Population & age
- Total population
- 42,768
- Median age
- 38.2
Wilkes-Barre, PA (18702)
Luzerne County · Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA · Population 42,768
Fresh.Data current as of Apr 24, 2026
Wilkes-Barre, PA (ZIP 18702) 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 7 schools serving the area, 7 non-charter. 4 colleges and universities serve the area, with median in-state tuition of $43,496. 26% of returns claim the Earned Income Tax Credit (IRS), a higher share than most ZIPs. FEMA has issued 23 federal disaster declarations affecting this ZIP since 1972 — a high-frequency exposure profile. 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 $53,294, fair market rent of $1,230 for a two-bedroom, and a typical home value of $168,251, up 3.1% 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.
Demographics
Race & ethnicity
- White
- 63.6%
- Black
- 12.1%
- Asian
- 2.3%
- Hispanic / Latino
- 24.1%
- Other / multi-racial
- 21.5%
Income & housing
- Median household income
- $53,294
- Median home value
- $107,200
Education
- Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+)
- 21.4%
Employment
- Unemployment rate
- 8.0%
Housing
- Owner-occupied
- 9,652(56.7%)
- Renter-occupied
- 7,369(43.3%)
- Vacant units
- 2,897
- Built (median)
- 1952
Commute
- Public transit
- 276(1.5%)
- Work from home
- 1,424(7.5%)
- Avg commute
- 19.0 min
Economic wellbeing
- Below poverty line
- 7,821(19.2%)
- Uninsured
- 762(1.8%)
Digital access
- Broadband access
- 14,405(84.6%)
- No broadband
- 2,616(15.4%)
Language & nativity
- Foreign-born
- 5,263(12.3%)
- Non-English at home
- 8,286(20.6%)
Fair Market Rent
Fresh.HUD SAFMR · May 1, 2026Studio
$850
/month
1 Bed
$1,010
/month
2 Bed
$1,230
/month
3 Bed
$1,600
/month
4 Bed
$1,740
/month
HUD Fair Market Rents represent the 40th percentile of standard-quality rental housing in this area. FY2026 data.
Home values
Typical home value
$168,251
Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI) · as of March 2026
Year-over-year change
+3.1%
vs. March 2025
5-year change
+57.9%
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
18,800
Average AGI
$51,669
Avg property tax
$89
EITC participation
26.0%
Income distribution
- $1 – $25,00037.3% · 7,010
- $25,000 – $50,00030.9% · 5,810
- $50,000 – $75,00013.9% · 2,610
- $75,000 – $100,0006.9% · 1,290
- $100,000 – $200,0008.6% · 1,610
- $200,000 or more2.5% · 470
Avg mortgage interest
$81
Avg charitable contribution
$157
Avg capital gains
$1,361
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 $971.4M across all reported brackets.
Business & employment
Business establishments
1,137
Total employment
22,612
Annual payroll
$970.3M
Average annual pay
$42,910
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.
Banking access
FDIC-insured bank branches
9
Typical banking access
A standard suburban / mid-density branch count for this area.
Total deposits
$1.8B
across all branches in this ZIP
Distinct institutions
9
different banks operating here
Top banks by deposits in this ZIP
- 1.Manufacturers and Traders Trust Company$743.8M · 1 branch
- 2.PNC Bank, National Association$418.2M · 1 branch
- 3.Community Bank, National Association$139.0M · 1 branch
Based on FDIC-insured branch offices as of June 30, 2024.
Source: FDIC Summary of Deposits (fdic.gov). Annual June-30 snapshot of every FDIC-insured branch and the deposits booked there. Figures cover all institutions reporting a branch address in this ZIP.
Community health centers
Federally funded health-center sites
6
Strong health-center coverage
Several federally funded community health centers operate here, giving residents real choice in primary-care providers.
FQHC sites
1
federally qualified
Look-Alike sites
5
FQHC equivalents
Avg hours / week
56.8
across sites in this ZIP
Sites in this ZIP
- 1.HR Building
- 2.RURAL HEALTH CORPORATION OF NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA
- 3.Conyngham Primary Health Care Center and Building A
+ 3 more sites in this ZIP
Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Look-Alike sites provide primary care on a sliding-fee scale, regardless of ability to pay. Active sites only; data refreshed 2026.
Source: HRSA Bureau of Primary Health Care (data.hrsa.gov). Per-ZIP counts of active service-delivery sites operated by Health Center Program grantees and Look-Alike organizations.
Alternative-fuel stations
Public EV charging stations
16
Strong EV charging coverage
A robust public-charging footprint, including multiple networks. EV ownership is straightforward even without a home charger.
