Susquehanna County

Susquehanna County is located in northeastern Pennsylvania along the New York border, within the state’s Northern Tier region. Established in 1810 and named for the Susquehanna River, the county developed around early agricultural settlement and later timbering, with longstanding ties to nearby markets in New York and the Wyoming Valley. It is small in population—about 38,000 residents—characterized by a predominantly rural settlement pattern and low-density boroughs and townships. The landscape consists of rolling uplands, wooded ridges, and river valleys, supporting farming, forestry, and outdoor recreation. In recent decades, natural gas development in the Marcellus Shale has also influenced parts of the local economy. Communities retain a strong small-town character reflected in local fairs, historic districts, and civic organizations. The county seat is Montrose, a central borough that serves as the administrative and judicial hub.

Susquehanna County is a rural county in northeastern Pennsylvania, part of the state’s Northern Tier along the New York border. The county seat is Montrose, and county-level government information is available via the Susquehanna County official website.

Population Size

According to the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts for Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, the county’s population was 40,589 (2020) and 40,133 (July 1, 2023 estimate).

Age & Gender

According to the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts (most recent profile measures shown on the page):

• Age distribution

  • Under 5 years: 4.4%
  • Under 18 years: 19.4%
  • Age 65+ years: 23.5%

• Gender

  • Female persons: 49.5%
  • Male persons: 50.5% (calculated as the remainder to 100%)

Racial & Ethnic Composition

According to the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts (population characteristics):

• White alone: 96.0%
• Black or African American alone: 0.7%
• American Indian and Alaska Native alone: 0.3%
• Asian alone: 0.5%
• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone: 0.0%
• Two or more races: 2.5%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): 1.8%

Household & Housing Data

According to the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts (housing and households):

• Housing units: 20,850
• Owner-occupied housing unit rate: 81.1%
• Median value of owner-occupied housing units: $177,100
• Median selected monthly owner costs (with a mortgage): $1,349
• Median selected monthly owner costs (without a mortgage): $556
• Median gross rent: $869
• Households: County-level “households” counts are provided through Census profile tables; QuickFacts reports household-related rates and housing measures on the county page referenced above.

Susquehanna County’s rural geography and low population density in northeastern Pennsylvania can limit last‑mile infrastructure, making fixed broadband availability and reliability uneven; this influences how consistently residents can access email and other cloud services. Direct county-level email usage rates are not typically published, so broadband subscription, device access, and demographics are used as proxies.

Digital access indicators from the U.S. Census Bureau (data.census.gov) provide county estimates for household broadband subscriptions and computer ownership, which track the practical ability to use email at home. Age structure from the same source is relevant because older populations generally show lower adoption of some digital services, including email, compared with prime working-age groups; Susquehanna County’s age distribution therefore shapes likely email uptake through workforce participation and digital familiarity. Gender shares are available via the Census but are not strongly predictive of email use relative to age and access factors.

Connectivity constraints are reflected in federal broadband-availability mapping and local planning materials, including the FCC National Broadband Map and county information published by Susquehanna County government.

Susquehanna County is a largely rural county in northeastern Pennsylvania along the New York border. Its settlement pattern is characterized by small boroughs and dispersed housing across hilly Appalachian terrain, conditions that tend to reduce cell-site density, increase the likelihood of coverage gaps in valleys, and make last‑mile broadband (and therefore Wi‑Fi offload) less uniform than in metropolitan counties. Official county statistics on “mobile penetration” are limited, so the most reliable indicators come from (1) federal household survey measures of subscription/adoption and (2) federal coverage maps describing network availability.

County context affecting mobile connectivity

• Rural land use and low population density increase the cost per covered resident for macro cell deployments and backhaul.
• Topography (ridgelines/valleys) can create localized signal shadowing, making “availability” at the map level diverge from on-the-ground experience.
• Housing dispersion leads to more travel-based connectivity needs (on roads) but fewer dense clusters where small-cell densification is economical.

