Wilkes-Barre

Population: 44,217
Median household income: $47,970
Median home value: $108,000

Located in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, Wilkes-Barre is a community with a population of 44,217. The median household income of $47,970 is below the Luzerne County median ($62,321).

From 2019 to 2023, Wilkes-Barre's population grew 8.2% from 40,867 to 44,217, while its median home value rose 43.8% from $75,100 to $108,000.

The median resident is 35.3 years old. The largest age group is 5 to 17, 15.9% of residents.

Demographics

ACS 2019–2023

Population: 44,217
Median age: 35.3 yrs
Median household income: $47,970
Median home value: $108,000
Median gross rent: $939
Housing units: 19,993
Homeownership rate: 48.9%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 19.4%
Unemployment rate: 8.3%

Trends

ACS 5-year · 2019–2023

Population

40,86744,217

Median household income

$37,902$47,970

Median home value

$75,100$108,000

Median gross rent

$766$939

Year	Population	Median household income	Median home value	Median gross rent
2019	40,867	$37,902	$75,100	$766
2020	40,805	$40,505	$78,000	$757
2021	44,086	$42,430	$83,100	$826
2022	44,123	$46,597	$98,200	$897
2023	44,217	$47,970	$108,000	$939

Each year is a US Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimate ending that year.

Age distribution

Under 55.9%

5 to 1715.9%

18 to 2413.5%

25 to 3414.3%

35 to 4414.0%

45 to 549.9%

55 to 6411.1%

65 to 748.6%

75 and over6.9%

	Count	Share
Under 5	2,620	5.9%
5 to 17	7,049	15.9%
18 to 24	5,958	13.5%
25 to 34	6,304	14.3%
35 to 44	6,169	14.0%
45 to 54	4,376	9.9%
55 to 64	4,887	11.1%
65 to 74	3,820	8.6%
75 and over	3,034	6.9%

Race & ethnicity

	Count	Share
White (non-Hispanic)	22,940	51.9%
Black or African American	5,153	11.7%
American Indian & Alaska Native	11	0.0%
Asian	920	2.1%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Some other race	86	0.2%
Two or more races	1,574	3.6%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	13,533	30.6%

Educational attainment (age 25+)

No high school diploma15.0%

High school graduate39.1%

Some college or associate's26.5%

Bachelor's degree12.9%

Graduate or professional degree6.5%

	Count	Share
No high school diploma	4,301	15.0%
High school graduate	11,172	39.1%
Some college or associate's	7,571	26.5%
Bachelor's degree	3,687	12.9%
Graduate or professional degree	1,859	6.5%

Commute to work

Mean travel time to work: 20 min

Drove alone70.4%

Carpooled11.3%

Public transit2.3%

Walked6.5%

Bicycle0.1%

Worked from home7.4%

Other means2.0%

How workers get to work

	Count	Share
Drove alone	13,497	70.4%
Carpooled	2,160	11.3%
Public transit	439	2.3%
Walked	1,236	6.5%
Bicycle	27	0.1%
Worked from home	1,420	7.4%
Other means	383	2.0%

Travel time

	Count	Share
Under 15 min	7,453	42.0%
15 to 29 min	6,829	38.5%
30 to 44 min	1,800	10.1%
45 to 59 min	572	3.2%
60+ min	1,088	6.1%

Households

Average household size: 2.43
Poverty rate: 21.1% (8,552 of 40,446)

	Count	Share
Family households	9,722	58.2%
Nonfamily households	6,988	41.8%

Housing

Median year structure built: 1943

Occupancy

	Count	Share
Occupied	16,710	83.6%
Vacant	3,283	16.4%

Tenure (of occupied units)

	Count	Share
Owner-occupied	8,179	48.9%
Renter-occupied	8,531	51.1%

1-unit, detached51.0%

1-unit, attached13.1%

2 to 4 units16.5%

5 to 19 units6.4%

20 or more units12.7%

Mobile home & other0.3%

Units in structure

	Count	Share
1-unit, detached	10,196	51.0%
1-unit, attached	2,619	13.1%
2 to 4 units	3,292	16.5%
5 to 19 units	1,286	6.4%
20 or more units	2,535	12.7%
Mobile home & other	65	0.3%

Geography

Place GEOID: 4285152
Type (LSAD): 25
Land area: 6.85 sq mi
Water area: 0.35 sq mi
Center point: 41.2466, -75.8757