Population & age
- Total population
- 2,224
- Median age
- 48.9
Sweet Valley, PA (18656)
Luzerne County · Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA · Population 2,224
Fresh.Data current as of Apr 24, 2026
Sweet Valley, PA (ZIP 18656) sits in Luzerne County within the Scranton--Wilkes-Barre metro area. The page draws on 2 federal data feeds retrieved Apr 26. Health-survey coverage is limited for this ZIP. NCES lists 1 schools serving the area, 1 non-charter. 3 colleges and universities serve the area, with median in-state tuition of $14,280. IRS data shows average household income (AGI) of $67,367, well above the ~$45K national average per return. FEMA has issued 23 federal disaster declarations affecting this ZIP since 1972 — a high-frequency exposure profile. Pennsylvania levies a flat state income tax (top rate 3.07%); a household at the local median AGI of $67,367 would pay roughly $1,241/year before deductions. New residents arriving here predominantly come from Lackawanna County, PA (IRS SOI Migration, 2022-2023). Both healthcare access and on-paper school density skew lighter than national norms; what shows up here is a snapshot, not a verdict — neighborhood-level texture matters at this scale. Notable: median household income $70,556, fair market rent of $1,180 for a two-bedroom, and a typical home value of $258,601, down 1.9% over the past year. Every figure on this page links to its underlying federal dataset with a retrieval date so you can audit the freshness yourself.
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Demographics
Race & ethnicity
- White
- 95.6%
- Black
- 0.4%
- Asian
- 1.1%
- Hispanic / Latino
- 0.0%
- Other / multi-racial
- 3.0%
Income & housing
- Median household income
- $70,556
- Median home value
- $189,800
Education
- Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+)
- 25.1%
Employment
- Unemployment rate
- 2.4%
Housing
- Owner-occupied
- 842(92.5%)
- Renter-occupied
- 68(7.5%)
- Vacant units
- 162
- Built (median)
- 1980
Commute
- Public transit
- 0(0.0%)
- Work from home
- 106(10.8%)
- Avg commute
- 26.1 min
Economic wellbeing
- Below poverty line
- 203(9.1%)
- Uninsured
- 62(2.8%)
Digital access
- Broadband access
- 764(84.0%)
- No broadband
- 146(16.0%)
Language & nativity
- Foreign-born
- 24(1.1%)
- Non-English at home
- 31(1.4%)
Fair Market Rent
Fresh.HUD SAFMR · May 1, 2026Studio
$810
/month
1 Bed
$970
/month
2 Bed
$1,180
/month
3 Bed
$1,540
/month
4 Bed
$1,660
/month
HUD Fair Market Rents represent the 40th percentile of standard-quality rental housing in this area. FY2026 data.
Home values
Typical home value
$258,601
Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI) · as of March 2026
Year-over-year change
-1.9%
vs. March 2025
5-year change
+14.3%
vs. March 2021
Metro area
Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA
Metropolitan statistical area
Source: Zillow Research, ZHVI All Homes (SFR, Condo/Co-op) Time Series (zillow.com/research/data). Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI) is copyrighted by Zillow, Inc.
New housing construction
New housing units permitted
325
Across 301 permitted buildings. Total construction value: $92.1M.
Single-family
293
90% of total units
Multifamily (2+ unit)
32
10% of total units
Single-family value
$87.5M
construction value
Multifamily value
$4.5M
construction value
Based on county-level data (2024).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (census.gov/construction/bps). Public domain. BPS reports annual residential building permits from local permit-issuing jurisdictions, aggregated to county. A permit reflects intent to build, not a completed unit — actual construction lags by 6-24 months for multifamily projects.