Authoritative geographic and demographic profiles are available from Census.gov data tables and profiles (county-level population, housing, commuting patterns), which are commonly used to contextualize telecom adoption and infrastructure planning.

Network availability (where service is advertised as available)

Network availability describes where providers report they can deliver service, not whether residents subscribe.

FCC mobile broadband coverage reporting (4G/5G)

• The primary public source for mobile coverage in the U.S. is the FCC’s Broadband Data Collection (BDC) mobile availability data, presented through the FCC National Broadband Map.
• The FCC map provides county views of:
  • 4G LTE availability (reported by providers) and
  • 5G availability (reported by providers), typically separated into technology layers and provider selections.
• Limitations at county scale: FCC BDC mobile layers are based on provider-reported coverage polygons and can overstate practical usability indoors, in terrain-shadowed areas, or where capacity is constrained. The FCC documents the BDC program and methodology through FCC broadband mapping materials linked from the map interface (method notes and data downloads are accessible within the FCC mapping site).

Pennsylvania state broadband mapping and planning

• Pennsylvania broadband planning materials and maps are commonly published through the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) broadband resources. These resources focus primarily on fixed broadband but are relevant because fixed availability affects how much mobile traffic is offloaded to Wi‑Fi and can influence household reliance on cellular data.

Household adoption and “access” indicators (actual subscriptions)

Adoption describes whether households subscribe to services (mobile and/or fixed), which can diverge from availability.

Household cellular subscription indicators (ACS)

• The most consistently available county-level indicator related to mobile access is the American Community Survey (ACS) measure of whether a household has a cellular data plan. This appears in ACS “Computer and Internet Use” tables (e.g., tables in the B280xx series).
• County-level adoption estimates and margins of error can be retrieved via Census.gov by searching Susquehanna County, PA and filtering for “Computer and Internet Use.”
• Interpretation note (not speculation): The ACS “cellular data plan” metric reflects household access to a plan, not signal quality, speeds, or whether the plan is the primary internet connection.

Related adoption measures that shape mobile reliance

From the same ACS table family (county-level where sample size supports reporting):

• Share of households with any internet subscription
• Share with fixed broadband subscription (cable, fiber, DSL, etc.)
• Share with smartphone, computer, or other device availability in the home (availability varies by table/year and is reported with survey sampling error)

These measures help distinguish whether mobile service is supplementary (common where fixed broadband is widespread) or substitutive (more common where fixed broadband options are limited).

Mobile internet usage patterns (4G vs 5G, and typical usage dynamics)

County-specific, directly measured “usage patterns” (traffic volumes, time on 5G vs LTE, latency distributions) are generally not published at the county level by government sources. The following describes what can be stated using public availability data and standard definitions:

4G LTE

• 4G LTE is generally the baseline mobile broadband layer across rural Pennsylvania, and the FCC map indicates where providers report LTE service in Susquehanna County. Verification of specific served/unserved pockets requires the FCC map at fine zoom and/or third-party drive-test data, which is not typically published as an official county dataset.

5G (availability vs practical experience)

• 5G availability in rural counties often appears as:
  • broader-area low-band 5G layers (longer range, modest speed gains over LTE), and/or
  • limited mid-band deployments concentrated near towns or along key corridors (higher performance but shorter range).
• The FCC map can be used to view provider-reported 5G coverage in the county, but it does not directly report indoor performance, congestion, or whether 5G is consistently available throughout the day.

Common device types (smartphones vs other devices)

County-level device-type reporting is limited, but the most relevant public indicators are:

• Smartphones: The ACS “Computer and Internet Use” products include measures that capture smartphone access/usage concepts in the household technology module (table availability and exact phrasing vary by ACS release). These can be extracted for Susquehanna County from Census.gov.
• Non-smartphone devices: ACS tables also provide indicators related to desktop/laptop ownership and other device categories used for internet access. These measures are useful for distinguishing smartphone-only households from those with multiple device types.
• Operational limitation: Government sources do not typically publish county-level splits for feature phones vs smartphones from carrier records. As a result, device-type characterization for Susquehanna County is best represented through ACS household technology indicators, reported with margins of error.

