1st Advantage MortgageMonroe County households have a median income of $83,565 and median rent of $1,393 a month (ACS 2020 to 2024). Your income, debts and credit decide what you qualify for. Get offers in writing, compare the total repaid, and never pay a fee up front.
On this page
- Monroe County at a glance
- Where Monroe County households live
- How Monroe County residents earn a living
- What stands out in Monroe County
- How much Monroe County households make
- Counties near Monroe County
- Monroe County communities by population
- Monroe County households compared
- Room for a loan payment in Monroe County
- Borrowing situations common in Monroe County
- Before you sign
- Pennsylvania rules that apply in Monroe County
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
Monroe County at a glance
Roughly 167,515 residents live in Monroe County, Pennsylvania, 20th by population among the state's 67 counties and county equivalents. Density: about 275.4 residents per square mile across 608 square miles of land. Metro status: none; Monroe County sits outside the 2023 OMB metro areas. East Stroudsburg is the biggest of its 16 Census places, at roughly 9,319 people (6% of the county total).
Where Monroe County households live
Renters in Monroe County pay a median of $1,393 a month, 15% above the Pennsylvania figure of $1,209. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 57% of renter households here. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $267,600, about 3.2 times the median household income. Owners occupy 80% of homes. Against the median U.S. county, Monroe County rent is 59% above.
| Housing | Monroe County | Pennsylvania statewide | Monroe County vs state |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,393/mo | $1,209/mo | 15% higher |
| Median home value | $267,600 | $254,500 | 5% higher |
| Owners | 80% | 69% | +10.9 pts |
| Rent-burdened renters | 57% | 48% | +8.8 pts |
| Burdened owners | 29% | 24% | +5.5 pts |
| Mobile homes | 3.4% | 3.5% | -0.1 pts |
| Vacant units | 23% | 9% | +14.0 pts |
At a $267,600 median value, many Monroe County owners hold equity. Using it lowers cost only if you can carry the risk (equity vs. unsecured). When half or more of renters are already stretched, a new payment needs a stress test: what happens if a paycheck is a week late?
How Monroe County residents earn a living
The biggest employer of Monroe County residents, by industry, is education and health care at 24% of workers, followed by retail trade (12%). The sharpest difference from the state is in arts, lodging and food service, at 10% locally and 7% for Pennsylvania. ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 6.9% in Monroe County. 30% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more each way, and 11% work from home. Only 5.5% of homes here go without a vehicle.
| Industry (employed residents 16+) | Monroe County | Gap to Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 24.0% | -2.7 pts |
| Retail trade | 12.3% | +1.3 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 10.6% | -0.7 pts |
| Manufacturing | 10.3% | -1.1 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 10.1% | +2.6 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 7.8% | +1.7 pts |
Industry shapes paperwork. Salaried and public jobs are easy to verify, while hourly, tipped, commission or contract earners in Monroe County should have bank statements and tax returns ready.
What stands out in Monroe County
Where Monroe County lands at the extremes of Pennsylvania's county rankings:
- Monroe County ranks 2nd highest of 67 Pennsylvania counties for the share of renters paying 30% or more of income for rent: 57%, against 48% statewide. Rent pressure leaves little room; stress-test any payment.
- Monroe County ranks 4th highest of 67 Pennsylvania counties for the share of commutes over 45 minutes: 30%, against 16% statewide. Long drives make car repairs a common emergency; get two written quotes.
- Monroe County ranks 5th highest of 67 Pennsylvania counties for the ACS unemployment rate: 6.9%, against 5.3% statewide. If work is uncertain, keep any loan small and the term short.
How much Monroe County households make
$83,565 is the median household income for Monroe County, set against $77,971 for Pennsylvania.
| Yearly household income | Monroe County | Gap to Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 20.3% | -1.7 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 38.3% | -0.8 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 31.4% | +4.4 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 10.0% | -1.9 pts |
The spread is wide: 41% of Monroe County households make $100,000 or more, and 20% make less than $35,000. Census counts 10.7% of Monroe County residents in poverty, against 11.7% across Pennsylvania. None of these numbers decides a Monroe County application. Lenders weigh your own documented income against your own debts.
Counties near Monroe County
Northampton County is closest, 21 miles from center to center; the sixth, Lehigh County, is 33 miles off. Richest neighbor: Warren County, $100,869. Poorest: Lackawanna County, $66,223. Monroe County: $83,565. The list crosses into New Jersey, where different lending rules and regulators apply.
| County | Distance | Median income | Median rent | Owners |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monroe County | - | $83,565 | $1,393/mo | 80% |
| Northampton County, PA | 21 mi | $89,184 | $1,395/mo | 71% |
| Warren County, NJ | 22 mi | $100,869 | $1,409/mo | 75% |
| Carbon County, PA | 22 mi | $67,554 | $994/mo | 76% |
| Pike County, PA | 24 mi | $81,323 | $1,378/mo | 87% |
| Lackawanna County, PA | 30 mi | $66,223 | $1,007/mo | 65% |
| Lehigh County, PA | 33 mi | $80,079 | $1,383/mo | 66% |
Monroe County communities by population
Here are the 14 most populous of the county's 16 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 31% of Monroe County residents live in one of the 16. Among places of 500 or more people, median income runs from $59,821 in East Stroudsburg to $121,563 in Brodheadsville. Rent is cheapest in Gouldsboro ($736) and steepest in Stroudsburg ($1,565). No Monroe County place has a separate guide yet; this county page serves all 16.