Level 2 ports
33
AC charging — workplace, retail, home
DC Fast ports
0
Highway-class fast charging
Charging networks
- Blink Network
- ChargePoint Network
- EV Connect
- + 4 more networks
Propane (LPG)
1
Propane autogas
Other
1
Biodiesel, E85, LNG, RD
Active public stations only. Snapshot taken 2026; AFDC's underlying registry refreshes continuously as stations open and close.
Source: U.S. Department of Energy via NREL (afdc.energy.gov). Per-ZIP counts of active public alternative-fuel stations (electric, hydrogen, propane, CNG, biodiesel, E85, LNG, renewable diesel) and EV charging-port totals.
Public libraries
Public-library outlets
1
Single library outlet
One public-library outlet serves this ZIP — typical of suburban and small-town areas. Card holders also have full access to the rest of the system's branches.
Buildings
1
1 branch
Avg hours / week
20
across outlets in this ZIP
Avg square feet
2,700
per outlet
Outlets in this ZIP
- 1.South Branch Library
Public libraries provide free WiFi, computer access, children's programming, job-seeking resources, and meeting space — community infrastructure beyond books. FY2023 outlet inventory from the federal Public Libraries Survey.
Source: Institute of Museum and Library Services (imls.gov). Per-ZIP counts of active public-library outlets — central buildings, branches, and bookmobiles — operated by federally reporting library systems.
Social Vulnerability Index
Overall SVI
71st percentile
High Vulnerability
Based on 22 census tracts, population 45,715
Vulnerability Themes
- Socioeconomic Status67th percentile
- Household Characteristics77th percentile
- Racial & Ethnic Minority Status53rd percentile
- Housing Type & Transportation64th percentile
Households Without Vehicle
2,940
Limited English Speakers
2,268
Persons with Disability
7,232
Without HS Diploma
4,133
Without Health Insurance
3,547
Adults Age 65+
7,764
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.
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.
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.
Data sources used on this page
Health profile
Crude prevalence estimates from CDC PLACES, derived from BRFSS small-area modeling. Population-level figures only.
All Teeth Lost
17.1%
No national benchmark available.
Short Sleep Duration
41.4%
No national benchmark available.
Colorectal Cancer Screening
64.3%
No national benchmark available.
Dental Visit
56.8%
No national benchmark available.
Mammography
73.8%
No national benchmark available.
Schools in this ZIP
7 schools serve this ZIP, including 7 non-charter.
| School | Type | Grades | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|
| G A R Memorial JSHS | Public | 7–12 | 979 |
| Dr David W Kistler El Sch | Public | 0–6 | 891 |
| Heights/Murray El Sch | Public | 0–6 | 884 |
| Elmer L Meyers JSHS | Public | 7–12 | 883 |
| Dodson El Sch | Public | 0–6 | 522 |
Showing top 5 by enrollment. 2 more schools serve this ZIP.
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
4
Median in-state tuition
$43,496
Median earnings (10 yr)
$54,102
- 4-Year
Wilkes University
Wilkes-Barre, PA · 18766
- In-state tuition
- $43,496
- Out-of-state tuition
- $43,496
- Acceptance rate
- 90.6%
- Graduation rate
- 61.8%
- Median earnings (10 yr)
- $63,454
- Median student debt
- $26,000
- 4-Year
King's College
Wilkes-Barre, PA · 18711
- In-state tuition
- $44,100
- Out-of-state tuition
- $44,100
- Acceptance rate
- 93.1%
- Graduation rate
- 60.0%
- Median earnings (10 yr)
- $59,498
- Median student debt
- $27,000
- Certificate
Wilkes-Barre Area Career and Technical Center Practical Nursing
Wilkes Barre, PA · 18705
- In-state tuition
- —
- Out-of-state tuition
- —
- Acceptance rate
- 79.3%
- Graduation rate
- 44.2%
- Median earnings (10 yr)
- $48,705
- Median student debt
- $17,678
- Certificate
Fortis Institute-Forty Fort
Forty Fort, PA · 18704
- In-state tuition
- $13,955
- Out-of-state tuition
- $13,955
- Acceptance rate
- —
- Graduation rate
- 64.9%
- Median earnings (10 yr)
- $30,224
- Median student debt
- $9,500
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
Wilkes-Barre, PA (ZIP 18702) 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 7 schools serving the area, 7 non-charter. 4 colleges and universities serve the area, with median in-state tuition of $43,496. 26% of returns claim the Earned Income Tax Credit (IRS), a higher share than most ZIPs. FEMA has issued 23 federal disaster declarations affecting this ZIP since 1972 — a high-frequency exposure profile. 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 $53,294, fair market rent of $1,230 for a two-bedroom, and a typical home value of $168,251, up 3.1% 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 18702
How many schools are in ZIP 18702?
7 schools serve this ZIP, including 7 public schools (NCES CCD, retrieved Apr 26, 2026). No charter schools are listed in this ZIP by NCES CCD.
