Housing data for Wilkes-Barre Township, PA
Wilkes-Barre Township, PA has an estimated 3,198 residents and 1,782 homes (US Census Bureau, 2020–2024 American Community Survey).
It is a township in Luzerne County.
54.3% of households rent.
The median gross rent is $1,149 a month.
Its population grew measurably since 2015–2019 (+10.6%).
Figures last updated on .
- Residents
- 3,198 (±18)
- Housing units
- 1,782 (±169)
- Households that rent
- 54.3%
- Median gross rent
- $1,149
- Residents since 2015–2019
- +10.6%
What stands out in Wilkes-Barre Township
Households that rent: 54.3% (±10.4 points) in Wilkes-Barre Township, higher than in Luzerne County (32.2%).
Homes heated by fuel oil: 3.4% (±4.9 points) in Wilkes-Barre Township, lower than in Luzerne County (15.8%).
Median home value: $115,700 (±$21,014) in Wilkes-Barre Township, lower than in Luzerne County ($174,100).
Median real estate taxes: $1,750 (±$152) in Wilkes-Barre Township, lower than in Luzerne County ($2,530).
- Renters and owners in Wilkes-Barre Township
- Heating fuel in Wilkes-Barre Township
- Home values in Wilkes-Barre Township
- Property taxes in Wilkes-Barre Township
Housing in Wilkes-Barre Township at a glance
- Median rent: $1,149 median gross rent a month
- Rent by bedrooms: $1,226 median gross rent, 2 bedrooms
- Rent burden: 47.1% of renters pay 30% or more of income
- Renters and owners: 54.3% of households rent
- Income and affordability: $67,656 median household income
- Home values: $115,700 median home value
- Homeowner costs: $1,217 median monthly cost with a mortgage
- Property taxes: $1,750 median real estate taxes a year
- Types of homes: 11.2% of homes are in buildings of 5 or more units
- Bedrooms: 45.8% of homes have 3 or more bedrooms
- Age of homes: 79.9% of homes were built before 1980
- Vacancy rate: 7.9% rental vacancy rate (Small sample: wide margin of error)
- Heating fuel: 62.9% heat with utility gas
- Commute and cars: 23.8 minutes average trip to work
- Crime reported to police: 495 violent crimes per 100,000 residents
- Growth: +10.6% residents since 2015–2019
- How long people stay: 28.1% moved in since 2020
- Crowding and facilities: 0.0% of homes have more than 1 person per room (Small sample: wide margin of error)
Wilkes-Barre Township against Luzerne County, its state and the nation
| Wilkes-Barre Township | Luzerne County | Pennsylvania | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 3,198 (±18) | 327,675 (exact) | 13,018,639 (exact) | 334,922,499 |
| Housing units | 1,782 (±169) | 151,287 (±105) | 5,806,452 (±672) | 143,775,355 |
| Households that rent | 54.3% (±10.4 points) | 32.2% (±0.9 points) | 30.7% (±0.2 points) | 34.8% |
| Median gross rent | $1,149 (±$43) | $1,004 (±$25) | $1,209 (±$5) | $1,413 |
| Median household income | $67,656 (±$19,195) | $63,691 (±$1,684) | $77,971 (±$342) | $80,734 |
| Median home value | $115,700 (±$21,014) | $174,100 (±$3,161) | $254,500 (±$767) | $332,700 |
| Median real estate taxes (a year) | $1,750 (±$152) | $2,530 (±$47) | $3,311 (±$12) | $3,119 |
| Built before 1980 | 79.9% (±15.1 points) | 74.4% (±1.5 points) | 67.3% (±0.2 points) | 49.7% |
| Average commute | 23.8 minutes (±4.9) | 23.5 minutes (±0.5) | 26.3 minutes (±0.1) | 26.4 minutes |
| Households with broadband | 80.9% (±8.0 points) | 87.8% (±0.7 points) | 89.7% (±0.1 points) | 91.0% |
| Median age of residents | 48.6 years (±6.8) | 42.0 years (±0.2) | 40.9 years (±0.2) | 38.9 years |
Wilkes-Barre Township covers 3.0 square miles of land, about 1,066 residents per square mile (Census Bureau Gazetteer).
How Wilkes-Barre Township has changed since 2015–2019
| 2015–2019 | 2020–2024 | Amount of change | Verdict | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 2,891 (±18) | 3,198 (±18) | +10.6% | Measurable increase |
| Housing units | 1,508 (±174) | 1,782 (±169) | +18.2% | Measurable increase |
| Median gross rent | $1,041 (±$74) | $1,149 (±$43) | +10.4% | Down after inflation |
| Median home value | $79,400 (±$6,004) | $115,700 (±$21,014) | +45.7% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median household income | $48,103 (±$7,157) | $67,656 (±$19,195) | +40.6% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median owner cost with a mortgage | $739 (±$99) | $1,217 (±$314) | +64.7% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median real estate taxes | $1,391 (±$185) | $1,750 (±$152) | +25.8% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Households that rent | 38.8% (±6.5 points) | 54.3% (±10.4 points) | +15.5 percentage points | Measurable increase |
| Rental vacancy rate | 1.7% (±2.8 points) | 7.9% (±8.0 points) | +6.2 percentage points | Not a measurable change |
The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.
Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.
The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.
