Editing Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania

{{Short description|County in Pennsylvania, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = Lackawanna County
 | state                = Pennsylvania
 | flag                 = Flag of Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania.png
 | seal                 = File:Lackawanna_County_Seal.png
 | founded date         = August 13
 | founded year         = 1878
 | seat wl              = Scranton
 | largest city         = [[Scranton, Pennsylvania|Scranton]]
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 465
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 459
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 5.8
 | area percentage      = 1.3
 | census estimate yr   = 2020
 | pop                  = 215896
 | density_sq_mi        = 459
 | named for            = [[Lackawanna River]]<ref name="Craft1891">{{cite book|author=David Craft|title=History of Scranton, Penn: With Full Outline of the Natural Advantages, Accounts of the Indian Tribes, Early Settlements, Connecticut's Claim to the Wyoming Valley, the Trenton Decree, Down to the Present Time|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dak-AAAAYAAJ&pg=PA17|access-date=March 19, 2013|year=1891|publisher=H. W. Crew|pages=18–}}</ref>
 | web                  = http://www.lackawannacounty.org/
 | ex image             = Lackawanna County Courthouse 008.jpg
 | ex image size        = 250
 | ex image cap         = [[Lackawanna County Courthouse]] in [[Scranton, Pennsylvania|Scranton]] in August 2009
 | time zone            = Eastern
 | district             = 8th
}}

'''Lackawanna County''' ({{IPAc-en|ˌ|l|æ|k|ə|ˈ|w|ɒ|n|ə}}; {{langx|unm|Lèkaohane}}) is a [[County (United States)|county]] in the [[Commonwealth (U.S. state)|Commonwealth]] of [[Pennsylvania]]. It is located in [[Northeastern Pennsylvania]]{{efn|Includes Luzerne, Lackawanna, Monroe, Schuylkill, Carbon, Pike, Bradford, Wayne, Susquehanna, Wyoming and Sullivan Counties}} and had a population of 215,615 (2022).<ref name="QF">{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/42/42069.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=November 17, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606194432/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/42/42069.html|archive-date=June 6, 2011}}</ref> Its [[county seat]] and most populous city is [[Scranton, Pennsylvania|Scranton]].<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx|access-date=June 7, 2011|title=Find a County|publisher=National Association of Counties}}</ref>

The county was created on August 13, 1878, following decades of trying to gain its independence from [[Luzerne County, Pennsylvania|Luzerne County]].<ref name="bradsby">Henry C. Bradsby, [https://books.google.com/books?id=4BkVAAAAYAAJ&dq=%22william+h+stanton%22+judge&pg=PA232 History of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania], Volume 1, 1893, Pages 232-233</ref> Lackawanna was Pennsylvania's last county to be created, and the only county to be created after the [[American Civil War]]. It is named for the [[Lackawanna River]].<ref name="Craft1891"/>

Lackawanna County is the second largest county in the Scranton–[[Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania|Wilkes-Barre]]–[[Hazleton, Pennsylvania|Hazleton]], PA [[Metropolitan statistical area]]. It lies northwest of the [[Pocono Mountains]] approximately {{convert|40|mi|km|abbr=out}} from the [[New Jersey]] border in [[Montague Township, New Jersey|Montague Township]], and approximately {{convert|25|mi|km|abbr=out}} from [[New York (state)|New York state]] in [[Kirkwood, New York|Kirkwood]]. The [[Lehigh River]], a {{convert|109|mi|km|adj=mid|-long}} tributary of the [[Delaware River]], flows through Lackawanna County.

==History==
[[File:Map of Pennsylvania counties in 1836.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|A 1836 map of Pennsylvania counties. At the time, Lackawanna was still part of [[Luzerne County, Pennsylvania|Luzerne County]].]]
[[File:George Washington statue in Scranton, PA IMG 1536.JPG|right|thumb|upright=1.1|Statue of [[George Washington]], dedicated July 4, 1893, at [[Lackawanna County Courthouse]] in [[Scranton, Pennsylvania|Scranton]]]]
Lackawanna County is a region that was developed for iron production and [[anthracite|anthracite coal]] mining in the nineteenth century, with its peak of coal production reached in the mid-20th century. Scranton, then still part of Luzerne County, became a center of mining and industry. It was the site of the Lackawanna Iron and Coal Company, which later began to produce steel using the Bessemer process. In 1877 at the time of the [[Scranton General Strike]], the company was managed by [[William Walker Scranton]], whose father had been president until his death in 1872. Two of his cousins had been founders of the company and the city.

