Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Among the top 17% of US places for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade C, better than 46% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade C, better than 38% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B, better than 60% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B+, better than 83% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B+, better than 74% of US places
- top 3% for park & nature access
- top 13% for natural disaster risk
- bottom 7% for violent crime
Wilkes-Barre is a mid-size city in Pennsylvania with about 44,000 residents. It grades B+ for getting around and C for weather. Standout strengths include park & nature access, natural disaster risk, and commute time. It rates lower on property tax rate and violent crime.
Official websitewilkes-barre.pa.us (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Heavy snow
very cold
cold
cool
comf.
warm
comf.
cool
cold
v.cold
71%42%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.4 in3.0 in
humid 92%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$47k22nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$43kbetter than 81% of US places
Home Value$98k23rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$897better than 52% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 65% of US places
Property Tax Rate2.12%better than 8% of US places
Income Tax4.90%better than 52% of US places
State 3.10% + Local 1.80%
Sales Tax6.34%better than 77% of US places
Estimated total tax burden11.47%better than 32% of US places
Unemployment8.4%better than 18% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)27°F30th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)72°F26th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation45.4 in62nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall45.1 inbetter than 17% of US places
Sunny Days204 daysbetter than 23% of US places
Summer Humidity61°Fbetter than 67% of US places
Comfortable Days91 daysbetter than 72% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk33.5better than 87% of US places
Air Quality43 AQIbetter than 67% of US places
School Quality96.8better than 84% of US places
Violent Crime2104/100kbetter than 7% of US places
Property Crime1611/100kbetter than 28% of US places
Community
Population44,12397th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age34.320th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.6093rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9645th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+1540th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)54.5%20th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)10.4%84th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)29.1%90th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)2.1%80th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)3.9%61st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time20 minbetter than 85% of US places
Walkability9.6/20better than 84% of US places
Airport Distance97 mibetter than 39% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access83.3%better than 40% of US places
Amenities Nearby93.15better than 53% of US places
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 97% of US places
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Wilkes-Barre an affordable place to live?
- Wilkes-Barre is relatively affordable. Its cost-of-living index is $43k, better than 81% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Wilkes-Barre?
- The median home value in Wilkes-Barre is $98k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Wilkes-Barre?
- Median household income in Wilkes-Barre is $47k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Wilkes-Barre?
- Median gross rent in Wilkes-Barre is $897 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Wilkes-Barre safe?
- Wilkes-Barre is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 2104/100k (better than 7%). Property crime is 1611/100k.
- What is the weather like in Wilkes-Barre?
- Wilkes-Barre averages 72°F in July and 27°F in January, with 45.4 in of annual precipitation and about 204 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Wilkes-Barre?
- Public-school quality in Wilkes-Barre is above average, scoring better than 84% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Wilkes-Barre?
- The average one-way commute in Wilkes-Barre is 20 min.
Other places in Luzerne County
Places near Wilkes-Barre
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Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)