Income & tax statistics
Tax returns filed
1,110
Average AGI
$67,367
Avg property tax
$120
EITC participation
11.7%
Income distribution
- $1 – $25,00029.7% · 330
- $25,000 – $50,00021.6% · 240
- $50,000 – $75,00015.3% · 170
- $75,000 – $100,00011.7% · 130
- $100,000 – $200,00018.0% · 200
- $200,000 or more3.6% · 40
Avg mortgage interest
$178
Avg charitable contribution
$214
Avg capital gains
$1,946
Avg total income tax
—
Source: IRS Statistics of Income — Individual Income Tax Statistics by ZIP Code (irs.gov). Public domain. Dollar columns reported in thousands by the IRS; figures here display real dollars. Total ZCTA AGI for the area was $74.8M across all reported brackets.
Business & employment
Business establishments
36
Total employment
165
Annual payroll
$6.6M
Average annual pay
$39,964
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Business Patterns (census.gov). Public domain. ZBP covers establishments with paid employees; Census suppresses employment and payroll values when fewer employers operate in a ZIP than would protect their confidentiality.
Employment & wages
Average annual pay
$55,901
Average weekly wage
$1,075
Total employment
145,190
Total establishments
7,474
That is roughly 15% below the US national average of $65,470 per worker.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (bls.gov/cew). Public domain. QCEW is derived from state unemployment-insurance filings and covers ~95% of US jobs. Figures are county-level totals assigned to ZIPs whose primary county matches; small-employer cells are suppressed by BLS to protect employer confidentiality.
Unemployment
Unemployment rate
4.5%
That is 0.5 percentage points above the US national unemployment rate of about 4.0%.
Labor force
161,814
Employed
154,602
Unemployed
7,212
Based on Luzerne County, PA data (2024).
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (bls.gov/lau). Public domain. LAUS publishes monthly and annual labor-force estimates for every US county. Figures are county-level totals assigned to ZIPs whose primary county matches.
Public transit
FTA tracks transit service at the urbanized-area level. Numbers below reflect the agencies and modes serving the area that contains this ZIP, not stop-level coverage.
Service status
Available
Hazleton, PA
Reporting agencies
3
Largest: City of Hazleton
Annual ridership
—
unlinked trips · 2024
Source: U.S. Federal Transit Administration, National Transit Database (transit.dot.gov). Public domain.
Federal Disaster Declarations
Federally Declared Disasters
23
Date Range
1972–2021
Most Recent Declaration
REMNANTS OF HURRICANE IDA
Hurricane — declared September 10, 2021 (DR-4618)
Incident period: August 31, 2021 – September 5, 2021
Top Incident Types
- Hurricane7 (30%)
- Flood6 (26%)
- Severe Storm5 (22%)
- Snowstorm3 (13%)
- Biological2 (9%)
Individual Assistance
8
Direct help to disaster survivors
Households Program
6
Housing & temporary lodging support
Public Assistance
22
Repair of public facilities & roads
Hazard Mitigation
9
Funding to reduce future disaster risk
FEMA declares disasters at the county level; counts here include every federally declared disaster touching any county that overlaps this ZIP. Statewide declarations and pre-1964 records without county granularity are excluded. Program flags reflect which FEMA assistance categories were activated (Individual Assistance, Households, Public Assistance, Hazard Mitigation). Source: fema.gov/openfema. Public domain.
Climate
30-year averages (1991-2020) from the nearest GHCN-D weather station. Temperature and precipitation values reflect typical annual conditions, not any single year.
Avg. temperature
47.6°F
37.6° – 57.7°
Annual precipitation
48.4"
Annual snowfall
46"
Heating · cooling days
6,702.9 · 405.7
Annual base 65°F
Nearest station: BENTON 3 NE, PA US, 10.7 miles from the centroid of Sweet Valley, PA (ZIP 18656)
Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, 1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals (ncei.noaa.gov). Public domain.
Community health profile
Years of potential life lost (per 100K)
10,192
That is roughly 1,992 years per 100,000 above the national county median (~8,200).
Premature death is the headline composite outcome CHR reports — age-adjusted, all-cause, before age 75.