The county was created on August 13, 1878, following decades of trying to gain its independence from [[Luzerne County, Pennsylvania|Luzerne County]]. (The courts were organized in October 1878.)<ref name="bradsby"/> It is Pennsylvania's last county to be created, and the only one created after the [[American Civil War]]. It is named for the [[Lackawanna River]].<ref name="Craft1891"/>

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau|U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|465|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|459|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|5.8|sqmi}} (1.3%) is water.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=http://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/counties_list_42.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=March 8, 2015|date=August 22, 2012|title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files}}</ref> It has a [[humid continental climate]] which is warm-summer (''Dfb'') except along the Lackawanna River from Olyphant and Blakely below Peckville on down and along the Susquehanna where it is hot-summer (''Dfa''). Average monthly temperatures in downtown Scranton range from 26.0&nbsp;°F in January to 71.9&nbsp;°F in July, in Carbondale they range from 23.8&nbsp;°F in January to 69.7&nbsp;°F in July, and in Moscow they range from 22.6&nbsp;°F in January to 68.4&nbsp;°F in July.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://prism.oregonstate.edu/explorer/ | title=PRISM Climate Group at Oregon State University }}</ref>

The [[hardiness zone]] is 6a in higher northern, eastern, and southern areas and 6b in most other areas except in Old Forge, lower areas of Moosic, and Scranton along the Lackawanna River to downtown where it is 7a. [https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/]

===Adjacent counties===
*[[Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania|Susquehanna County]] (north)
*[[Wayne County, Pennsylvania|Wayne County]] (east)
*[[Monroe County, Pennsylvania|Monroe County]] (southeast)
*[[Luzerne County, Pennsylvania|Luzerne County]] (southwest)
*[[Wyoming County, Pennsylvania|Wyoming County]] (west)

===Major highways===
*{{jct|state=PA|I|81}}
*{{jct|state=PA|I|84}}
*{{jct|state=PA|I|380}}
*{{jct|state=PA|I|476|PANE}}
*{{jct|state=PA|US|6}}
*{{jct|state=PA|US-Bus|6|dab1=Scranton}}
*{{jct|state=PA|US|11}}
*{{jct|state=PA|PA|106}}
*{{jct|state=PA|PA|107}}
*{{jct|state=PA|PA|307}}
*{{jct|state=PA|PA|348}}
*{{jct|state=PA|PA|407}}
*{{jct|state=PA|PA|435}}
*{{jct|state=PA|PA|438}}
*{{jct|state=PA|PA|502}}
*{{jct|state=PA|PA|524}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1880= 89269
|1890= 142088
|1900= 193831
|1910= 259570
|1920= 286311
|1930= 310397
|1940= 301243
|1950= 257396
|1960= 234531
|1970= 234107
|1980= 227908
|1990= 219039
|2000= 213295
|2010= 214437
|2020= 215896
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=U.S. Decennial Census|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=March 8, 2015}}</ref><br />1790-1960<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=March 8, 2015}}</ref> 1900-1990<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/pa190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=United States Census Bureau|editor-last=Forstall|editor-first=Richard L.|date=March 24, 1995|access-date=March 8, 2015}}</ref><br />1990-2000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=October 9, 2022 |url-status=live|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|date=April 2, 2001|access-date=March 8, 2015}}</ref> 2010-2019<ref name="QF"/><ref>{{cite web |title=Census 2020 |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/lackawannacountypennsylvania/PST045219}}</ref>
}}

=== 2020 Statistics ===
As of the 2020 census there were 215,896 people living in Lackawanna County. 83% were [[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|Non-Hispanic White]], 4% [[African Americans|Black or African American]], 3.2% [[Asian Americans|Asian]], 0.3% [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]], 4% some other race and 6% were [[Multiracial Americans|multiracial]]. In 2020 8.5% of the county was [[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Story Map Series|url=https://mtgis-portal.geo.census.gov/arcgis/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=2566121a73de463995ed2b2fd7ff6eb7|access-date=January 10, 2022|website=mtgis-portal.geo.census.gov}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|+Lackawanna County Racial Composition<ref>{{Cite web|title =P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=Lackawanna%20County,%20Pennsylvania&t=Race%20and%20Ethnicity&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2}}</ref>
!Race
!Num.
!Perc.
|-
|[[White (U.S. Census)|White]] (NH)
|175,246
|81.2%
|-
|[[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]] (NH)
|7,415
|3.4%
|-
|[[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]] (NH)
|276
|0.1%
|-
|[[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]] (NH)
|6,762
|3.1%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]] (NH)
|28
|0.01%
|-
|[[Race (United States Census)|Other/Mixed]] (NH)
|7,902
|3.7%
|-
|[[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]
|18,267
|8.5%
|}

=== 2010 Statistics ===
As of the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]], there were 214,437 people living in the county. 92.0% were [[White American|White]], 2.5% [[African American|Black or African American]], 1.7% [[Asian American|Asian]], 0.2% [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]], 2.0% of some other race and 1.5% [[Multiracial American|of two or more races]]. 5.0% were [[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (of any race). 20.1% identified as of [[Italian American|Italian]], 19.9% [[Irish American|Irish]], 13.0% [[Polish American|Polish]] and 11.4% [[German American|German]] ancestry.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov |title=U.S. Census website |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=April 3, 2018}}</ref>

As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> of 2000, there were 213,295 people, 86,218 households, and 55,783 families living in the county. The population density was {{convert|465|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 95,362 housing units at an average density of {{convert|208|/mi2|/km2|adj=pre|units&nbsp;}}. The racial makeup of the county was 96.65% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 1.31% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 0.09% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 0.75% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 0.01% [[Race (United States Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.53% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.66% from two or more races. 1.39% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race. 22.5% were of [[Italian people|Italian]], 21.2% [[Irish people|Irish]], 15.4% [[Polish people|Polish]] and 10.2% [[German people|German]] ancestry.

