BusinessWeek chose one town and two runners-up for each of the 50 states based upon school performance, number of schools, household expenditures, crime rates, air quality, job growth, family income, museums, parks, theaters, other amenities and diversity. Weighed most heavily were affordability, safety and school test scores.

Scranton beat out runners-up Erie and Allentown to be named Pennsylvania's Best Place to Raise Your Kids. BusinessWeek's summation of the city's assets said: “Scranton, once a hub for coal-and-iron production in the state's Pocono Northeast region, is probably best known today as the setting for the popular TV show, The Office. It also has a low cost of living, ski slopes, and colleges, including Scranton University.”