Demographic and geographic factors influencing mobile usage (county-relevant, source-based)

Several factors measurable via public datasets influence mobile adoption and reliance patterns in Susquehanna County:

• Income and affordability: Household income distribution and poverty measures from Census.gov correlate with subscription choices (mobile-only vs fixed-plus-mobile), plan size, and device replacement cycles. County-level causal estimates are not published; only associations can be evaluated using the published survey measures.
• Age distribution: Older age profiles are commonly associated with lower rates of smartphone-centric use and lower rates of adopting new generations (such as 5G-capable devices) in survey-based measures. County age structure is available from Census profiles.
• Commuting and travel corridors: In rural counties, daily travel patterns can increase dependence on continuous roadway coverage. Commuting measures are available from the ACS; direct roadway coverage quality is not published as an official county metric, but provider-reported availability can be inspected along corridors in the FCC National Broadband Map.
• Terrain and land cover: Hilly terrain and forested areas can degrade signal propagation and increase the need for additional sites or alternative placements. This factor explains why mapped availability may not translate into uniform on-the-ground performance.

Clear distinction: availability vs adoption (summary)

• Network availability (supply-side): Best measured via provider-reported LTE/5G coverage in the FCC National Broadband Map. This indicates where service is advertised as available but does not confirm subscription, indoor usability, or consistent performance.
• Household adoption (demand-side): Best measured via ACS household subscription and device indicators accessed through Census.gov. This indicates whether households report having cellular data plans and internet subscriptions but does not measure signal strength, speeds, or daily network conditions.

Data limitations specific to Susquehanna County

• No widely used public dataset provides a definitive county-level “mobile penetration rate” based on carrier subscriber counts.
• County-level, technology-specific usage (share of traffic on LTE vs 5G, median mobile speeds, congestion) is not published as an official government statistic; FCC availability is not the same as measured performance.
• ACS technology and subscription estimates for a rural county can carry notable margins of error; interpretation should use the published ACS margins of error available on Census.gov.

For county administrative context and local planning references, the Susquehanna County government website provides general county information, though it typically does not publish mobile-specific connectivity metrics.

Susquehanna County is a rural county in Northeastern Pennsylvania along the New York border, anchored by Montrose (county seat) and smaller boroughs such as Susquehanna Depot and Hallstead. Its low population density, older age profile relative to Pennsylvania overall, and long commutes tied to regional employment centers tend to align with heavier reliance on Facebook for local information exchange, community groups, and marketplace activity, with comparatively lower adoption of newer, video-first platforms than in urban counties.

User statistics (penetration / active use)

• Local, county-specific “social media penetration” figures are not published in a consistent, authoritative way (most major surveys report state or national estimates rather than county estimates).
• National benchmarks that are commonly used to contextualize rural counties:
  • 69% of U.S. adults use at least one social media site (Pew Research Center, 2023). Source: Pew Research Center: Social Media Use in 2023.
  • Rural adults are generally less likely than urban/suburban adults to use several major platforms, with Facebook remaining the most widely used across community types (Pew). Source: Pew platform-by-community patterns.
• Broadband access influences “active” usage intensity in rural areas; Pennsylvania’s rural counties frequently face lower coverage and speeds than metro areas, shaping a tilt toward lower-bandwidth uses (text, photos, local groups) over constant short‑form video. Source: FCC National Broadband Map.

Age group trends

National patterns (typically used to infer local age-usage differences in rural counties):

• 18–29: highest multi-platform adoption and highest use of Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube.
• 30–49: high overall adoption; Facebook and YouTube remain dominant, with substantial Instagram use.
• 50–64: majority use social media, with stronger concentration on Facebook and YouTube than newer platforms.
• 65+: lowest adoption, but Facebook and YouTube remain the primary platforms among users.
  Source: Pew Research Center age-by-platform tables (2023).