There were 86,218 households, out of which 27.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.9% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 11.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.3% were non-families; 31.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the county, 21.8% of the population was under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 26.4% from 25 to 44, 23.5% from 45 to 64, and 19.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.4 males.

==Politics and government==
{{PresHead|place=Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania|source=<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|first=David|last=Leip|website=uselectionatlas.org}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Democratic|56,261|59,510|1,154|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|2020|Democratic|52,334|61,991|1,370|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|2016|Democratic|48,384|51,983|4,037|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|2012|Democratic|35,085|61,838|1,428|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|2008|Democratic|39,488|67,520|1,531|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|2004|Democratic|44,766|59,573|1,480|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|2000|Democratic|35,096|57,471|3,814|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|1996|Democratic|26,930|46,377|9,374|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|1992|Democratic|33,443|45,054|16,471|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|1988|Democratic|42,083|45,591|1,067|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|48,132|45,851|1,202|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|1980|Democratic|44,242|45,257|5,948|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|43,354|57,685|1,758|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|58,838|45,465|566|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|1968|Democratic|44,388|66,297|3,706|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|31,272|88,131|137|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|1960|Democratic|49,636|80,098|49|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|64,386|55,741|79|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|1952|Democratic|61,644|64,926|147|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|46,283|64,495|971|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|47,261|59,190|127|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|54,931|71,343|411|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|51,186|80,585|2,030|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|34,632|40,793|1,135|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|1928|Democratic|46,510|52,665|94|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|1924|Republican|37,708|16,859|7,834|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|1920|Republican|40,593|24,581|1,866|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|1916|Republican|17,658|15,727|1,373|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|1912|Progressive|3,799|12,423|16,661|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|1908|Republican|18,590|15,451|747|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|1904|Republican|19,923|10,068|876|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|1900|Republican|16,763|14,728|1,019|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|1896|Republican|18,737|11,869|999|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|1892|Republican|10,729|10,351|1,098|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|1888|Republican|10,279|9,858|1,058|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|1884|Republican|9,656|6,171|687|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|1880|Republican|7,357|7,178|239|Pennsylvania}}
|}
{{U.S. SenHead|place=Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania|Seat=1|source=<ref>{{cite news |title=2024 Senate Election (Official Returns) |website=Commonwealth of Pennsylvania by county |date=November 5, 2024 |access-date=December 5, 2024 |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-elections/pennsylvania-senate-results}}</ref>}}
<!-- U.S. SenRow should be {{U.S. SenRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{U.S. SenRow|2024|Democratic|51,944|61,653|2,289|Pennsylvania}}
{{U.S. SenFoot}}
According to the Secretary of State's office, Democrats hold a majority of the voters in Lackawanna County.
{| class=wikitable
! colspan = 6 | Lackawanna County Voter Registration Statistics as of January 8, 2024<ref name="Voter Registration">{{cite web |author=Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of State |title=January 2023 Voter Registration Statistics |url=https://www.dos.pa.gov/VotingElections/OtherServicesEvents/VotingElectionStatistics/Pages/VotingElectionStatistics.aspx |access-date=January 16, 2023 |format=XLS}}</ref>
|-
! colspan = 2 | Political Party
! Total Voters
! Percentage
|-
| {{party color cell|Democratic Party (United States)}}
| [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
| align = center | 78,064
| align = center | 54.64%
|-
| {{party color cell|Republican Party (United States)}}
| [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
| align = center | 47,481
| align = center | 33.23%
|-
| {{party color cell|Independent Party (United States)}}
| No Party Affiliation
| align = center | 13,867
| align = center | 9.70%
|-
| {{party color cell|Other party (United States)}}
| Third Parties 
| align = center | 3,453
| align = center | 2.42%
|-
! colspan = 2 | Total
! align = center | 142,865
! align = center | 100.00%
|}

The Democratic Party has been historically dominant in county-level politics since the rise of new immigrant populations and their descendants since the mid-19th century. The county is part of [[Pennsylvania's 8th congressional district]].

