High school or higher92.9% +1%
All 9 people measures
MeasureBlakelyAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population16,6625573rd largest
Population change since 20207-0.4%below (median 1.1%)
Median age149.627% above
Bachelor's or higher127.8%13% below
High school or higher192.9%1% above
Household size12.114% below
Born abroad1County figure6.7%24% below
No health insurance13.5%45% below
Homes with broadband181.9%11% below
05

Life in Blakely

The nearest National Park Service site is Steamtown National Historic Site, about 7 miles away.

Founded or incorporated in 1786. 38 sites are on the National Register of Historic Places, one of them a National Historic Landmark. Its history on Wikipedia

Out the door, against the typical place

Parks per 10k residents3.0 −71%
Playgrounds per 10k18.0 +91%
Grocery stores per 10k0.0 −100%
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k0.0 −100%
Libraries per 10k0.0 −100%
Named paths and bike trails1 km −50%
Bus and rail stops per sq mi0.0 −100%

Mapped by volunteers in OpenStreetMap inside the city limits (Census boundaries), so coverage is fuller in some places than others. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

National Park Service sites nearby

  • Steamtown National Historic Site 7 miles
  • Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River 30 miles
  • Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area 42 miles

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars24.9 +20%
Shops37.4 +23%
Arts, recreation and fitness3.4 −17%
Doctors' offices and clinics24.5 +21%
Child care centers3.0 +30%

Counts businesses with paid staff, so small owner-run shops are not included.

Nearest National Park Service site11
6.5
79% below the median place
Restaurants and bars per 10k9
24.9
20% above the median place
Shops per 10k9
37.4
23% above the median place
All 18 schools and local life measures
MeasureBlakelyAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools14County figure47above (median 9)
Public school students14County figure27,006above (median 4,897)
Students per teacher14County figure14.37% below
Restaurants and bars per 10k9County figure24.920% above
Shops per 10k9County figure37.423% above
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k9County figure3.417% below
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k9County figure24.521% above
Child care centers per 10k9County figure3.030% above
Parks per 10k103.071% below
Playgrounds per 10k1018.091% above
Grocery stores per 10k100.0below (median 2.1)
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k100.0below (median 11.2)
Libraries per 10k100.0below (median 0.9)
Named paths and bike trails101.050% below
Transit stops per sq mi100.0below (median 0.2)
Nearest National Park Service site116.579% below
National Park Service sites within 60 miles11350% above
National Register listings12County figure38192% above
06

Safety, weather and risk

Violent crime per 100k is 105, 45% below the median place.

Violent crime per 100k
105
45% below the median place
Property crime per 100k
585
52% below the median place
Months reported
12 of 12
by the city police department to the FBI

Counts only offenses reported by the city police department. Sheriff, state and campus police are not included, and some departments do not report to the FBI at all, so compare with care.

July average high15
80°F
7% below the median place
Average temperature15
47°F
14% below the median place
January average low15
16°F
36% below the median place
All 11 weather and risk measures
MeasureBlakelyAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high15County figure80°F7% below
January average low15County figure16°F36% below
Average temperature15County figure47°F14% below
Annual precipitation15County figure45.2 in3% above
Natural hazard risk16County figure89.93% below
Hurricane risk16County figure82.016% above
Tornado risk16County figure68.116% below
Wildfire risk16County figure41.432% below
Heat wave risk16County figure83.67% below
Median air quality index17County figure399% below
Good air days17County figure74.0%8% above
08

Blakely in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 23% of the median income in 2030, up from 23% now.

Citytistics projections to 2030: each figure's own trend, blended with the typical trend across the places we rate, eased toward long-run US growth and carried forward from the latest release. The range is where 80% of places landed when we tested the same method on past releases. On projected 2030 affordability, Blakely does better than 45% of places. Its projected home value growth beats 8%.

MeasureLatest2030 projectionLikely rangeAvg. per year
Median rent$1,063/mo (2024)$1,360/mo$1,120 to $1,660/mo+4.2%
Median household income$55,855 (2024)$70,000$59,000 to $82,500+3.8%
Median home value$198,300 (2024)$275,000$199,000 to $378,000+5.6%
Population6,611 (2025)6,6506,380 to 6,930+0.1%

The median home would be worth 3.9 years of the median income in 2030, against 3.6 now.