| Name | Kind | Pop. | Income | Rent | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Stroudsburg | borough | 9,319 | $59,821 | $1,479 | 9 mi |
| Arlington Heights | CDP | 6,847 | $70,779 | $1,320 | 7 mi |
| Sierra View | CDP | 6,365 | $84,315 | $1,250 | 7 mi |
| Stroudsburg | borough | 5,894 | $66,674 | $1,565 | 9 mi |
| Indian Mountain Lake | CDP | 3,889 | $71,547 | $1,361 | 10 mi |
| Penn Estates | CDP | 3,659 | $118,681 | n/a | 5 mi |
| Mount Pocono | borough | 3,072 | $79,375 | $891 | 5 mi |
| Emerald Lakes | CDP | 2,716 | $103,500 | $1,161 | 5 mi |
| Sun Valley | CDP | 2,529 | $78,500 | n/a | 9 mi |
| Brodheadsville | CDP | 1,774 | $121,563 | n/a | 10 mi |
| Effort | CDP | 1,743 | $110,909 | $1,147 | 10 mi |
| Pocono Pines | CDP | 953 | $114,643 | n/a | 8 mi |
| Mountainhome | CDP | 887 | $84,591 | n/a | 9 mi |
| Saylorsburg | CDP | 804 | $90,530 | n/a | 11 mi |
A CDP is a named community without its own municipal government.
Monroe County households compared
College graduates make up 27% of the adult population. The uninsured rate is 6.3%, against 5.6% for Pennsylvania.
| Indicator | Monroe County | +/- Pennsylvania | +/- U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.1 | +3.2 yrs | +2.6 yrs |
| Bachelor's or higher | 27.4% | -7.8 pts | +5.2 pts |
| No high school diploma | 9.6% | +1.7 pts | n/a |
| No health insurance | 6.3% | +0.7 pts | -1.5 pts |
| No vehicle | 5.5% | -4.9 pts | +0.1 pts |
| Work from home | 11.4% | -4.3 pts | +2.7 pts |
| Poverty rate | 10.7% | -1.0 pts | -2.5 pts |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 6.9% | +1.6 pts | +2.5 pts |
| Commute length | Monroe County |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 21.1% |
| 15 to 29 min | 29.3% |
| 30 to 44 min | 19.4% |
| 45 to 59 min | 10.1% |
| 60+ min | 20.2% |
Room for a loan payment in Monroe County
Monroe County's $83,565 median income, run through a debt-to-income check:
- $83,565 a year is $6,964 of gross monthly income
- Rent at the median, $1,393, takes 20% of that
- $1,044: what a 35% ratio leaves once rent is paid
- With a 45% ceiling, about $1,741 remains for car, card, student and any new loan payments
Lenders set their own limits and look beyond the ratio. The DTI calculator uses your figures instead of Monroe County's.
Borrowing situations common in Monroe County
Monroe County-specific points to check:
- 30% long commutes. A Monroe County repair bill is often urgent; compare the shop's financing with a loan in writing.
- Six-figure budgets. For the 41% earning $100,000 or more, lifestyle creep, not approval, is the usual problem.
- Renters under pressure. When 57% pay 30% or more for rent, the smallest loan that solves the problem is the right size.
Before you sign
Four checks before you sign anything:
- Get a written quote for whatever you are paying for in Monroe County.
- Ask each lender for the APR and all fees in writing.
- A Pennsylvania license check takes minutes; do it first.
- Lock paid-off cards after consolidating so balances stay at zero.
Pennsylvania rules that apply in Monroe County
Licensing happens at the state level, so a lender working with Monroe County borrowers answers to the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities. A CFPB complaint gets forwarded to the company for a response. See the Pennsylvania state guide for the statewide picture.
Nearby and statewide guides
Next step up from Monroe County:
Frequently asked questions
What does a typical Monroe County household make?
About $83,565 a year at the median (ACS 2020-24), 7% above the Pennsylvania median.
How does Monroe County rent compare with Pennsylvania?
$1,393 locally versus $1,209 for the state, 15% above.
Is home equity cheaper than a personal loan in Monroe County?
Often, because the home secures it. With 80% of Monroe County homes owner-occupied, weigh that lower cost against the risk to the house.
Does this page cover East Stroudsburg?
Yes, along with the other 15 Census places in Monroe County, such as Arlington Heights, Sierra View, Stroudsburg.
Are Monroe County applicants treated differently?
No. Everyone answers the same questions and is screened on the same objective points; lending partners set their own criteria under fair-lending laws.