Fair or poor health
20%
of adults self-report
Poor physical health days
4.5
avg per adult per month
Poor mental health days
5.7
avg per adult per month
Uninsured
6.7%
of residents under 65
Primary care MDs
76
per 100,000 residents
Preventable hospital stays
2,854
per 100K Medicare enrollees
Food environment (0-10)
7.9
10 = best access & security
Exercise access
89%
residents near a facility
Flu vaccinated
53%
of Medicare enrollees
Low birth weight (under 2,500 g) accounts for 8.4% of live births in this county — an early-life health input that downstream outcomes track against.
Based on Luzerne data (2025 CHR release).
Source: County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute (countyhealthrankings.org). Annual release. Underlying source datasets vary by measure (CDC BRFSS, NCHS Vital Statistics, AHA, USDA Food Environment Atlas, and others). Figures are county-level and assigned to every ZIP whose primary county matches.
Food access
Food access status
Moderate food access challenges
20.3% of Luzerne County, PA residents live more than 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural) from the nearest supermarket.
Grocery stores
0.23
per 1,000 residents
Supercenters & clubs
0.03
per 1,000 residents
SNAP-authorized stores
0.92
accepting food benefits
Fast-food restaurants
0.65
per 1,000 residents
Among low-income residents, 5.1% are low-access — those without a supermarket within 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural).
Per-1,000 figures show how many of each store type exist in Luzerne County, PA for every 1,000 residents. Higher grocery and supercenter density usually means easier access to fresh food; higher convenience-store-only density (with low grocery rate) often signals a food swamp.
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Environment Atlas (ers.usda.gov). County-level metrics fanned to ZIP via the primary county in the Census ZCTA-county relationship file. Variable years differ per family (stores ~2020, low-access ~2019).
Who’s moving in and out
Net migration (2022-2023)
▼−122 people
−602 households • −$56.8M net AGI flow
Moved in
7,601households
13,407 people • $389.8M AGI
Moved out
8,203households
13,529 people • $446.5M AGI
Where new residents came from
- Lackawanna County, PA — 669 households
- Bronx County, NY — 448 households
- Schuylkill County, PA — 275 households
- Kings County, NY — 254 households
- Columbia County, PA — 234 households
Where departing residents went
- Lackawanna County, PA — 689 households
- Schuylkill County, PA — 434 households
- Columbia County, PA — 327 households
- Philadelphia County, PA — 192 households
- Carbon County, PA — 152 households
Incoming households reported an average AGI of $51,277 versus departing households' $54,436.
Source: U.S. Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income, Migration Data (irs.gov). Public domain. Migration is measured by year-over-year changes in the address on individual tax returns; figures are county-level totals attributed to ZIPs whose primary county matches. Foreign migration contributes to inflow/outflow totals but does not appear in the top-county lists. Small flows are suppressed by IRS to protect taxpayer confidentiality.
Taxes & benefits in Pennsylvania
State-level rules that apply to every resident of ZIP 18656. Numbers reflect the most recent published year per source.
Tax rates
Income tax
3.07%
flat · 1 brackets
Sales tax (combined)
6.34%
State 6.00% · avg local 0.34%
Property tax (effective)
1.68%
Median $3,947/year
Tax burden rank
29 of 50
10.40% of personal income
For ZIP 18656: At this ZIP's median AGI of $67,367, the estimated state income tax (before deductions) runs about $1,241 per year. Applied to this ZIP's typical home value of $258,601, that works out to roughly $4,343/year in property tax.
Paid family leave
Program
No program
No program
Safety net
SNAP eligibility
200% FPL
Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility (raises gross income limit above federal 130% floor). No asset test.
Sources: Tax Foundation (state tax rates & brackets), Bipartisan Policy Center (paid family leave), USDA FNS (SNAP categorical eligibility).
Other ZIPs near 18656
Nearby ZIPs by distance
18636 (Noxen, 7.1 mi) · 18621 (Silkworth, 7.2 mi) · 18618 (Harveys Lake, 8.3 mi) · 18627 (8.5 mi) · 18628 (9.5 mi) · 18655 (Mocanaqua, 10 mi)
Compare ZIP-level stats — population, schools, housing, climate — across nearby areas. Source: U.S. Census Bureau ZCTA basemap.