On the state and national levels, Lackawanna County has strongly favored the Democratic Party for the last ninety years. It leaned Republican from [[1896 United States presidential election in Pennsylvania|1896]] to [[1924 United States presidential election in Pennsylvania|1924]], only failing to back [[William Howard Taft]] during that timespan when the party's vote was split between him and former president [[Theodore Roosevelt]]. The county has only voted for the Republican candidate three times since [[1928 United States presidential election in Pennsylvania|1928]]: in the national Republican landslides of [[1956 United States presidential election in Pennsylvania|1956]], [[1972 United States presidential election in Pennsylvania|1972]], and [[1984 United States presidential election in Pennsylvania|1984]]. In [[2000 United States presidential election in Pennsylvania|2000]], Democrat [[Al Gore]] won 60% of the vote and Republican [[George W. Bush]] won 36%.<ref name="returns">{{cite web|url=http://www.electionreturns.state.pa.us/ElectionsInformation.aspx?FunctionID=12&ElectionID=2|title=Commonwealth of PA – Elections Information|access-date=March 10, 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081127051435/http://www.electionreturns.state.pa.us/ElectionsInformation.aspx?FunctionID=12&ElectionID=2|archive-date=November 27, 2008}}</ref> In [[2004 United States presidential election in Pennsylvania|2004]] Democrat [[John Kerry]] received 56% of the vote and Bush received 42%.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.electionreturns.state.pa.us/ElectionsInformation.aspx?FunctionID=12&ElectionID=11|title=Commonwealth of PA – Elections Information|access-date=March 10, 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081127051425/http://www.electionreturns.state.pa.us/ElectionsInformation.aspx?FunctionID=12&ElectionID=11|archive-date=November 27, 2008}}</ref> In [[2006 United States elections|2006]], Democrats Governor [[Ed Rendell]] and Senator [[Bob Casey, Jr.]], won 70% and 73% of the vote in Lackawanna County, respectively.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.electionreturns.state.pa.us/ElectionsInformation.aspx?FunctionID=12&ElectionID=24 |title=Commonwealth of PA – Elections Information |access-date=March 10, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080529001955/http://www.electionreturns.state.pa.us/ElectionsInformation.aspx?FunctionID=12&ElectionID=24 |archive-date=May 29, 2008 }}</ref> In [[2008 United States presidential election in Pennsylvania|2008]] three of four Democrats running statewide carried the county, with [[Barack Obama]] receiving 63% of the county vote to 37% for [[John McCain]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.electionreturns.state.pa.us/ElectionsInformation.aspx?FunctionID=12&ElectionID=28|title=Commonwealth of PA – Elections Information|access-date=March 10, 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090221182246/http://www.electionreturns.state.pa.us/ElectionsInformation.aspx?FunctionID=12&ElectionID=28|archive-date=February 21, 2009}}</ref> Although Obama easily carried Lackawanna County again in [[2012 United States presidential election in Pennsylvania|2012]], [[Donald Trump]] came very close to beating [[Hillary Clinton]] in [[2016 United States presidential election in Pennsylvania|2016]]. However, in [[2020 United States presidential election in Pennsylvania|2020]], Lackawanna County voted for [[Joe Biden]], a native son of the county, by over 8 points, an improvement over Clinton's margin but not as high as either of Obama's. In Lackawanna County, Democratic strength primarily comes from the city of Scranton and its immediate suburbs, while Republicans do better in the more rural, outer parts of the county.

===County commissioners===
{| class="sortable wikitable"
!Official
!Party
!Term ends
|- {{Party shading/Republican}}
|Chris Chermak
|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|2027
|- {{Party shading/Democratic}}
|Bill Gaughan
|[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|2027
|- {{Party shading/Democratic}}
|Matt McGloin
|[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|2027 (Resigned 2025)
|}

=== County Row Officers ===
{| class="sortable wikitable"
!Office
!Official
!Party
!Term ends
|- {{Party shading/Democratic}}
|Clerk of Judicial Records
|Mauri B. Kelly
|[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|2023
|- {{Party shading/Democratic}}
|Controller
|Gary DiBileo
|[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|2023
|- {{Party shading/Democratic}}
|Coroner
|Timothy Rowland
|[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|2023
|- {{Party shading/Democratic}}
|Treasurer
|Edward Karpovich
|[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|2023
|- {{Party shading/Democratic}}
|District Attorney
|Mark Powell
|[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|2025
|- {{Party shading/Democratic}}
|Recorder of Deeds
|Evie Rafalko-McNulty
|[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|2025
|- {{Party shading/Democratic}}
|Register of Wills
|Frances Kovaleski
|[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|2025
|- {{Party shading/Democratic}}
|Sheriff
|Mark McAndrew
|[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|2025
|}

=== United States House of Representatives ===
''{{As of|2025|1|3|df=US}}:''
{| class="sortable wikitable"
!District
!Representative
!Party
|- {{Party shading/Republican}}
|[[Pennsylvania's 8th congressional district|8]]
|[[Rob Bresnahan]]
|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|}

=== United States Senate ===
''{{As of|2025|1|3|df=US}}:''
{| class="wikitable"
!Senator
!Party
|- {{Party shading/Republican}}
|[[Dave McCormick]]
|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|- {{Party shading/Democratic}}
|[[John Fetterman]]
|[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|}

