Scranton, PA: High Radon Risk - Home Safety 50/100
13 ZIP codes · 2 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Scranton: D.
Several federal signals point to home-safety risks in this ZIP.
State safety rankings put Scranton, PA near the lower tier - below-average compliance on record.
How Scranton Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
Water Quality Map: Scranton, PA
Each dot represents a ZIP code. Color indicates water quality grade. Tap a dot for details.
Score Distribution
Distribution of Home Safety grades across Scranton.
Scranton Water: The Quick Version
- Average lead level: 0.001 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 88% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $2,785 per household.
Water Systems Serving Scranton
Water delivery in Scranton, PA is handled by 2 utilities rather than a single system - drawn from 2 providers in federal records, each filing its own compliance reports and setting its own rates.
- D
- D
Overview
We track home safety data for 13 ZIP codes in Scranton, Pennsylvania (population ~100,734), covering 2 community water systems serving approximately 189,782 people region-wide. The EPA snapshots used for this build directly map water systems to 8 of 13 ZIP codes.
The available EPA record reports 0 violations for 8 ZIP codes with a reported violation count.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Scranton: D (50/100)
Model 4.0.0 uses four measured components across three equally weighted domains. If a required domain is unavailable, no score is published:
| Factor | What It Measures |
|---|---|
| Water Quality | EPA violations and compliance history |
| PFAS MCL Screen | UCMR 5 testing against the covered federal MCLs |
| Radon Risk | EPA radon zone classification |
| Annual AQI | EPA AirData county-year median with at least 90 observed days |
Water Sources
Scranton water systems draw from: Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0010 mg/L (EPA action level: 0.015 mg/L)
- 0 of 8 ZIP codes with known status exceed the EPA lead action level
Radon Risk
Dominant radon zone: Zone 1 (High Risk)
- Zone 1 (High): 12 ZIP codes
- Zone 2 (Moderate): 1 ZIP code
- Zone 3 (Low): 0 ZIP codes
The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.
Areas with No Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | System | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18503 | D | Pa Amer Water Company Lake Scranton | 137,142 |
| 18504 | D | Pa Amer Water Company Lake Scranton | 137,142 |
| 18505 | D | Pa Amer Water Company Lake Scranton | 137,142 |
| 18508 | D | Pa Amer Water Company Lake Scranton | 137,142 |
| 18509 | D | Pa Amer Water Company Lake Scranton | 137,142 |
| 18510 | D | Pa Amer Water Company Lake Scranton | 137,142 |
| 18512 | D | Pa Amer Water Company Lake Scranton | 137,142 |
| 18519 | D | Pa Amer Water Company Lake Scranton | 137,142 |
All ZIP Codes in Scranton
- 18501
- 18502
- 18503 [D]
- 18504 [D]
- 18505 [D]
- 18508 [D]
- 18509 [D]
- 18510 [D]
- 18512 [D]
- 18515
- 18519 [D]
- 18540
- 18577
Data Sources
- Water quality: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS)
- Lead/copper: EPA Lead and Copper Rule sampling data
- Radon: EPA Map of Radon Zones
Reporting periods vary by source. Missing data is shown as unavailable, not as zero.
How Old Is Scranton's Housing Stock?
With 88% of homes built before 1986, lead solder in plumbing is a potential concern. The EPA banned lead solder in 1986, but many older homes retain original plumbing.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS).
Housing Age Profile
Lead solder was standard in copper plumbing until federally banned in 1986; lead pipes were common in service lines pre-1970. Scranton's median build year of 1935 reflects a housing stock where these older materials are a pervasive feature - not a rare legacy - of the residential plumbing landscape.
Over half of homes in Scranton were built before 1986, when lead solder was banned. Older plumbing may leach lead into drinking water, especially with corrosive water chemistry.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS B25034.
Scranton: Remediation Cost in Perspective
Property equity in Scranton sits at a moderate ratio to estimated remediation costs - a classification that reframes the household financial perspective from routine maintenance to deliberate budgeting, where most homeowners have a realistic path to addressing documented water and safety issues if they map the financial commitment against available resources before committing to scope.
Remediation costs are moderate relative to home values in Scranton. The estimated $1,877–$3,823 range is manageable for most homeowners but still worth budgeting for. Home values are 19% below the Pennsylvania average.
Protecting Children from Lead in Scranton
Why children are most at risk: The CDC states there is no safe level of lead exposure for children. Children under 6 absorb lead more readily than adults, and even low levels can cause developmental delays, learning difficulties, and behavioral problems.
Even where utility-side monitoring meets Lead and Copper Rule requirements, the 88% pre-rule share in Scranton keeps interior-plumbing variation as a household-level question that aggregate data cannot resolve.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Historical Flood-Claim Evidence for Scranton
Historical NFIP data for Scranton contains 876 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $18,845. Among ZIP codes with claim records, 90% have an A- or V-family dominant rated zone recorded in those historical claims. This is not a complete current FEMA property-map inventory.
How flooding affects water quality: Flood events can introduce sewage, agricultural runoff, and industrial chemicals into water supplies. Even after floodwaters recede, contamination can persist in wells and aging infrastructure. The <strong>$2,785</strong> remediation estimate shown here excludes flood insurance and is not derived from NFIP claim count.
Claim count does not establish current property risk. Check the exact address in FEMA's current map and obtain a property-specific insurance quote when relevant.
Source: historical FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claim records. No current FEMA property-map designation is asserted.
What You Can Do in Scranton
- Test your water at home. City-level data shows averages - your tap may differ. NSF-certified test kits cost $20-40 and give results in days.
- Install a certified water filter. An NSF-certified pitcher or under-sink filter removes most common contaminants.
- Check your home's plumbing. With 88% of homes built before 1986, lead solder is a real possibility.
- Review your water system's CCR. Your utility publishes an annual Consumer Confidence Report with detailed test results. Request it or find it online.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Scranton, PA