Crime reported to police in Wilkes-Barre Township
In 2025, the Wilkes-Barre Township Police Department reported 495 violent and 11,947 property crimes per 100,000 residents to the FBI.
Places near Wilkes-Barre Township
| Place | Distance | Median gross rent | Median home value | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilkes-Barre | 1.2 mi | $946 | $117,200 | 48.8% |
| Laurel Run | 1.3 mi | — | $58,000 | 5.6% |
| Ashley | 2.5 mi | $1,071 | $97,200 | 32.3% |
| Kingston | 2.6 mi | $1,038 | $172,900 | 47.5% |
| Plains | 2.9 mi | $889 | $155,100 | 29.9% |
| Plains Township | 3.2 mi | $1,118 | $164,200 | 33.5% |
| Edwardsville | 3.2 mi | $1,069 | $123,200 | 54.5% |
| Forty Fort | 3.3 mi | $998 | $173,000 | 43.0% |
Places in Pennsylvania most like Wilkes-Barre Township
| Place | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North York | $1,235 | $139,500 | $63,927 | 60.9% |
| Steelton | $1,289 | $134,800 | $58,194 | 51.7% |
| Freeland | $939 | $118,000 | $57,833 | 49.6% |
| Swissvale | $1,136 | $147,000 | $60,341 | 51.1% |
| Stowe Township | $1,142 | $110,100 | $52,971 | 48.2% |
| Sharpsburg | $991 | $141,400 | $59,228 | 52.4% |
Matched on rent, home value, income, the share who rent, the age of the homes, the share in apartment buildings and the commute, each measured against the spread across Pennsylvania.
HUD Fair Market Rent for Wilkes-Barre Township, fiscal year 2027
| Studio | 1 bedroom | 2 bedrooms | 3 bedrooms | 4 bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $949 | $1,106 | $1,363 | $1,786 | $1,962 |
HUD income limits for Wilkes-Barre Township, fiscal year 2026
| Household size | Extremely low (30%) | Very low (50%) | Low (80%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $19,350 | $32,200 | $51,550 |
| 2 people | $22,100 | $36,800 | $58,900 |
| 3 people | $27,320 | $41,400 | $66,250 |
| 4 people | $33,000 | $46,000 | $73,600 |
| 5 people | $38,680 | $49,700 | $79,500 |
| 6 people | $44,360 | $53,400 | $85,400 |
| 7 people | $50,040 | $57,050 | $91,300 |
| 8 people | $55,720 | $60,750 | $97,200 |
These are the limits HUD sets for its housing programs in the Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA MSA, where HUD’s median family income for fiscal year 2026 is $92,400.
A program can use its own limits; tax-credit and local programs often do.
The figures for Wilkes-Barre Township include the places inside it that have pages of their own: Georgetown (community).
Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.
Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.
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Questions about Wilkes-Barre Township
What is the average rent in Wilkes-Barre Township, PA?
The Census Bureau publishes the median rather than the average: the median gross rent in Wilkes-Barre Township is $1,149 (±$43) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey), so half of renting households pay less and half pay more.
How much is a one-bedroom apartment in Wilkes-Barre Township?
The median gross rent for a one-bedroom home in Wilkes-Barre Township, PA is $1,104 (±$86) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Are renters in Wilkes-Barre Township rent-burdened?
47.1% of renting households in Wilkes-Barre Township pay 30% or more of their income in gross rent, the share housing researchers usually call rent-burdened (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
How many renters are there in Wilkes-Barre Township?
Wilkes-Barre Township has an estimated 832 (±190) renting households, 54.3% of its occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the median household income in Wilkes-Barre Township?
The median household income in Wilkes-Barre Township is $67,656 (±$19,195) a year (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the average home value in Wilkes-Barre Township, PA?
The Census Bureau publishes the median: $115,700 (±$21,014) for owner-occupied homes in Wilkes-Barre Township (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Is Wilkes-Barre Township growing?
In Wilkes-Barre Township, the number of residents went from 2,891 in 2015–2019 to 3,198 in 2020–2024 (+10.6%), a measurable increase.
Sources
- Demographic and Housing Estimates (DP05), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Wilkes-Barre township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Wilkes-Barre township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
- Selected Economic Characteristics (DP03), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Wilkes-Barre township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
- Median Real Estate Taxes Paid by Mortgage Status (B25103), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Wilkes-Barre township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
- Selected Social Characteristics (DP02), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Wilkes-Barre township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
- Total Population (B01003), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Wilkes-Barre township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
- Median Gross Rent (B25064), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Wilkes-Barre township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
- HUD Fair Market Rents, fiscal year 2027: Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA MSA
- HUD Income Limits, fiscal year 2026: Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA MSA
- FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Crime Data Explorer: Wilkes-Barre Township Police Department (ORI PA0402700)
- FBI: Uniform Crime Reporting statistics and their proper use
- Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, all items, US Bureau of Labor Statistics: annual averages 2019 and 2024
- US Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files
To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) for Wilkes-Barre township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania (county subdivision:85160, in state:42 county:079).
Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).
The 2015–2019 figures are B01003_001E, B01003_001M, B25064_001E, B25064_001M from the 2019 release.
The API needs a free key.
DP05_0001E, DP05_0001M, DP04_0001E, DP04_0001M, DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0134E, DP04_0134M, DP03_0062E, DP03_0062M, DP04_0089E, DP04_0089M
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.
Figures last updated on .