=== State House of Representatives ===
''{{As of|2023|1|13|df=US}}:''
{| class="sortable wikitable"
!District
!Representative
!Party
|- {{Party shading/Democratic}}
|[[Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 112|112]]
|[[Kyle Mullins]]
|[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|- {{Party shading/Democratic}}
|[[Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 113|113]]
|[[Kyle Donahue (politician)|Kyle Donahue]]
|[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|- {{Party shading/Democratic}}
|[[Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 114|114]]
|[[Bridget Malloy Kosierowski]]
|[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|- {{Party shading/Democratic}}
|[[Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 118|118]]
|[[Jim Haddock]]
|[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|}

=== State senate ===
''{{As of|2021|3|29|df=US}}:''
{| class="sortable wikitable"
!District
!Senator
!Party
|- {{Party shading/Democratic}}
|[[Pennsylvania Senate, District 22|22]]
|[[Marty Flynn]]
|[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|}

==Education==
[[File:Map of Lackawanna County Pennsylvania School Districts.PNG|thumb|upright=1.1|Map of Lackawanna County's public school districts]]
Lackawanna County Workforce investment Board - Scranton

===Colleges and universities===
* [[Johnson College]]
* [[Keystone College]] (also in Wyoming County)
* [[Lackawanna College]]
* [[Marywood University]]
* [[Penn State Scranton]]
* [[Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine]]
* [[University of Scranton]]

===Public K-12 schools===
====Public school districts====
They include:<ref>{{cite map|author=Geography Division|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st42_pa/schooldistrict_maps/c42069_lackawanna/DC20SD_C42069.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st42_pa/schooldistrict_maps/c42069_lackawanna/DC20SD_C42069.pdf |archive-date=October 9, 2022 |url-status=live|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Lackawanna County, PA|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|date=January 14, 2021 |accessdate=July 20, 2022}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st42_pa/schooldistrict_maps/c42069_lackawanna/DC20SD_C42069_SD2MS.txt Text list]</ref>
* [[Abington Heights School District]]
* [[Carbondale Area School District]]
* [[Dunmore School District]]
* [[Forest City Regional School District]] (also in Susquehanna and Wayne Counties)
* [[Lackawanna Trail School District]] (also in Wyoming County)
* [[Lakeland School District, Pennsylvania|Lakeland School District]]
* [[Mid Valley School District]]
* [[North Pocono School District]] (also in Wayne County)
* [[Old Forge School District]]
* [[Riverside School District (Pennsylvania)|Riverside School District]]
* [[Scranton School District (Pennsylvania)|Scranton School District]]
* [[Valley View School District (Pennsylvania)|Valley View School District]]

====Charter schools====
*[[Fell Charter Elementary School]], Simpson, GR K-8
*[[Howard Gardner]] Multiple Intelligence Charter School, Scranton, GR PreK-8
*[[Scranton School for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Children]] – public [[charter school]] offering pre-K through 12th-grade education to eligible deaf and hard-of-hearing children located in South Abington Township, Pennsylvania

====Public vocational technology schools====
*Career Technology Center of Lackawanna County

====State-operated schools====
*[[Scranton State School for the Deaf]] was in the county until it closed in 2009.<ref>{{cite news |first=Sarah Hofius |last=Hall |title=Last class graduates from SSSD |url=http://www.scrantontimes.com/news/last_class_graduates_from_sssd |work=The Times-Tribune |date=June 10, 2009 |quote=At the end of the month, the state will transfer control of the school to the private [...] }}</ref>

====Intermediate unit====
Northeastern Educational Intermediate Unit #19 (NEIU19) provides a wide variety of specialized services to public and private schools. It serves the school communities of Lackawanna County, Wayne County, and Susquehanna County. NEIU19 is governed by a board of appointed officials one from the elected school board of each member public school district. Among the serves are: professional development programs for school employees, background/criminal screening of public school employment applicants, technology support to the schools, and special education services. The Intermediate Unit coordinates and supervises the Special Education transportation.

===Diocesan schools===
The county is also served by the [[Diocese of Scranton]]. The Diocese of Scranton operates four regional systems of diocesan schools, which were established after the area received hundreds of thousands of Catholic immigrants. The Holy Cross School System serves Lackawanna County, and is currently composed of seven elementary centers and one secondary center. The Holy Cross System is the second-largest of the four systems, and [[Holy Cross High School (Pennsylvania)|Holy Cross High School]] is the only diocesan high school operating a capacity. The Holy Cross System is the result of diocese-wide consolidations made in 2007 in response to decades of declining enrollment as population declined in the area.

As recently as 2000, Lackawanna County was home to four Catholic high schools and nearly fifteen elementary schools. While the current configuration of sites and schools educates a fraction of the students once enrolled in Catholic schools in Lackawanna County, vast improvements have been made to the curriculum. Millions of dollars of capital gains have been invested in the buildings and technologies of the schools. As part of the ongoing effort to stabilize enrollment and offer a sustainable school system which is "spiritually sound and academically excellent", the Holy Cross System is embarking on a more aggressive advertising campaign to promote Catholic education and establish stronger and more diverse programs at the elementary level.

