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City · 8,789 residents · Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania

Carbondale , Pennsylvania

In Carbondale, a typical home is worth $132,200 and typical rent is $660 a month. Compared with all of Lackawanna County, the typical home value is 34% lower, typical rent is 34% lower, and the share of households that own their home is 14 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $132,200

    34% below the county

    48% below Pennsylvania

    • Carbondale
    • Lackawanna
    • Pennsylvania

  • Typical rent

    $660a month

    34% below the county

    45% below Pennsylvania

    • Carbondale
    • Lackawanna
    • Pennsylvania

  • Typical household income

    $47,716a year

    28% below the county

    39% below Pennsylvania

    • Carbondale
    • Lackawanna
    • Pennsylvania

  • Households that own their home

    51%

    14 points below the county

    18 points below Pennsylvania

    • Carbondale
    • Lackawanna
    • Pennsylvania

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical rent
$1,333 a month

From Zillow (ZORI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Carbondale is in Lackawanna County. The FHA loan limit ($541,287 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Lackawanna County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Carbondale apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. Carbondale has the 3rd lowest typical rent of the 265 cities in Pennsylvania with more than 5,000 people ($660).

  2. The typical home in Carbondale is worth $132,200, 34% less than in Lackawanna County as a whole ($201,800).

  3. The typical household income in Carbondale is $47,716, 28% less than in Lackawanna County as a whole ($66,223).

  4. 51% of households in Carbondale own their home, against 65% in Lackawanna County.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

The homes here

Housing in Carbondale

What homes there are in Carbondale, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

Detached houses are the majority in Carbondale (53%), but less so than in Lackawanna County (64%).

Year built

By age, homes in Carbondale look like those in Lackawanna County: the typical year built is 1955.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes
Monthly rent with utilities

By rent, most homes in Carbondale cost less than HUD's 2-bedroom fair market rent ($1,363): about 89%.

With a mortgage

$1,183 a month

Lackawanna County: $1,539 a month

Without a mortgage

$567 a month

Lackawanna County: $673 a month

Owners with a mortgage

45%

Lackawanna County: 52%

The typical cost for an owner with a mortgage in Carbondale is $1,183 a month, less than in Lackawanna County ($1,539); without one, $567.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

Since 2015–2019, homes in Carbondale gained value faster than in Lackawanna County: 46% against 32%.

Rent in Carbondale moved so little since 2015–2019 that the Census cannot say whether it rose or fell.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureCarbondaleLackawanna CountyPennsylvaniaUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimate4.9%4.9%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimate0.9%0.8%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimate1.4%1.6%3.4%
People per household 2.282.352.392.53
Drive alone 76%76%68%69%
Carpool Unreliable estimate9%8%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimate1%4%3%
Walk or bike 10%3%4%3%
Work from home 5%10%16%15%
Other means Unreliable estimate1%1%2%
Typical commute Unreliable estimate10 to 19 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

Much as in Lackawanna County, a household in Carbondale has 2.28 people on average.

Many here get to work on foot or by bike: 10%, more than in Lackawanna County (3%).

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Carbondale?

A typical home is tight for the typical income

We start with a typical home in Carbondale, worth $132,200, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 30% of the typical household income in Carbondale, which is $47,716 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $50,721 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Lackawanna County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Carbondale. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $4,627 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$1,183

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$129,806
Total interest
$186,760
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $2,233 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $1,113 a month

  • Tight

    $1,113 to $1,431 a month

    Your payment · 30%

  • Hard

    more than $1,431 a month

Compared with the typical household income in Carbondale ($47,716 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$1,183
Principal & interest$879
Property tax$191
Home insurance$55
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$58

You need at least $4,627 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Carbondale and Lackawanna County

Carbondale is in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Carbondale's own numbers

Typical home value
$132,200
Typical monthly rent
$660
Typical yearly household income
$47,716
Households that own their home
51%
Effective property tax rate
1.73%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Lackawanna County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,363
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+54%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
3.6%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Lackawanna County.

Everything about Lackawanna County

Buying

Buying a home in Carbondale

A typical home in Carbondale is worth $132,200: 34% below the county and 48% below Pennsylvania. With the typical household income in Carbondale ($47,716 a year), a typical home costs 2.8 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Carbondale 2.8 years
  • Lackawanna 3.0 years
  • Pennsylvania 3.3 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Lackawanna County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Lackawanna County rose 74% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Lackawanna County.

