Living in Moosic, PA — Where the Valley Comes to Play

Moosic is three miles south of downtown Scranton and ten northeast of Wilkes-Barre, which puts it almost exactly where the whole region converges — and it has quietly become the valley’s entertainment and retail engine. PNC Field is here. The Shoppes at Montage is here. So is Glenmaura National Golf Club, Cinemark’s 20-screen theater, and the studios of WNEP-TV.

Here’s the number that tells the real story: Moosic has grown every decade since 1990 — 5,339 to 5,575 to 5,719 to 5,959 at the 2020 Census — while much of Lackawanna County declined. The borough incorporated in 1898, built on coal and the Moosic Powder Company, later acquired by DuPont, whose presence here lasted nearly a century.

Food & Drink

• Terry’s Diner — the best story in town. The original opened in fall 1956; after it burned in 1999, the family bought the Skyliner Diner in Dupont, trucked it up I-81 that June, built an addition around it, and reopened in April 2000.
• Harvest Seasonal Grill & Wine Bar — changes its menu every three months, works with more than 75 local farmers, keeps many dishes under 500 calories, and pours 50-plus wines by the glass.
• The Regina House Tea Room — Thursday through Saturday only, 10 to 3: homemade soup, finger sandwiches, scones and whipped crème, in vintage rooms with an extensive tea list.
• Kabab and Naan — authentic Indian served inside a retro 1950s-style diner space.
• Akita — a small sushi bar where the chef builds specialty rolls tableside.
• Colarusso’s La Palazzo — known for square pizza, with a banquet room seating up to 240.
• Food & Fire BBQ-Taphouse — barbecue and craft beer at The Shoppes at Montage.

Things to Do

PNC Field on Montage Mountain Road is home to the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, the Yankees’ Triple-A affiliate since 2007 — 10,000 seats, rebuilt in a $43.3 million project and reopened in 2013. The club won International League titles in 2008 and 2016 and the Triple-A National Championship in 2016; in 2025 they took the second-half title at 87–60 and Shelley Duncan was named IL Manager of the Year.

Montage Mountain Resorts sits directly at Moosic’s back door on Montage Mountain Road, sharing the borough’s 18507 ZIP — 26 trails, a 1,000-foot vertical drop, 100% snowmaking and night skiing. The waterpark runs weekends from late May and daily from mid-June: a six-story Tornado slide, lazy river, eight-lane ProRacer and a wave pool. The Pavilion at Montage Mountain, a 16,000-capacity Live Nation amphitheater, books a full summer season.

The Shoppes at Montage opened in 2007 as the area’s first lifestyle center. Cinemark Montage Mountain 20 and XD has luxury recliners. Glenmaura National Golf Club — designed by Dr. Michael Hurdzan with input from PGA Tour champion Larry Mize — opened in 1994 and hit its 335-member cap within eight months. The borough itself runs the “Move with Moosic” 5K each June, plus Santa’s Sleigh Ride and a tree-decorating party in December.

Outdoors & Parks

Six borough parks across four wards. Mercatili-Segilia Park holds the New Children’s Centennial Park playground, a gazebo and reservable pavilion, and lighted walkways. Felter Field is home to Moosic Little League and has tennis and basketball courts. Kobesky Field has walking paths, alongside Ken Smerdon Field, Mary Ann Nawrocki Park and the William T. Quinlin Sports Complex. The Lackawanna River runs through the borough, and the Heritage Trail’s first developed section is in neighboring Taylor, minutes away.

Gyms & Fitness

Pro Fitness Club at Birney Plaza is the full-service club — pool, hot tub, steam room, sauna, aromatherapy room, machines, free weights and group classes, open from 5 a.m. weekdays. My Gym on Birney Avenue handles children’s fitness.

Schools

Moosic is served entirely by the Riverside School District, which covers just two municipalities — Moosic and Taylor. Riverside Elementary East is right in Moosic on School Street (K–6); Riverside Junior-Senior High is in Taylor and is accredited by the Middle States Association. Niche rates the district B+ with 1,497 students and a 15:1 ratio (Niche, 2026). Reading proficiency is 61% against a state average of 56%, and the graduation rate is 87%, up from 80–84% over five years (PublicSchoolReview, 2025–26). The district partners with the Wilkes-Barre Area Career and Technical Center for trades training and runs 20-plus clubs. Teams play as the Vikings.

School Performance

State assessment results for the high school serving Moosic, from the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s Future Ready PA Index, 2024–25 school year:

• Riverside Junior/Senior High School — Keystone Literature 57.8% proficient or advanced (statewide 49.9%) · Keystone Algebra I 42.2% (statewide 41.7%) · four-year graduation rate 87.6% (statewide 88.0%)

Source: Pennsylvania Department of Education, Future Ready PA Index, 2024–25. We publish these same three measures, from this same source, on every community page in this guide.

Everyday Essentials

Gerrity’s Supermarket on Birney Avenue is the in-borough grocery anchor, open 7 to 9 daily. The Shoppes at Montage, Cinemark and the Birney Avenue corridor cover the rest.

The Homes

Moosic has 2,815 housing units and 2,442 households — up about 79 households in a decade. The stock spans early-1900s borough homes from the coal-and-powder era through a significant 1970s development wave, when the borough hit its all-time population peak. Named areas carry their history: Greenwood from the dense pine forest, Starks from the Stark farm, Spike Island for the Irish coastal island, and Glenmaura along the golf club corridor.