Wilkes-Barre vs Williamsport
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania versus Williamsport, Pennsylvania: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Wilkes-Barre and Williamsport score about the same overall (54 vs 52 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Wilkes-Barre | Williamsport |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $47k | $48k |
| Cost of Living | $43k | $43k |
| Home Value | $98k | $136k |
| Monthly Rent | $897 | $795 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 2.12% | 2.04% |
| Income Tax | 4.90% | 4.85% |
| Sales Tax | 6.34% | 6.34% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 11.47% | 12.68% |
| Unemployment | 8.4% | 6.5% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 27°F | 28°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 72°F | 73°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 45.4 in | 43.6 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 45.1 in | 32.6 in |
| Sunny Days | 204 days | 200 days |
| Summer Humidity | 61°F | 62°F |
| Comfortable Days | 91 days | 89 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 33.5 | 23.6 |
| Air Quality | 43 AQI | 41 AQI |
| School Quality | 96.8 | 77.5 |
| Violent Crime | 2104/100k | 771/100k |
| Property Crime | 1611/100k | 1524/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 44,123 | 27,755 |
| Median Age | 34.3 | 30.3 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.60 | 0.38 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.96 | 1.01 |
| Political Leaning | R+15 | R+42 |
| White (%) | 54.5% | 76.6% |
| Black (%) | 10.4% | 13.1% |
| Hispanic (%) | 29.1% | 2.6% |
| Asian (%) | 2.1% | 1.4% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.9% | 6.2% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 20 min | 17 min |
| Walkability | 9.6/20 | 9.0/20 |
| Airport Distance | 97 mi | 134 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 83.3% | 86.0% |
| Amenities Nearby | 93.15 | 28.82 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Moderate |
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 Wilkes-Barre or Williamsport more affordable?
- Wilkes-Barre has the lower cost of living: its index is $43k, compared with Wilkes-Barre's $43k and Williamsport's $43k. Median rent is $897 in Wilkes-Barre versus $795 in Williamsport.
- Is Wilkes-Barre or Williamsport safer?
- Williamsport has the lower violent crime rate. Wilkes-Barre reports 2104/100k and Williamsport reports 771/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Wilkes-Barre or Williamsport?
- The median home value is $98k in Wilkes-Barre and $136k in Williamsport, so homes are more affordable in Wilkes-Barre.