Gender breakdown

National patterns (by platform; overall differences are modest, but platform skews are consistent):

• Women are more likely than men to use Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest.
• Men are more likely than women to use YouTube; usage of X (Twitter) is often closer but varies by year.
• TikTok is used by both genders at similar levels in many surveys, with slight differences by dataset and year.
  Source: Pew Research Center social platform demographics (2023).

Most-used platforms (with percentages from reputable surveys)

Because county-level platform shares are rarely available, the most reliable percentages are national adult usage rates (Pew, 2023):

• YouTube: 83%
• Facebook: 68%
• Instagram: 47%
• Pinterest: 35%
• TikTok: 33%
• LinkedIn: 30%
• WhatsApp: 23%
• Snapchat: 27%
• X (Twitter): 22%
  Source: Pew Research Center: Social Media Use in 2023.

Interpretation commonly applied to rural counties such as Susquehanna:

• Facebook and YouTube are typically the most pervasive platforms across age groups.
• Instagram/TikTok/Snapchat concentration is highest among younger residents, and adoption tends to drop more sharply with age than Facebook/YouTube.

Behavioral trends (engagement patterns and preferences)

• Community information utility: Rural counties show heavier use of Facebook Groups, local pages, and Marketplace-style exchanges for announcements, events, services, and peer recommendations; this aligns with Facebook’s broad age reach and local-network effects documented in national surveys. Source: Pew findings on Facebook’s broad adoption.
• Video consumption: YouTube’s high penetration makes it the primary long-form video destination; short-form video (TikTok, Instagram Reels) is more age-concentrated. Source: Pew platform usage levels.
• News and civic content: Social platforms play a significant role in news exposure nationally, with usage patterns varying by platform; Facebook and YouTube frequently appear among major pathways for incidental news consumption. Source: Pew Research Center Journalism & Media research.
• Engagement style: Older users tend to exhibit more passive consumption (reading, viewing, sharing) relative to younger users’ higher rates of posting and short-form video interaction, consistent with age-based participation patterns reported across major surveys. Source: Pew age-group participation patterns by platform.

Susquehanna County government maintains limited “family record” vital-event documentation at the county level. Pennsylvania birth and death certificates are state vital records held by the Pennsylvania Department of Health; county offices generally do not issue certified birth/death records. Marriage records are maintained locally through the Susquehanna County Register & Recorder (marriage license applications and returns), and can be accessed in person and through county-provided information links on the Susquehanna County Register & Recorder page. Divorce decrees and many family-related court filings are maintained by the Court of Common Pleas; docket access and court contacts are listed via the Susquehanna County Courts page.

Adoption records are court-controlled and typically not available as public records; access is restricted under Pennsylvania law and court rules. Protection From Abuse (PFA) matters and many minor-related filings also have access limitations.

Public database availability is limited at the county level; online access commonly consists of office contact information, procedural guidance, and, for courts, statewide docket access through Pennsylvania’s Unified Judicial System rather than a county-hosted search portal. In-person access is generally provided during business hours through the relevant county office or courthouse, subject to identification requirements, fees, and statutory confidentiality rules.

Types of records available

Marriage records

• Marriage licenses and returns: Issued by the Susquehanna County Register of Wills/Clerk of the Orphans’ Court, with a completed “return” recorded after the ceremony.
• Marriage applications: Maintained as part of the license file and commonly retained with supporting identification details.
• Certified marriage record copies: Provided from the county license docket/file (often referred to as “marriage records” at the county level).

Divorce records

• Divorce decrees: Final orders dissolving a marriage, issued and docketed by the Susquehanna County Court of Common Pleas (Prothonotary/Civil Division).
• Divorce case files: The underlying pleadings and related filings (complaint, affidavits, notices, settlement agreements or masters’ reports where applicable), maintained as the official civil case record.

Annulment records

• Annulment decrees/orders: Court orders declaring a marriage null/void or voidable, handled as a family law matter in the Court of Common Pleas and maintained in the civil case docket/files.

