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Neighborhood report

Wilkes-Barre, PA

Founded 1769Luzerne CountyElev. 160 m
Population
44,217
Median home
$108,000
Disaster risk
Relatively Moderate
Public schools
7
Sex offenders
0

Overview

About Wilkes-Barre

Wilkes-Barre is a city in Pennsylvania with about 44,217 residents. Wilkes-Barre was founded in 1769 and sits in Luzerne County. The median age is 35.3 and the median household income is $47,970. Homes carry a median value of $108,000, and about 49% of residents own where they live. White residents make up the largest share of the population (51.9%). Around 19% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the typical commute runs about 20 minutes.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (5-year).

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Who lives here

Demographics

Population
44,217
Median age
35.3
Median household income
$47,970
Per-capita income
$25,581
Poverty rate
21.1%
High-school grad or higher
85%
Bachelor's degree or higher
19.4%
Unemployment
8.3%
Avg. commute
20 min
Work from home
7.4%
Residents by race & ethnicity
White51.9%
Hispanic or Latino30.6%
Black11.7%
Asian2.1%
Workforce by occupation
Management, business, science & arts28.7%
Production, transportation & material moving23.1%
Service21.8%
Sales & office21.5%
Natural resources, construction & maintenance5%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (5-year).

Housing

Property report

Median home value
$108,000
Median gross rent
$939/mo
Owner-occupied
48.9%
Median year built
1943
Households
16,710
Avg. household size
2.43

Area-level figures. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS (5-year). Parcel-level records coming next.

Education

Schools

Schools: Below average

Wilkes-Barre has 7 public schools — 4 elementary, 1 middle, 1 high.

Student proficiency · grade 8, 1 school
Reading27%
Math3%

% of students at or above proficient on state assessments.

Wilkes-Barre Area CTCHighGrades 9–12
G A R MSMiddleGrades 6–8
Daniel J Flood El SchElementary
Dodson El SchElementary
Dr David W Kistler El SchElementary
Heights/Murray El SchElementary
Wolfpack Early Learning AcademyGrades -1–-1

Public schools + grade-8 proficiency. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education (NCES directory + EDFacts assessments), via Urban Institute.

Safety

Crime

violent crime7% above national
Wilkes-Barre413
Pennsylvania278
United States386
↓ 31% lower than 2019
2019–2023
property crime21% below national
Wilkes-Barre1,541
Pennsylvania1,613
United States1,952
↓ 27% lower than 2019
2019–2023

Rate per 100,000 residents/year, Wilkes-Barre Police Department, 2023. Source: FBI UCR/NIBRS (Crime Data Explorer).

Environment

Environmental hazards

11 facilities in Wilkes-Barre report releasing toxic chemicals to the EPA under the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI).

Wyman Gordon Tru-Form · Luzerne CountyThe Lion Brewery Inc · Luzerne CountyPcc Wyman-Gordon/Wilkes-Barre · Luzerne CountyCarter Footwear Inc · Luzerne CountyIntermetro Industries Corp · Luzerne CountyAir Products & Chemicals Inc · Luzerne CountySafety-Kleen Systems Hanover Township (Wbp) · Luzerne CountyGeneral Dynamics Ots (Wilkes-Barre) Llc · Luzerne CountyGeneral Dynamics Ots (Wilkes-Barre) Llc - Hanover Facility · Luzerne CountyEberhard Faber Inc (Faber-Castell Corp) · Luzerne CountyMuskin Inc · Luzerne County

Facilities reporting to the EPA Toxics Release Inventory. Source: U.S. EPA Envirofacts (TRI).

Risk

Natural disaster risk

Relatively Moderate
Top hazards · Luzerne County
Winter weatherVery High
Cold waveRelatively High
Ice stormRelatively High
LightningRelatively High
Riverine floodingRelatively High
Heat waveRelatively Moderate

County-level natural-hazard risk. Source: FEMA National Risk Index.

Context

Neighborhood info

Wilkes-Barre is in Luzerne County — see county-wide risk, demographics, and registry.

Wilkes-Barre was founded in 1769 and sits in Luzerne County. Elevation ~160 m.

Population trend
90K38K44,21719402024
Map of Wilkes-Barre
Wilkes-Barre, PA
Where Wilkes-Barre is
PhiladelphiaPittsburghAllentownReadingErieBethlehemWilkes-Barre
Historic places

13 on the National Register of Historic Places.

Weiss HallMcClintock HallLuzerne County CourthouseGuthrie, George W., SchoolComerford TheaterCatlin Hall, Wilkes CollegeCentral Railroad of New Jersey StationWest End Wheelmen's Club
Notable people from Wilkes-Barre
William Daniel PhillipsJoseph L. MankiewiczEdward B. LewisMary McDonnellDavid BohmFlorence Foster JenkinsGeorge CatlinFranz KlineJames KarenHarley Jane Kozak
People searches in Wilkes-Barre
Michael Smith (7)John Smith (6)James Smith (6)David Smith (5)Robert Smith (5)Michael Johnson (5)John Johnson (5)James Johnson (5)Michael Williams (4)William Smith (4)David Johnson (4)Robert Johnson (4)John Williams (4)Michael Brown (4)Michael Jones (4)James Williams (4)David Williams (4)John Brown (4)Robert Williams (4)John Jones (4)William Johnson (3)Mary Smith (3)James Brown (3)James Jones (3)
Nearby cities
Scranton (15 mi)Dunmore (18 mi)Hazleton (21 mi)Pottsville (43 mi)Allentown (50 mi)Bethlehem (50 mi)

Public records

Incarceration records — Luzerne County

Most-recorded names in Luzerne County booking & incarceration records:

Jose Sanchez (2)Alexander Thomas (1)Brian Smith (1)Allen Watson (1)Andre Edwards (1)Andrew Carter (1)Anthony Moore (1)Andrew Woodham (1)Andy Rodriguez (1)Angel Sanchez (1)Anthony Gutierrez (1)Anthony Jackson (1)Anthony Johnson (1)Anthony King (1)Andrew Ortiz (1)Anthony Perez (1)Anthony Spudis (1)Anthron Green (1)Anton Bennett (1)Antwon Bickerstaff (1)Argenis Lopez (1)Arnetta Jackson (1)Basheir Edwards (1)Bj Reaves (1)

Names with the most public booking/incarceration records in the county. Source: state & county correctional rosters (first-party).

Common questions

Wilkes-Barre — frequently asked

What is the population of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania?
Wilkes-Barre has a population of about 44,217, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (5-year).
What is the average home value in Wilkes-Barre?
The median home value in Wilkes-Barre is $108,000, and the median gross rent is $939/month (U.S. Census ACS).
Is Wilkes-Barre safe? What is the crime rate?
Wilkes-Barre Police Department reported a violent-crime rate of about 413 per 100,000 residents in 2023 — higher than the U.S. rate of 386. Source: FBI UCR/NIBRS.
What natural-disaster risks does Wilkes-Barre face?
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Luzerne County as "Relatively Moderate" overall, with top hazards including winter weather, cold wave, ice storm.
How many schools are in Wilkes-Barre?
Wilkes-Barre has 7 public schools (4 elementary, 1 middle, 1 high). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education, NCES.
How many registered sex offenders are in Wilkes-Barre?
Public registry data lists 0 registered sex offenders in or near Wilkes-Barre. This is neighborhood-safety information from the public state registry.
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