Sacred Heart Elementary in [[Carbondale, Pennsylvania|Carbondale]] and Marian Catholic Elementary in [[Scranton]] were closed in 2011 and were incorporated into LaSalle Academy and All Saint's Academy, respectively. This cut the costs of sustaining two faculties and buildings which collectively operated at less than 50% capacity. It bolstered the enrollments of the hubs of elementary education. 
*[[Holy Cross High School (Pennsylvania)|Holy Cross High School]], Dunmore
*Our Lady of Peace Elementary, Clarks Green
*St. Mary of Mount Carmel Elementary, Dunmore
*LaSalle Academy, Dickson City and Jessup
*All Saints Academy, Scranton
*St. Clare/St. Paul Elementary, Scranton

===Private schools===
As reported by the [[Pennsylvania Department of Education]]:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.edna.ed.state.pa.us|author=PDE|title=Education Names & Addresses|access-date=February 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110429195913/http://www.edna.ed.state.pa.us/|archive-date=April 29, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref>

*Abington Christian School, Clarks Green, GR PreK-8 (Affiliated with the [[Assemblies of God]])
*Bais Yaakov of Scranton, GR 9-12 (All girls Jewish school)
*DePaul School for [[Dyslexia]], Scranton<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.allied-services.org/our-services/community-services/depaul-school-for-dyslexia/ |title=DePaul School for Dyslexia - Allied Services |access-date=September 26, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120806084127/http://www.allied-services.org/our-services/community-services/depaul-school-for-dyslexia/ |archive-date=August 6, 2012 }}</ref>
*Friendship House
*Geneva Christian School, Olyphant, GR PreK-8
*Giant Steps Child Development Center – Carbondale
*Kinder Kampus Preparatory Preschool, Archbald, PreK
*Little People Daycare School, Scranton, GR PreK-KG
*Lourdesmont School, Scranton, Special Education (Roman Catholic)
*Lutheran Academy – Scranton, GR PreK-6
*Marywood – Tony Damiano Early Childhood Center, Scranton, GR PreK-KG
*Milton Eisner Yeshiva High School, Scranton, GR 9-12 (All boys Jewish school)
*Montessori Kindergarten, Scranton, GR PreK-KG
*New Story, Throop, Special Education
*NHS Autism School, Scranton, Special Education
*Northeast Child Care Services – Archbald
*Pocono Mountain Bible Conference – Gouldsboro
*Revival Baptist Christian School, Scranton, GR K-12
*Scranton Hebrew Day School, Scranton, GR K-8
*Scranton Preparatory School, Scranton, GR 9-12 (Affiliated with the [[Society of Jesus]])
*St. Gregory's Early Childhood Center, Clarks Green, GR PreK-KG
*St. Stanislaus Elementary School, Scranton, GR K-8 ([[Polish National Catholic Church]])
*Summit Christian Academy, South Abington Township, PreK-12
*Triboro Christian Academy, Old Forge, K-12, It participates in the state's [[Pennsylvania System of School Assessment]] (PSSA) annual testing

===Libraries===
[[File:Abingtons Community Library Clarks Summit PA.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Abington Community Library in [[Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania|Clarks Summit]]]]
*Abington Community Library – Clarks Summit
*Carbondale Public Library – Carbondale
*Children's Library – Scranton
*Dalton Community Library – Dalton
*Nancy Kay Holmes Branch – Scranton
*North Pocono Public Library – Moscow
*Scranton Public Library – Scranton
*Taylor Community Library – Taylor
*Valley Community Library – Peckville
*Waverly Memorial Library – Waverly

==Recreation==
* [[Montage Mountain Ski Resort|Montage Mountain Ski Area]]
* [[Lackawanna State Park]]
* [[Archbald Pothole State Park]]
* The Dick and Nancy Eales Preserve at Moosic Mountain
* [[Pinchot Trail System]]
* [[Steamtown National Historic Site]]
* [[Electric City Trolley Museum]]
* [[Viewmont Mall]]
* [[Lake Scranton]]
* Electric City Aquarium and Reptile Den
* [[Lackawanna County Courthouse]] Square (Downtown Scranton)
* [[Everhart Museum]]
* [[Scranton Iron Furnaces]]
* [[Houdini Museum]]
* [[Scranton Cultural Center]]
* [[Shoppes at Montage]]
* [[The Marketplace at Steamtown]]
* [[The Pavilion (Scranton, Pennsylvania)|The Pavilion]] (Scranton, PA)
* Lackawanna River Heritage Trail
* Lake Scranton Walking Trail
* The Pavilion at Montage Mountain
* [[PNC Field]] 
* Merli-Sarnoski Park
* [[Nay Aug Park]]
* [[McDade Park]]
* Aylesworth Park
* Covington Park