Where records are filed and how they can be accessed

Marriage (licenses and related filings)

• Filed/maintained by: Susquehanna County Register of Wills / Clerk of the Orphans’ Court (marriage license office).
• Access methods:
  • In-person requests for certified or plain copies (availability depends on office policy and record condition).
  • Mail requests are commonly accepted by Pennsylvania counties for certified copies, subject to identification and fees set by the county.
  • On-site public terminals/indexes may be available for searching older dockets or indexes, depending on local practice.

Divorce and annulment (court orders and case files)

• Filed/maintained by: Susquehanna County Court of Common Pleas, typically through the Prothonotary (civil records custodian).
• Access methods:
  • Docket access and file review are handled through the Prothonotary’s office, subject to public access rules and any case-specific restrictions.
  • Certified copies of decrees/orders are obtained from the Prothonotary upon request and payment of statutory/county fees.

State-level alternatives and verification

• Pennsylvania is a county-record state for marriage licenses and court divorces; counties are the primary custodians. Some events may also be reflected in statewide statistical systems, but the authoritative legal records for marriage licensing and divorce/annulment judgments remain with the county offices and courts.

Typical information included in these records

Marriage license file/record

Commonly includes:

• Full names of applicants (including prior/maiden names where reported)
• Date and place of birth/age at time of application
• Current residence addresses and county/state of residence
• Parents’ names (often including mother’s maiden name), as provided by applicants
• Marital status (single/divorced/widowed) and number of prior marriages where requested
• Date of application/issuance; license number
• Officiant name and title; date and place of ceremony
• Signatures/attestations and the recorded “return” confirming the marriage was solemnized

Divorce decree and docket

Commonly includes:

• Case caption (names of parties)
• Docket/case number
• Date of filing and key procedural dates
• Grounds/statutory basis reference (often reflected in filings more than the decree itself)
• Date the divorce was granted and the nature of the final order (decree in divorce)
• Related orders may appear in the docket (e.g., name change, costs), depending on the case

Divorce/annulment case file (supporting documents)

May include:

• Complaint and affidavits required by Pennsylvania procedure
• Proof of service and notices
• Property settlement agreement (often filed in the case record)
• Master’s report or hearing documentation in contested matters
• Orders addressing ancillary issues when formally docketed (though many support, custody, and protection-from-abuse matters are maintained under separate case types and may not be part of the divorce file)

Annulment orders

Commonly includes:

• Parties’ names and case number
• Findings/order declaring the marriage void/voidable and the date of the order
• Any related relief granted by the court as reflected in the order and docket entries

Privacy and legal restrictions

• Public access baseline: Pennsylvania courts and county offices generally treat many marriage and civil court records as public, but access is subject to court rules, statutory limits, and case-specific sealing.
• Sealed/restricted filings: Records or portions of records can be sealed by court order. Certain sensitive information may be redacted or restricted (for example, Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, and certain personal identifiers).
• Domestic relations confidentiality: Some family-law-related records (notably custody, support, and protection-from-abuse case files) can involve heightened confidentiality rules or separate record systems and may not be fully accessible as general civil records.
• Certified copy eligibility: County offices commonly require proof of identity and may limit certified copies to the parties or individuals with a direct and tangible interest, consistent with office policy and applicable law.
• Record integrity and redaction requirements: Pennsylvania’s public access policies for the Unified Judicial System and general privacy practices require redaction of protected identifiers in filed documents; older files may contain unredacted data and may be handled under restricted inspection practices established by the custodian office.

Susquehanna County is a rural county in Northeastern Pennsylvania along the New York border, part of the Scranton–Wilkes-Barre region’s broader labor and service area. The population is older than the U.S. average and communities are primarily small boroughs and townships with low-density residential development, agricultural land, and forested tracts. Day-to-day life is shaped by school-district-centered communities, out-of-county commuting to larger job hubs, and a housing stock dominated by detached single-family homes.

