Hazleton vs Wilkes-Barre
Hazleton, Pennsylvania versus Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Hazleton and Wilkes-Barre score about the same overall (53 vs 54 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Hazleton | Wilkes-Barre |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $39k | $47k |
| Cost of Living | $43k | $43k |
| Home Value | $120k | $98k |
| Monthly Rent | $970 | $897 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.42% | 2.12% |
| Income Tax | 4.60% | 4.90% |
| Sales Tax | 6.34% | 6.34% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 11.00% | 11.47% |
| Unemployment | 6.9% | 8.4% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 27°F | 27°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 72°F | 72°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.1 in | 45.4 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 41.5 in | 45.1 in |
| Sunny Days | 204 days | 204 days |
| Summer Humidity | 61°F | 61°F |
| Comfortable Days | 83 days | 91 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 14.4 | 33.5 |
| Air Quality | 49 AQI | 43 AQI |
| School Quality | 65.7 | 96.8 |
| Violent Crime | 562/100k | 2104/100k |
| Property Crime | 967/100k | 1611/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 29,671 | 44,123 |
| Median Age | 37.1 | 34.3 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.65 | 0.60 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.05 | 0.96 |
| Political Leaning | R+15 | R+15 |
| White (%) | 34.1% | 54.5% |
| Black (%) | 2.8% | 10.4% |
| Hispanic (%) | 62.2% | 29.1% |
| Asian (%) | 0.0% | 2.1% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 0.9% | 3.9% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 23 min | 20 min |
| Walkability | 9.3/20 | 9.6/20 |
| Airport Distance | 84 mi | 97 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 81.3% | 83.3% |
| Amenities Nearby | 33.37 | 93.15 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Excellent |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Hazleton or Wilkes-Barre more affordable?
- Wilkes-Barre has the lower cost of living: its index is $43k, compared with Hazleton's $43k and Wilkes-Barre's $43k. Median rent is $970 in Hazleton versus $897 in Wilkes-Barre.
- Is Hazleton or Wilkes-Barre safer?
- Hazleton has the lower violent crime rate. Hazleton reports 562/100k and Wilkes-Barre reports 2104/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Hazleton or Wilkes-Barre?
- The median home value is $120k in Hazleton and $98k in Wilkes-Barre, so homes are more affordable in Wilkes-Barre.