States › Pennsylvania › Carbondale

Is Carbondale, PA expensive to live in?

ExpensiveRent takes 30 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$1,29126% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$51,462about $4,289/month · 41% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$132,20060% lower than U.S. average

Rent is lower than in 70% of U.S. cities. A typical house costs under 3 years of household income, which is easy by U.S. standards. Commutes are short, about 19.4 minutes.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $51,640 a year. That is $25 an hour at a full-time job.

Is rent cheaper than other Pennsylvania cities?

Yes. Rent here is cheaper than in most of Pennsylvania. It is number 119 of 269 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Carbondale
$1,291
Kulpsville
$2,149
Northwest Harborcreek
$1,066
Fairless Hills
$1,507
Beaver Falls
$893
Collingdale
$1,289
Folsom
$1,699

How much do households earn in Carbondale?

Under $25k
31.3%
$25k–50k
18.0%
$50k–100k
31.1%
$100k–150k
10.7%
$150k+
2.3%

Share of households by yearly income. 13.0% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Carbondale

SizeCarbondaleU.S. average
1 bedroom$516$1,324
2 bedrooms$938$1,509
3 bedrooms$1,058$1,698

Median monthly rent plus utilities for all renters, by number of bedrooms.

How expensive is Carbondale overall?

Everyday prices in Pennsylvania overall are 2% below the U.S. average (index 97.6, U.S. = 100).

Housing
85
Goods (food, clothes…)
99
Utilities
109
Other services
100
U.S. average
100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities 2024. City-level data is not published for Carbondale, so the Pennsylvania figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Carbondale

🏛️ Property tax$2,293a year · 1.73% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$115a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Carbondale

Commute to work19.4 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree19%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home51.2%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line26.4%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment8.4%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Carbondale?

Buying is cheaper month to month: about $374 a month less than renting.

Renting
$1,291
Owning
$917

Owning assumes a typical $132,200 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $13,220 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Carbondale, PA?

Renting in Carbondale costs a median of about $1,291 a month in 2026, including utilities. The Pennsylvania median is $1,367.

How much do I need to make to live in Carbondale?

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $51,640 a year, or $25 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Carbondale cheap or expensive?

Carbondale is rated Expensive: rent takes 30.1% of the typical household income of $51,462. It ranks 119th cheapest of 269 Pennsylvania cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Carbondale?

The median homeowner in Carbondale pays $2,293 a year in property taxes, about 1.73% of the median home value.

Is Carbondale more expensive than the national average?

Overall prices in Pennsylvania are 2% below the U.S. average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

How much does a house cost in Carbondale?

The median home value in Carbondale is $132,200, about 2.6 times the typical yearly household income.

8,789 people live in Carbondale. Numbers are typical (middle) values.