==Communities==
[[File:Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, Municipalities and CDPs.png|thumb|upright=1.1|alt=Political map of Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, with townships, boroughs, cities and census-designated places labeled. Townships are colored white and boroughs, cities, and CDPs are colored various shades of orange.|A map of Lackawanna County with municipalities and census-designated places labeled]]
[[File:Scenery in Lackawanna County, PA IMG 1595.JPG|thumb|upright=1.1|Scenery in Lackawanna County]]
Under [[Pennsylvania]] law, there are four types of incorporated municipalities: [[List of cities in Pennsylvania|cities]], [[List of towns and boroughs in Pennsylvania|boroughs]], [[List of townships in Pennsylvania|townships]], and one [[List of towns and boroughs in Pennsylvania#Towns|town]]. The following cities, boroughs and townships are located in Lackawanna County:

===Cities===
*[[Carbondale, Pennsylvania|Carbondale]]
*[[Scranton, Pennsylvania|Scranton]] (county seat)

===Boroughs===
{{div col|colwidth=18em}}
*[[Archbald, Pennsylvania|Archbald]]
*[[Blakely, Pennsylvania|Blakely]]
*[[Clarks Green, Pennsylvania|Clarks Green]]
*[[Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania|Clarks Summit]]
*[[Dalton, Pennsylvania|Dalton]]
*[[Dickson City, Pennsylvania|Dickson City]]
*[[Dunmore, Pennsylvania|Dunmore]]
*[[Jermyn, Pennsylvania|Jermyn]]
*[[Jessup, Pennsylvania|Jessup]]
*[[Mayfield, Pennsylvania|Mayfield]]
*[[Moosic, Pennsylvania|Moosic]]
*[[Moscow, Pennsylvania|Moscow]]
*[[Old Forge, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania|Old Forge]]
*[[Olyphant, Pennsylvania|Olyphant]]
*[[Taylor, Pennsylvania|Taylor]]
*[[Throop, Pennsylvania|Throop]]
*[[Vandling, Pennsylvania|Vandling]]
{{div col end}}

===Townships===
{{div col|colwidth=12em}}
*[[Benton Township, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania|Benton]]
*[[Carbondale Township, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania|Carbondale]]
*[[Clifton Township, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania|Clifton]]
*[[Covington Township, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania|Covington]]
*[[Elmhurst Township, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania|Elmhurst]]
*[[Fell Township, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania|Fell]]
*[[Glenburn Township, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania|Glenburn]]
*[[Greenfield Township, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania|Greenfield]]
*[[Jefferson Township, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania|Jefferson]]
*[[La Plume Township, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania|La Plume]]
*[[Madison Township, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania|Madison]]
*[[Newton Township, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania|Newton]]
*[[North Abington Township, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania|North Abington]]
*[[Ransom Township, Pennsylvania|Ransom]]
*[[Roaring Brook Township, Pennsylvania|Roaring Brook]]
*[[Scott Township, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania|Scott]]
*[[South Abington Township, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania|South Abington]]
*[[Spring Brook Township, Pennsylvania|Spring Brook]]
*[[Thornhurst Township, Pennsylvania|Thornhurst]]
*[[Waverly Township, Pennsylvania|Waverly]]
*[[West Abington Township, Pennsylvania|West Abington]]
{{div col end}}

===Census-designated places===
* [[Big Bass Lake, Pennsylvania|Big Bass Lake]] (partially in [[Wayne County, Pennsylvania|Wayne County]])
* [[Chinchilla, Pennsylvania|Chinchilla]]
* [[Eagle Lake, Pennsylvania|Eagle Lake]]
* [[Glenburn, Pennsylvania|Glenburn]]
* [[Mount Cobb, Pennsylvania|Mount Cobb]]
* [[Simpson, Pennsylvania|Simpson]]
* [[Waverly, Pennsylvania|Waverly]]

===Unincorporated communities===
* [[Daleville, Pennsylvania|Daleville]]
* [[Milwaukee, Pennsylvania|Milwaukee]]
* [[Winton, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania|Winton]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://geonames.usgs.gov/apex/f?p=136:2:0::NO:RP::|title=GNIS Account Login|website=geonames.usgs.gov|access-date=December 16, 2014|archive-date=January 24, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160124034208/http://geonames.usgs.gov/apex/f?p=136:2:0::NO:RP::|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Population ranking===
The population ranking of the following table is based on the [[2010 United States census|2010 census]] of Lackawanna County.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade.2010.html |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |title=2010 U.S. Census website |access-date=February 10, 2013 }}</ref>

'''†''' ''county seat''