Data sources used on this page
SourcesFresh.CDC PLACES · Apr 24, 2026Fresh.NCES CCD via Urban Institute EDP · Apr 26, 2026Fresh.HUD SAFMR · May 1, 2026
All data on this page is sourced from federal government datasets · Not AI-generated · Methodology
Health profile
Crude prevalence estimates from CDC PLACES, derived from BRFSS small-area modeling. Population-level figures only.
All Teeth Lost
12.5%
No national benchmark available.
Short Sleep Duration
38.7%
No national benchmark available.
Colorectal Cancer Screening
67.8%
No national benchmark available.
Dental Visit
66.3%
No national benchmark available.
Mammography
77.8%
No national benchmark available.
Schools in this ZIP
1 school serves this ZIP, including 1 non-charter.
| School | Type | Grades | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ross El Sch | Public | 0–6 | 196 |
Schools listed from NCES Common Core of Data via the Urban Institute Education Data Portal.
Fresh.NCES CCD via Urban Institute EDP · Apr 26, 2026Colleges & universities nearby
Colleges in this area
3
Median in-state tuition
$14,280
Median earnings (10 yr)
$63,435
- 2-Year
Luzerne County Community College
Nanticoke, PA · 18634
- In-state tuition
- $6,600
- Out-of-state tuition
- $16,260
- Acceptance rate
- —
- Graduation rate
- 22.0%
- Median earnings (10 yr)
- $40,437
- Median student debt
- $11,000
- 4-Year
Misericordia University
Dallas, PA · 18612
- In-state tuition
- $40,370
- Out-of-state tuition
- $40,370
- Acceptance rate
- 70.9%
- Graduation rate
- 70.4%
- Median earnings (10 yr)
- $64,313
- Median student debt
- $26,973
- 4-Year
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Wilkes-Barre
Dallas, PA · 18627
- In-state tuition
- $14,280
- Out-of-state tuition
- $24,006
- Acceptance rate
- 97.0%
- Graduation rate
- 19.5%
- Median earnings (10 yr)
- $63,435
- Median student debt
- $25,000
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (collegescorecard.ed.gov). Public domain data. Earnings figures reflect median earnings 10 years after entry for federally-aided students.
What these numbers say together
Sweet Valley, PA (ZIP 18656) sits in Luzerne County within the Scranton--Wilkes-Barre metro area. The page draws on 2 federal data feeds retrieved Apr 26. Health-survey coverage is limited for this ZIP. NCES lists 1 schools serving the area, 1 non-charter. 3 colleges and universities serve the area, with median in-state tuition of $14,280. IRS data shows average household income (AGI) of $67,367, well above the ~$45K national average per return. FEMA has issued 23 federal disaster declarations affecting this ZIP since 1972 — a high-frequency exposure profile. Pennsylvania levies a flat state income tax (top rate 3.07%); a household at the local median AGI of $67,367 would pay roughly $1,241/year before deductions. New residents arriving here predominantly come from Lackawanna County, PA (IRS SOI Migration, 2022-2023). Both healthcare access and on-paper school density skew lighter than national norms; what shows up here is a snapshot, not a verdict — neighborhood-level texture matters at this scale. Notable: median household income $70,556, fair market rent of $1,180 for a two-bedroom, and a typical home value of $258,601, down 1.9% over the past year. Every figure on this page links to its underlying federal dataset with a retrieval date so you can audit the freshness yourself.
Both surfaces skew lighter than national averages. That isn’t a verdict — small-area estimates compress real neighborhood-level texture, and a single ZIP reading can miss a district line or a hospital corridor sitting just outside it. Treat this as a starting point for fieldwork, not a conclusion.
Each figure on this page links to the original federal dataset with its retrieval date — this synthesis is a reading, not a substitute for the underlying records.
Frequently Asked Questions — ZIP 18656
How many schools are in ZIP 18656?
1 school serves this ZIP, including 1 public school (NCES CCD, retrieved Apr 26, 2026). No charter schools are listed in this ZIP by NCES CCD.
