The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area is a contiguous network of 5 cities and more than 40 boroughs all built in a straight line in Northeastern Pennsylvania’s urban area. It acts culturally and logistically as one continuous city, so while the city of Wilkes-Barre itself is a smaller town, the larger unofficial city of Scranton/Wilkes-Barre contains nearly half the population of Pennsylvania.
There are several reasons why this area has such a strong identity: First, it has been growing steadily for over 100 years. Second, it has its own unique culture that is influenced by coal mining, railroads, manufacturing, and agriculture. Third, it has always been economically connected to New York City and Philadelphia via transportation routes like the Lackawanna Cut-Off Railroad that runs through the region from northeast to southwest. Fourth, the university system at Penn State University (located in State College) contributes to its culture as well as provides jobs for local residents.