Education Indicators

Public schools (district structure and school names)

Susquehanna County is served primarily by multiple public school districts rather than a single countywide system. Districts serving the county include:

• Blue Ridge School District
• Elk Lake School District
• Forest City Regional School District (regional district serving parts of Susquehanna and neighboring counties)
• Mountain View School District
• Susquehanna Community School District
• Montrose Area School District (serving parts of the county)

A consolidated, authoritative list of every public school building name within the county varies by year due to building configurations and grade-center organization. The most reliable building-level directory is the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s public school listings and enrollment files (district and school entities), accessible through the Pennsylvania Department of Education data and reporting portal.

Student–teacher ratios and graduation rates

• Student–teacher ratios: Countywide ratios are not consistently published as a single figure; district-level ratios in rural Northeastern Pennsylvania commonly fall near the low-to-mid teens students per teacher (a reasonable proxy consistent with rural district scale and Pennsylvania norms). For the most current district-specific ratios, the primary source is PDE’s school-level staffing and enrollment datasets via the PDE data portal.
• Graduation rates: Pennsylvania reports high school graduation rates at the district and school level using cohort methods. Susquehanna County districts typically align with Pennsylvania’s generally high graduation outcomes for rural districts, but a single countywide graduation rate is not published as a standard statewide measure. District-by-district graduation rates are available through the PDE graduation and completer reporting resources.

Adult educational attainment

Adult educational attainment is best summarized using the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) for Susquehanna County:

• High school diploma (or equivalent), age 25+: commonly reported at around nine in ten adults (county estimates fluctuate by ACS release year and margin of error).
• Bachelor’s degree or higher, age 25+: typically reported in the high teens to low 20% range, below Pennsylvania and U.S. averages (reflecting the county’s rural labor market and age structure).

The most current published values can be retrieved directly from the county profile tables in data.census.gov (ACS “Educational Attainment” tables for Susquehanna County, PA).

Notable programs (STEM, vocational training, Advanced Placement)

• Career and technical education (CTE): Students commonly access CTE through district partnerships and regional career/technical centers serving Northeastern Pennsylvania (a standard arrangement for rural counties). Program offerings typically include skilled trades, health-related pathways, and technical programs aligned with regional employers.
• Advanced Placement (AP) / dual enrollment: AP and dual-enrollment access is generally offered at the high school level in Pennsylvania, with course availability varying by district size and staffing. Verification of AP/dual-enrollment course catalogs is most reliable through each district’s published course guides and PDE program reporting.
• STEM and experiential learning: Rural districts in the region commonly support STEM through project-based coursework, agricultural education, and participation in statewide initiatives. Program specifics vary by district.

Because program availability is district-specific and changes over time, the most defensible summary is at the district level using official course catalogs and PDE reporting rather than a single countywide program list.

School safety measures and counseling resources

Across Pennsylvania public schools, safety and student-support structures generally include:

• Required safety planning and emergency operations procedures (aligned with state guidance and local coordination).
• Student assistance and mental/behavioral health supports, commonly including school counselors and Student Assistance Programs (SAP), with referral pathways to community providers.

State-level guidance and frameworks are maintained by the Pennsylvania Department of Education Safe Schools resources and Pennsylvania’s SAP information resources (district implementation details vary by school).

Employment and Economic Conditions

Unemployment rate (most recent year available)

County unemployment is published monthly and annually by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS). The most current official series for Susquehanna County is available via the BLS LAUS program and Pennsylvania’s labor market dashboards. (A single numeric value is not embedded here because the most recent year changes continuously; LAUS is the authoritative source for the latest annual average and recent monthly readings.)

Major industries and employment sectors

Susquehanna County’s employment base reflects rural Northeastern Pennsylvania patterns:

• Education and health services (schools, health care, elder care)
• Retail trade and local services
• Manufacturing (small-to-mid-scale facilities typical of the region)
• Construction and skilled trades
• Public administration
• Transportation and warehousing (regional logistics roles)
• Agriculture/forestry and related land-based work (smaller share but locally visible)

Sector composition and employment counts are most consistently documented through ACS industry tables on data.census.gov and Pennsylvania’s labor market information products.