Does ZIP 18656 have charter schools?
No charter schools are listed in ZIP 18656 by NCES CCD (retrieved Apr 26, 2026).
Are there high schools in ZIP 18656?
No high schools are listed in this ZIP by NCES CCD (retrieved Apr 26, 2026).
What is the population of ZIP 18656?
2,224 people live in ZIP 18656, with a median age of 48.9 (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
What is the median household income in ZIP 18656?
$70,556 per year (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
Is ZIP 18656 mostly renters or homeowners?
In ZIP 18656, 92.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 7.5% are renter-occupied (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
How do people commute in ZIP 18656?
In ZIP 18656, 10.8% of workers work from home. Public transit is used by 0.0% of commuters (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
What is the poverty rate in ZIP 18656?
9.1% of the population in ZIP 18656 lives below the federal poverty line (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
What percentage of households in ZIP 18656 have broadband internet?
84.0% of households in ZIP 18656 have broadband internet access (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
What is the typical home value in ZIP 18656?
The typical home value in ZIP 18656 is $258,601, down 1.9% from a year ago (Zillow Home Value Index, retrieved May 1, 2026).
Are home values rising or falling in ZIP 18656?
Home values are down 1.9% over the past year and up 14.3% over the past five years (Zillow Home Value Index, retrieved May 1, 2026).
What is the average household income in ZIP 18656?
The average Adjusted Gross Income reported on tax returns from ZIP 18656 (Sweet Valley, PA) is $67,367 per return (IRS SOI Tax Year 2022, retrieved May 2, 2026).
How much do homeowners pay in property tax in ZIP 18656?
Tax returns from ZIP 18656 report an average of $120 per return in real-estate tax deductions (IRS SOI Tax Year 2022, retrieved May 2, 2026).
What percentage of residents in ZIP 18656 earn over $200,000?
3.6% of tax returns from ZIP 18656 (Sweet Valley, PA) report Adjusted Gross Income of $200,000 or more (IRS SOI Tax Year 2022, retrieved May 2, 2026).
How many businesses are in ZIP 18656?
As of 2022, 36 business establishments operated in ZIP 18656 employing 165 workers (Census ZIP Business Patterns, retrieved May 3, 2026).
What is the average salary in ZIP 18656?
The average annual pay across all local establishments in ZIP 18656 is $39,964, based on Census ZIP Business Patterns 2022 data (retrieved May 3, 2026).
How vulnerable is ZIP 18656 to disasters and public health emergencies?
According to the CDC Social Vulnerability Index (2022), ZIP 18656 ranks in the 27th percentile nationally for social vulnerability — a moderate vulnerability profile (retrieved May 3, 2026).
What is the biggest vulnerability factor in ZIP 18656?
Socioeconomic Status is the highest-scoring CDC SVI theme for ZIP 18656, ranking in the 39th percentile nationally (CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index 2022, retrieved May 3, 2026).
How many federally declared disasters has ZIP 18656 experienced?
FEMA has recorded 23 federal disaster declarations affecting ZIP 18656 between 1972–2021 (FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations, retrieved May 3, 2026).
What kinds of disasters most often hit ZIP 18656?
Hurricane is the most common federally declared disaster type affecting ZIP 18656, accounting for 7 of 23 declarations (30%, FEMA OpenFEMA, retrieved May 3, 2026).
What was the most recent disaster declared for ZIP 18656?
The most recent FEMA disaster declaration affecting ZIP 18656 was "REMNANTS OF HURRICANE IDA" — a hurricane declared in 2021 (DR-4618) (FEMA OpenFEMA, retrieved May 3, 2026).
What colleges are near ZIP 18656?
3 colleges and universities are listed near ZIP 18656 by the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, including Luzerne County Community College, Misericordia University, and Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Wilkes-Barre (retrieved May 2, 2026).
What is the average tuition at colleges near ZIP 18656?
Median in-state tuition across 3 nearby institutions is $14,280 (College Scorecard, retrieved May 2, 2026).
What do graduates earn from colleges near ZIP 18656?