Does ZIP 18702 have charter schools?
No charter schools are listed in ZIP 18702 by NCES CCD (retrieved Apr 26, 2026).
Are there high schools in ZIP 18702?
Yes, 3 high schools serve this ZIP: G A R Memorial Jshs, Elmer L Meyers Jshs, Wilkes-Barre Area Sd Stem Academy. (NCES CCD, retrieved Apr 26, 2026).
What is the population of ZIP 18702?
42,768 people live in ZIP 18702, with a median age of 38.2 (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
What is the median household income in ZIP 18702?
$53,294 per year (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
Is ZIP 18702 mostly renters or homeowners?
In ZIP 18702, 56.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 43.3% are renter-occupied (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
How do people commute in ZIP 18702?
In ZIP 18702, 7.5% of workers work from home. Public transit is used by 1.5% of commuters (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
What is the poverty rate in ZIP 18702?
19.2% of the population in ZIP 18702 lives below the federal poverty line (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
What percentage of households in ZIP 18702 have broadband internet?
84.6% of households in ZIP 18702 have broadband internet access (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
What is the typical home value in ZIP 18702?
The typical home value in ZIP 18702 is $168,251, up 3.1% from a year ago (Zillow Home Value Index, retrieved May 1, 2026).
Are home values rising or falling in ZIP 18702?
Home values are up 3.1% over the past year and up 57.9% over the past five years (Zillow Home Value Index, retrieved May 1, 2026).
What is the average household income in ZIP 18702?
The average Adjusted Gross Income reported on tax returns from ZIP 18702 (Wilkes-Barre, PA) is $51,669 per return (IRS SOI Tax Year 2022, retrieved May 2, 2026).
How much do homeowners pay in property tax in ZIP 18702?
Tax returns from ZIP 18702 report an average of $89 per return in real-estate tax deductions (IRS SOI Tax Year 2022, retrieved May 2, 2026).
What percentage of residents in ZIP 18702 earn over $200,000?
2.5% of tax returns from ZIP 18702 (Wilkes-Barre, 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 18702?
As of 2022, 1,137 business establishments operated in ZIP 18702 employing 22,612 workers (Census ZIP Business Patterns, retrieved May 3, 2026).
What is the average salary in ZIP 18702?
The average annual pay across all local establishments in ZIP 18702 is $42,910, based on Census ZIP Business Patterns 2022 data (retrieved May 3, 2026).
How vulnerable is ZIP 18702 to disasters and public health emergencies?
According to the CDC Social Vulnerability Index (2022), ZIP 18702 ranks in the 71th percentile nationally for social vulnerability — a high vulnerability profile (retrieved May 3, 2026).
What is the biggest vulnerability factor in ZIP 18702?
Household Characteristics is the highest-scoring CDC SVI theme for ZIP 18702, ranking in the 77th percentile nationally (CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index 2022, retrieved May 3, 2026).
How many federally declared disasters has ZIP 18702 experienced?
FEMA has recorded 23 federal disaster declarations affecting ZIP 18702 between 1972–2021 (FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations, retrieved May 3, 2026).
What kinds of disasters most often hit ZIP 18702?
Hurricane is the most common federally declared disaster type affecting ZIP 18702, accounting for 7 of 23 declarations (30%, FEMA OpenFEMA, retrieved May 3, 2026).
What was the most recent disaster declared for ZIP 18702?
The most recent FEMA disaster declaration affecting ZIP 18702 was "REMNANTS OF HURRICANE IDA" — a hurricane declared in 2021 (DR-4618) (FEMA OpenFEMA, retrieved May 3, 2026).
What colleges are near ZIP 18702?
4 colleges and universities are listed near ZIP 18702 by the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, including Wilkes University, King'S College, and Wilkes-Barre Area Career And Technical Center Practical Nursing (retrieved May 2, 2026).
What is the average tuition at colleges near ZIP 18702?
Median in-state tuition across 4 nearby institutions is $43,496 (College Scorecard, retrieved May 2, 2026).
What do graduates earn from colleges near ZIP 18702?
Graduates of nearby colleges earn a median of $54,102 ten years after entry (College Scorecard, retrieved May 2, 2026).
What data is available for ZIP 18702?
This page covers health outcomes from CDC PLACES (5 metrics), school information from NCES CCD (7 schools), 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 (4 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), and federal disaster declarations from FEMA OpenFEMA (23 on record). 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).
More Info topics
Nearby ZIPs: more ZIP code profiles launching Q3 2026.
Have a specific question about ZIP 18702?
Ask Mubboo — launching Q4 2026.
Data refreshed via Mubboo's ETL pipeline; oldest source on this page retrieved Apr 24, 2026.