A projection of recent trends, not a prediction of the economy or advice to buy or sell. How we project.

09

Places like Blakely

The closest matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, and the places nearby.

PlaceRentIncome
Richmond Heights, OH$961$60,833Compare
Grove, OK$925$58,941Compare
Rutland, VT$995$57,675Compare
Exeter, PA$981$57,639Compare
Exeter, PARutland, VTGrove, OKRichmond Heights, OHBlakely, PABlakelyRichmond HeightsGroveRutlandExeterBlakelyRichmond HeightsGroveRutland

Places built like Blakely

Its statistical peers: the closest matches on size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, origin and remote work, in the same part of the country. Cost and outcomes are left out of the match, so the table shows how Blakely performs against places like it.

PlaceRent to incomeIncome growthPop. change
Blakely, PA22.8%0.6%/yr-0.4%
Ellwood City, PA15.5%7.7%/yr-3.5%Compare
Ilion, NY13.3%2.9%/yr-2.6%Compare
Jeannette, PA21.1%3.8%/yr-3.3%Compare
Lancaster, NY17.6%3.8%/yr-1.7%Compare
Warren, PA17.2%4.6%/yr-3.8%Compare
Dickson City, PA20.0%2.4%/yr-0.8%Compare

Common questions

Is Blakely a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. Its Citytistics Index is 40 out of 100, better than 40% of the places we rate and 197th of 271 in Pennsylvania. After the median rent, with other prices set to the US average, the median household keeps about $43,500 a year, less than in 86% of the 1,875 places under 10,000 people we track. Half the homes were built before 1945, older housing than in 95% of the 2,479 places under 10,000 people we track. On cost, space and class size it scores 36 out of 100 for families. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is Blakely expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 22.8% of the median household income, against 20.4% in the typical place we track. Housing is a heavier load here than usual. The median home is valued at $198,300.

What salary do you need to live in Blakely?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $42,520 a year. Work it out from your current city.

Is Blakely safe?

There were 105 reported violent crimes per 100,000 residents, against 192 in the typical place.

What places are similar to Blakely?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Richmond Heights, OH, Grove, OK, Rutland, VT and Exeter, PA.

Sources and methods

The small numbers beside each measure point here. Every dataset is public; links go to the publisher.

  1. American Community Survey 5-year estimates · US Census Bureau · 2020 to 2024 estimatesTables B01002, B01003, B05002, B07003, B08013, B08301, B15003, B17001, B19013, B19301, B23025, B25002, B25003, B25010, B25035, B25064, B25070, B25077, B25088, B25103, B28002, S2701
  2. Regional Price Parities · US Bureau of Economic Analysis · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  3. Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
  4. Income Limits · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2026
  5. House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  6. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
  7. Population Estimates · US Census Bureau · Vintage 2025
  8. SOI Tax Stats, county-to-county migration · Internal Revenue Service · Tax years 2022 to 2023Counts tax returns and the people on them; flows under 20 returns are suppressed.
  9. County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
  10. OpenStreetMap · © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL) · Map data as of 2026-11
  11. National Park Service sites · Wikidata (CC0), units operated by the National Park Service · Retrieved 2026-11
  12. National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
  13. Crime Data Explorer · Federal Bureau of Investigation · 2025 data
  14. Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
  15. 1991-2020 climate normals · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · Series updated 2026-11-05Averages for 1991 to 2020 computed from NOAA's county climate series (nClimDiv).nClimDiv county series
  16. National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps
  17. Air Quality System, annual AQI by county · US Environmental Protection Agency · 2025 dataAirData download files

Derived by Citytistics from the tables above: rent to income (B25064, B19013); property tax rate (B25103, B25077); home price to income (B25077, B19013).

What stands out compares Blakely with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for Blakely itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/blakely-pennsylvania

Citytistics. “Blakely, Pennsylvania.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/blakely-pennsylvania/

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.