Graduates of nearby colleges earn a median of $63,435 ten years after entry (College Scorecard, retrieved May 2, 2026).
What is the climate like in ZIP 18656?
ZIP 18656 has an average annual temperature of 47.6°F and 48.4" of annual precipitation based on the BENTON 3 NE, PA US weather station 10.7 miles from the ZIP centroid (NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals, retrieved May 8, 2026).
Does ZIP 18656 have public transit?
Yes — ZIP 18656 is part of the Hazleton, PA urbanized area, primarily served by City of Hazleton (National Transit Database 2024, retrieved May 4, 2026).
What taxes apply in ZIP 18656?
Pennsylvania has a flat income tax with a top rate of 3.07%. Households at the local median AGI of $67,367 would pay roughly $1,241 in state income tax annually (estimated, before deductions). Combined sales tax: 6.34% (Tax Foundation 2025).
Does Pennsylvania have paid family leave?
Pennsylvania has no state paid family leave program (Bipartisan Policy Center 2026).
What data is available for ZIP 18656?
This page covers health outcomes from CDC PLACES (5 metrics), school information from NCES CCD (1 school), demographics from the Census ACS 5-Year (2022), home values from the Zillow Home Value Index, colleges from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (3 institutions), income & tax statistics from the IRS SOI (Tax Year 2022), local business & employment from Census ZIP Business Patterns (2022), social vulnerability scores from the CDC/ATSDR SVI (2022), federal disaster declarations from FEMA OpenFEMA (23 on record), climate normals from NOAA NCEI (1991-2020), public transit coverage from the National Transit Database (2024), and state-level tax rates from the Tax Foundation. Data is refreshed on Mubboo's standard schedule.
How current is this data?
Health data retrieved Apr 24, 2026 from CDC PLACES. School data retrieved Apr 26, 2026 from NCES CCD. Demographics retrieved Apr 30, 2026 from Census ACS 5-Year (2022). Home values retrieved May 1, 2026 from Zillow Research. College data retrieved May 2, 2026 from U.S. Dept of Education College Scorecard. Income & tax statistics retrieved May 2, 2026 from IRS SOI (Tax Year 2022). Business & employment retrieved May 3, 2026 from Census ZBP (2022). Social vulnerability scores retrieved May 3, 2026 from CDC/ATSDR SVI (2022). Federal disaster declarations retrieved May 3, 2026 from FEMA OpenFEMA (23 on record). Climate normals retrieved May 8, 2026 from NOAA NCEI (1991-2020). Transit coverage retrieved May 4, 2026 from the National Transit Database (2024). State-level tax rates retrieved 2026-05-05 15:58:22.284+00 from the Tax Foundation.
Other ZIPs near 18656
Nearby ZIPs by distance
18636 (Noxen, 7.1 mi) · 18621 (Silkworth, 7.2 mi) · 18618 (Harveys Lake, 8.3 mi) · 18627 (8.5 mi) · 18628 (9.5 mi) · 18655 (Mocanaqua, 10 mi)
Compare ZIP-level stats — population, schools, housing, climate — across nearby areas. Source: U.S. Census Bureau ZCTA basemap.
More Info topics
Have a specific question about ZIP 18656?
Ask Mubboo — launching Q4 2026.
Data refreshed via Mubboo's ETL pipeline; oldest source on this page retrieved Apr 24, 2026.
Social Vulnerability Index
Overall SVI
27th percentile
Moderate Vulnerability
Based on 3 census tracts, population 3,437
Vulnerability Themes
Households Without Vehicle
34
Limited English Speakers
7
Persons with Disability
538
Without HS Diploma
244
Without Health Insurance
144
Adults Age 65+
869
The Social Vulnerability Index uses U.S. Census data to identify communities most at risk during public health emergencies and natural disasters. Higher percentiles indicate greater vulnerability. Tract-level scores are aggregated to this ZCTA via Census 2020 ZCTA→Tract crosswalk, weighted by land-area share. Source: atsdr.cdc.gov. Public domain.