Period County Pennsylvania U.S.
Last year (2025) +4.9% +4.7% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +54% +48% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +74% +77% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Carbondale next to Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Carbondale $132,200
  • Lackawanna $201,800
  • Pennsylvania $254,500
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Carbondale $660
  • Lackawanna $1,007
  • Pennsylvania $1,209
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Carbondale $47,716
  • Lackawanna $66,223
  • Pennsylvania $77,971
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Carbondale next to Lackawanna County and Pennsylvania
Measure Carbondale Lackawanna County Pennsylvania U.S.
Typical home value $132,200 $201,800 $254,500 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $660 $1,007 $1,209 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $47,716 $66,223 $77,971 $80,734
Households that own their home 51% 65% 69% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $2,293 $3,012 $3,311 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 1.73% 1.49% 1.3% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 55% 48% 48% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Lackawanna County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Carbondale

For a typical $132,200 home in Carbondale, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Carbondale's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $1,183a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $4,627
    Cash to close
    $8,593
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $58

  • Conventional, 5% down $1,159a month

    Down payment
    $6,610
    Cash to close
    $10,576
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $63

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $962a month

    Down payment
    $26,440
    Cash to close
    $30,406
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $1,084a month

    Down payment
    $19,830
    Cash to close
    $23,796
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Carbondale and for Lackawanna County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Carbondale

1.73%of the home’s value each year

$2,293 a year for the typical owner in Carbondale.

  • Carbondale 1.73%
  • Lackawanna 1.49%
  • Pennsylvania 1.3%

What Pennsylvania publishes Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program (PTRR) (Pennsylvania Department of Revenue)

Exemptions and deadlines in Pennsylvania

Flood risk in Lackawanna County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Lackawanna County.

Homes in the high-risk zone
3.6%
2,657
Of those, with NFIP insurance
29%
County Pennsylvania U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 3.6% 2% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 29% 23% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Carbondale

Typical rent in Carbondale is $660 a month: 34% below the county. In Carbondale, 55% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Lackawanna County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,363 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $26.21 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Lackawanna County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $949 $18.25 $37,960
1 bedroom $1,106 $21.27 $44,240
2 bedrooms $1,363 $26.21 $54,520
3 bedrooms $1,786 $34.35 $71,440
4 bedrooms $1,962 $37.73 $78,480

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Carbondale

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Carbondale is in ZIP code 18407.

For 2 bedrooms it is $1,230: $133 less than the fair market rent for Lackawanna County ($1,363).

  • 18407 $1,230$1,610

1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Carbondale when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Carbondale

HUD lists 4 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Carbondale. These are the largest.

  • Summit Gardens 105 Westgate Dr, Carbondale 18407 216 homes, 215 low-income · For families (570) 282-6623
  • South High Rise 60 S Main St, Carbondale 18407 197 low-income homes · Run by The Housing Auth of the City of Carbondale · Average payment: $454 a month · Average wait: 7 months (570) 282-0280
  • John Street 4 John St, Carbondale 18407 147 low-income homes · Run by The Housing Auth of the City of Carbondale · Average payment: $597 a month · Average wait: 15 months (570) 282-0280
  • Fallbrook 185 Fallbrook St, Carbondale 18407 32 homes, 4 low-income (570) 346-0759

See all 47 buildings in Lackawanna County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Carbondale

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

There are 2 HUD-approved agencies with an office in Lackawanna County; none says it serves in Spanish.

A man leans over the armchair to help a teenage girl with her book.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Carbondale

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Carbondale or Lackawanna County. The ones below are statewide in Pennsylvania: they work in Carbondale the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Pennsylvania

Housing counselors near Carbondale

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Carbondale, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • United Neighborhood Centers of Northeastern Pennsylvania

    410 Olive St, Scranton · 14 miles away

    • Homelessness services
    • Rental counseling
    (570) 343-8835

  • Neighborworks Northeastern Pa/NHS of Lackawanna County

    815 Smith St, Scranton · 15 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 6 more
    (570) 558-2490

  • Trehab

    36 Public Ave, Montrose · 26 miles away

    • Pre-purchase counseling
    (570) 265-2072

Every agency in Lackawanna County All counseling agencies in Pennsylvania

Help in Spanish near Carbondale

None of the 3 agencies on this list say they serve in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Carbondale

HUD’s record names them for Carbondale or Lackawanna County. They run public housing or Section 8 vouchers. Ask whether their waiting list is open.

  • The Housing Auth of the City of Carbondale Public housing and Section 8 vouchers (570) 282-0280
  • Lackawanna County Housing Authority Public housing and Section 8 vouchers (570) 342-7629

One other authority has an office in Lackawanna County: see the list Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Lackawanna County

These cities are also in Lackawanna County. They share its loan limits and fair market rents, but home values and rent change from one to the next.

Everything about Lackawanna County Housing in Pennsylvania

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Carbondale, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If Lackawanna County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Carbondale.

All guides
Three women of one family lean in together to stir the pan.

Questions

Housing questions about Carbondale

Short answers with the numbers for Carbondale and all of Lackawanna County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Carbondale?

The typical home value in Carbondale is $132,200, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Lackawanna County it is $201,800.

How much does it cost to rent in Carbondale?

Typical rent in Carbondale is $660 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Lackawanna County is $1,363.

What is the FHA loan limit in Carbondale?

Carbondale uses the FHA limit for all of Lackawanna County (2026): $541,287 for a one-unit home and $1,041,125 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Carbondale?

The typical homeowner in Carbondale pays $2,293 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 1.73% of the home’s value; in Lackawanna County, the rate is 1.49%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Carbondale?

There are 2 HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Lackawanna County. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).