What is the rental vacancy rate in Wilkes-Barre, PA?

Name: Vacancy rate in Wilkes-Barre, PA, 2020–2024
Creator: US Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

The rental vacancy rate in Wilkes-Barre, PA is 5.1% (±1.9 points) (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

The homeowner vacancy rate is 0.7% (±0.7 points).

3,137 (±361) homes, 15.9% of all housing units, were vacant, a count that includes seasonal homes and homes being sold or rented.

In Wilkes-Barre, the rental vacancy rate went from 6.0% in 2015–2019 to 5.1% in 2020–2024 (−0.9 percentage points), not a measurable change.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Rental vacancy rate: 5.1% (±1.9 points)
Homeowner vacancy rate: 0.7% (±0.7 points)
Vacant homes: 3,137 (±361)

Vacancy in Wilkes-Barre against Luzerne County, its state and the nation

Estimate (90% margin of error)
	Wilkes-Barre	Luzerne County	Pennsylvania	United States
Rental vacancy rate	5.1% (±1.9 points)	4.7% (±0.8 points)	4.9% (±0.2 points)	5.5%
Homeowner vacancy rate	0.7% (±0.7 points)	1.0% (±0.3 points)	0.8% (±0.1 points)	0.9%
Vacant housing units	3,137 (±361)	16,232 (±919)	531,599 (±8,998)	14,547,859

The rental vacancy rate is the share of rental homes that are vacant and for rent; it leaves out homes already rented but not yet moved into, and seasonal homes.

In Wilkes-Barre, the rental vacancy rate is not measurably different from Luzerne County (4.7%).

It is not measurably different from Pennsylvania (4.9%).

It is not measurably different from the national figure (5.5%).

Rental vacancy rate in places near Wilkes-Barre

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Wilkes-Barre
Place	Distance	Rental vacancy rate	Compared with this place
Wilkes-Barre	—	5.1% (±1.9 points)	—
Wilkes-Barre Township	1.2 mi	7.9% (±8.0 points)	Not measurably different
Georgetown (community)	1.4 mi	0.0% (±8.3 points)	Not measurably different
Kingston	1.4 mi	1.0% (±1.6 points)	Lower
Edwardsville	2.0 mi	4.8% (±7.4 points)	Not measurably different
Forty Fort	2.3 mi	0.0% (±4.0 points)	Lower
Plains	2.4 mi	0.0% (±5.9 points)	Not measurably different
Laurel Run	2.5 mi	0.0% (±89.4 points)	Not measurably different
Pringle	2.5 mi	0.0% (±28.3 points)	Not measurably different

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Kingston, PA (1.0%), Forty Fort, PA (0.0%).

Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.

Rental vacancy rate across Luzerne County, place by place

Rank	Place	Rental vacancy rate
15	Wilkes-Barre Township	7.9% (±8.0 points)
16	Freeland	7.2% (±8.0 points)
17	Wyoming	6.9% (±10.5 points)
18	Pittston	6.8% (±4.9 points)
19	West Wyoming	6.0% (±10.2 points)
20	Dallas Township	5.2% (±6.4 points)
21	Wilkes-Barre	5.1% (±1.9 points)
22	Edwardsville	4.8% (±7.4 points)
23	Newport Township	4.4% (±7.1 points)
24	Plymouth	2.9% (±3.0 points)
25	Hazle Township	2.2% (±3.8 points)
26	Hanover Township (Luzerne County)	2.0% (±2.2 points)
27	Nanticoke	1.9% (±2.9 points)

Showing 13 of 76 places in Luzerne County, ranked from highest to lowest.

Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.

Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.

What you can do on Seayora in Wilkes-Barre

One account for renting, owning, managing and fixing homes, with these figures beside you.

Looking for a place to rent?

Browse homes for rent near Wilkes-Barre, save the ones you like and apply online.

Browse rentals · Create a renter account

Own or manage a rental?

List it, sign the lease and collect rent online, with the figures for Wilkes-Barre beside you.

Create a landlord account · See what landlords get

Do repairs, renovations or maintenance?

Get found by owners and renters near Wilkes-Barre, and send estimates and invoices from your phone.

Join as a pro · Find a pro

Questions about Wilkes-Barre

Is it hard to find a rental in Wilkes-Barre?

The rental vacancy rate in Wilkes-Barre, PA is 5.1% (±1.9 points); a low rate means few rental homes stand empty and for rent at any time, which usually means more competition for each one.

Is the rental market in Wilkes-Barre tighter than it was?

In Wilkes-Barre, the rental vacancy rate went from 6.0% in 2015–2019 to 5.1% in 2020–2024 (−0.9 percentage points), not a measurable change.

How many homes are vacant in Wilkes-Barre?

An estimated 3,137 (±361) housing units, 15.9% of the total, including seasonal homes and homes waiting to be sold or rented.

Sources

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 city, Pennsylvania (place:85152, in state:42).

Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).

The 2015–2019 figures are DP04_0005E, DP04_0005M from the 2019 release.

The API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

DP04_0005E, DP04_0005M, DP04_0004E, DP04_0004M, DP04_0003E, DP04_0003M, DP04_0003PE, DP04_0003PM

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.