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Rank
!City/Town/etc.
!Municipal type
!Population (2010 Census)

|- style="background:#fffacd;"
| 1
| '''†''' '''[[Scranton, Pennsylvania|Scranton]]'''
| City
| 76,089
|- style="background:seaShell;"
| 2
| '''[[Dunmore, Pennsylvania|Dunmore]]'''
| Borough
| 14,057
|- style="background:#fffacd;"
| 3
| '''[[Carbondale, Pennsylvania|Carbondale]]'''
| City
| 8,891
|- style="background:seaShell;"
| 4
| '''[[Old Forge, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania|Old Forge]]'''
| Borough
| 8,313
|- style="background:seaShell;"
| 5
| '''[[Archbald, Pennsylvania|Archbald]]'''
| Borough
| 6,984
|- style="background:seaShell;"
| 6
| '''[[Blakely, Pennsylvania|Blakely]]'''
| Borough
| 6,564
|- style="background:seaShell;"
| 7
| '''[[Taylor, Pennsylvania|Taylor]]'''
| Borough
| 6,263
|- style="background:seaShell;"
| 8
| '''[[Dickson City, Pennsylvania|Dickson City]]'''
| Borough
| 6,070
|- style="background:seaShell;"
| 9
| '''[[Moosic, Pennsylvania|Moosic]]'''
| Borough
| 5,719
|- style="background:seaShell;"
| 10
| '''[[Olyphant, Pennsylvania|Olyphant]]'''
| Borough
| 5,151
|- style="background:seaShell;"
| 11
| '''[[Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania|Clarks Summit]]'''
| Borough
| 5,116
|- style="background:seaShell;"
| 12
| '''[[Jessup, Pennsylvania|Jessup]]'''
| Borough
| 4,676
|- style="background:seaShell;"
| 13
| '''[[Throop, Pennsylvania|Throop]]'''
| Borough
| 4,088
|- style="background:seaShell;"
| 14
| '''[[Jermyn, Pennsylvania|Jermyn]]'''
| Borough
| 2,169
|- style="background:honeyDew;"
| 15
| '''[[Chinchilla, Pennsylvania|Chinchilla]]'''
| CDP
| 2,098
|- style="background:seaShell;"
| 16
| '''[[Moscow, Pennsylvania|Moscow]]'''
| Borough
| 2,026
|- style="background:seaShell;"
| 17
| '''[[Mayfield, Pennsylvania|Mayfield]]'''
| Borough
| 1,807
|- style="background:honeyDew;"
| 18
| '''[[Mount Cobb, Pennsylvania|Mount Cobb]]'''
| CDP
| 1,799
|- style="background:seaShell;"
| 19
| '''[[Clarks Green, Pennsylvania|Clarks Green]]'''
| Borough
| 1,476
|- style="background:honeyDew;"
| 20
| '''[[Simpson, Pennsylvania|Simpson]]'''
| CDP
| 1,275
|- style="background:honeyDew;"
| 21
| '''[[Big Bass Lake, Pennsylvania|Big Bass Lake]]''' (''partially in [[Wayne County, Pennsylvania|Wayne County]]'')
| CDP
| 1,270
|- style="background:seaShell;"
| 22
| '''[[Dalton, Pennsylvania|Dalton]]'''
| Borough
| 1,234
|- style="background:honeyDew;"
| 23
| '''[[Glenburn, Pennsylvania|Glenburn]]'''
| CDP
| 953
|- style="background:seaShell;"
| 24
| '''[[Vandling, Pennsylvania|Vandling]]'''
| Borough
| 751
|- style="background:honeyDew;"
| 25
| '''[[Waverly, Pennsylvania|Waverly]]'''
| CDP
| 604
|- style="background:honeyDew;"
| 26
| '''[[Eagle Lake, Pennsylvania|Eagle Lake]]'''
| CDP
| 12
|}

==See also==
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania]]

==References==
{{Notelist}}{{Reflist|30em}}

==Further reading==
* Aileen Sallom Freeman and Jack McDonough, ''Lackawanna County: An Illustrated History''. Montgomery, AL: Community Communications, 2000.
* Thomas F. Murphy, ''Jubilee History: Commemorative of the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Creation of Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania: Story of Interesting Events from Indian Occupancy of Valley, Connecticut Settlement, Organization of Luzerne County, Start of Anthracite Industry, and Forty Years Effort to Establish Lackawanna County'' Topeka, KS: Historical Publishing Co., 1928.
* [https://archive.org/details/portraitbiograph00newy ''Portrait and Biographical Record of Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania.''] New York: Chapman Publishing Co., 1897.

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
{{Wikivoyage|Coal Region}}
*[http://www.lackawannacounty.org Official website]

{{Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania}}
{{Scranton, Pennsylvania}}
{{Wyoming Valley}}
{{Pennsylvania}}
{{authority control}}

{{coord|41.44|-75.61|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-PA_source:UScensus1990}}

[[Category:Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania| ]]
[[Category:1878 establishments in Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Anthracite Coal Region of Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Northeastern Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Pocono Mountains]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1878]]
[[Category:Scranton, Pennsylvania]]