Archbald, PA — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

Lackawanna County · Scranton–Wilkes-Barre · population 7,508

First-time buyersInvestorsSmall-town feel
View watchlist →
81
Hot
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Archbald stands

At or near all-time high. home values up 9.2% in the last year. averaging 9.5% annual growth over 5 years.

Median home $251,838
1-year +9.2%
5-yr CAGR +9.5%
vs 5-yr peak -0.4%
Population +0.7%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2026-03$252k$109k$161k$212k$263k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
25/100
Very car-dependent
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
10/100
Transit limited
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
64/100
Workable for remote workers
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
89 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
86 · w22%
Distance from peak
88 · w18%
Population growth
59 · w16%
Home 10-yr CAGR
79 · w10%
Long thesis

Archbald has averaged 9.5% annual appreciation over five years and the trend is still live (+9.2% in the last 12 months). When a momentum trade keeps working, the simplest explanation is usually correct: more people want in.

Short thesis

Archbald's bear case is the boring one: the cycle is real and any market that's run hard can stall. Watch for slowing population growth, rising days-on-market, or builder discounts as the early warning signals.

About Archbald

Archbald is a city in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, with an estimated population of 7,508. It anchors the Scranton–Wilkes-Barre metro area. The population grew 0.7% annually from 2020 to 2024, a moderate gain. The median home value in Archbald is $251,838 as of 2026-04, up 9.2% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +9.5% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. The composite momentum score is 81 of 100 (Hot). Buyers should expect competition and limited negotiation room in this market.

Bull case

Multi-year compounder: home values up an average 9.5% per year over the last 5 years — sustained, not a one-year pop.
Trend still working: prices up 9.2% in the last 12 months — buyers are still chasing inventory.
Held the highs: currently -0.4% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.

Bear case

Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

Playbook

Buyer

Expect competition, escalation clauses, and pressure to waive inspections. Make your strongest offer up front — Hot markets reward decisiveness, not negotiation. If you can't write a clean offer, you may not be the best fit for this market right now.

Seller

Price slightly above recent comps and let multiple offers work. Days-on-market should be short. Don't accept the first offer in the first 48 hours unless it's significantly above ask.

Investor

Cap rates will look ugly in a Hot market — your thesis has to be appreciation, not yield. Don't expect cash flow; expect to ride the trend and exit before it stalls.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Lackawanna County right now.

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Lackawanna County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Cities like Archbald

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
36° / 21°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
83° / 63°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
186
~51% of year
Annual precip
42″ rain
30″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
Low
Tornado
Low
Wildfire
Very low
Earthquake
Very low
Flood
Moderate

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Archbald listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Scranton–Wilkes-Barre area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
71%
Humid climate
Median household income
$73,800
Pennsylvania state median
Top industries (state-level)
Healthcare (Pittsburgh)Finance (Philly)Manufacturing

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

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