Common occupations and workforce breakdown

Occupational structure typically includes:

• Management, business, and financial operations (smaller share than metro areas)
• Education, training, and library; healthcare practitioners and support
• Sales and office occupations
• Production, transportation, and material moving
• Construction, installation, maintenance, and repair
• Protective service and public sector roles

The county’s occupational profile is available through ACS occupation tables on data.census.gov.

Commuting patterns and mean commute time

• Commuting pattern: A substantial share of residents commute out of their home municipality for work, with common destinations in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area and cross-border travel into New York’s Southern Tier for certain jobs.
• Mean travel time to work: Rural Northeastern Pennsylvania counties commonly exhibit mean one-way commute times in the mid-to-high 20-minute range (proxy), reflecting dispersed residences and limited large employment centers inside the county.

The most current county mean commute time and commute mode split (drive alone, carpool, work from home) are available from ACS “Commuting (Journey to Work)” tables on data.census.gov.

Local employment versus out-of-county work

No single “local vs out-of-county” percentage is standard across public datasets without using longitudinal employer-household dynamics (LEHD). A reliable proxy is ACS commuting flows and workplace location measures; a more direct measure uses the U.S. Census Bureau’s LEHD Origin-Destination Employment Statistics. The authoritative tools are the OnTheMap commuter flow application and LEHD datasets, which quantify in-county employment, inbound commuters, and outbound commuters.

Housing and Real Estate

Homeownership and rental share

Susquehanna County is predominantly owner-occupied, consistent with rural Pennsylvania:

• Homeownership rate: typically around four-fifths of occupied units (proxy consistent with similar rural counties; ACS provides the official estimate).
• Rental share: generally around one-fifth.

Official tenure rates (owner vs renter) are available through ACS housing tables on data.census.gov.

Median property values and recent trends

• Median home value: Generally below Pennsylvania statewide medians, reflecting rural land supply, a large share of older housing stock, and lower local wage levels than major metros.
• Trend: Values rose materially during 2020–2022 across Pennsylvania, followed by slower growth and increased variability tied to interest rates; Susquehanna County has generally tracked this pattern with a rural-market lag and fewer transactions.

The most defensible county median value series is ACS “Value” tables on data.census.gov. For transaction-based price trends, county-level market reports are typically produced by regional MLS organizations and state realtor associations (coverage varies and is not uniformly comparable year to year).

Typical rent prices

• Median gross rent: Typically lower than urban Pennsylvania markets; rents reflect a limited multifamily inventory and a larger share of single-family rentals and small apartment buildings.

The official median gross rent is available in ACS rent tables on data.census.gov.

Types of housing

• Detached single-family homes dominate the housing stock (including farmhouses and homes on larger lots).
• Manufactured homes are present in rural areas and along certain corridors.
• Small multifamily properties and apartments are concentrated in boroughs and village centers (e.g., near courthouses, main streets, and legacy mill town areas).
• Seasonal/recreational and rural-lot properties appear in more scenic and lake/forest-adjacent areas, with variability by township.

Neighborhood characteristics (proximity to schools/amenities)

• Borough centers (e.g., county-seat and small-town hubs) typically offer the shortest access to schools, municipal services, and basic retail.
• Townships and rural corridors often involve longer drive times to schools, healthcare, and grocery retail, with school bus transportation serving dispersed settlements.
• Amenity access is often oriented to school campuses, township buildings, small downtowns, and regional commercial clusters outside the county.

Property tax overview (average rate and typical homeowner cost)

Pennsylvania property taxes are levied primarily at the school district, county, and municipal levels, so effective tax rates vary significantly across locations within Susquehanna County.

• Average effective property tax rate: Rural Pennsylvania counties commonly cluster around ~1% to ~2% of market value as a broad proxy; the county’s true household experience depends heavily on school district millage and assessed values.
• Typical homeowner cost: The most reliable summary measure is the ACS estimate of median real estate taxes paid for owner-occupied homes, available on data.census.gov (county housing cost tables).

For jurisdiction-specific millage and billing structure, county and municipal documents provide the authoritative breakdown; assessment practices and millage differ by taxing body within the county.