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Wilkes-Barre, PA Area Profile

Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania Area, PA

Cost of Living

A quick read on everyday affordability around Wilkes-Barre, with the main cost drivers separated for scanning.

Composite Index

95.8

Grocery Index

9.1

Housing Index

8.6

Transportation Index

7.2

Cost of living summary
MetricValue
Composite cost index95.8
Grocery index9.1
Housing index8.6
Transportation index7.2

What to Watch

  • The first pass on Wilkes-Barre should separate fixed housing costs from bills that move month to month.
  • Home values are comparatively low, but maintenance, taxes, and utilities still matter.
  • Use Georgetown, PA as a same-state comparison point before treating one PA value as typical.
View Pennsylvania cost of living report

Utilities

Monthly utility patterns and baseline household costs for power, water, gas, and fuel.

Electric Rate Consumption

Monthly electric index
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
222834456274485667826157

Water Consumption

Monthly water index
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
664844363026343733554958

Gas Rate (CCF)

Monthly gas index
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
283643526147556349455257
Everyday utility costs
MetricValue
Electricity rate$0.209/kWh
Gasoline price$3.28/gal
Water bill avg$48/mo
Gas rate$1.18/CCF
View Pennsylvania utilities report

Demographics

Population, age mix, education, and income context for understanding the local community.

Population Age Pyramid

Age mix index
Age bandMaleFemale
0-96864
10-197571
20-348378
35-499290
50-6410097
65-748488
75+7279

Income Distribution

Income bracket index
BracketIndex
Under $35k72
$35k-$49k88
$50k-$74k100
$75k-$99k79
$100k+52

Annual Income Distribution

Median household$63,200
Per capita$33,900
Poverty rate9.8%
Community snapshot
MeasureEstimate
Population44,217
Median age35.3
Bachelor+19.4%

Schools

School performance and classroom context in a compact local snapshot.

Test Score Trends

Test score trend
201920202021202220232024
424851575964

Grocery Index

9.1

Housing Index

8.6

Transportation Index

7.2

Utility Index

7.9

School snapshot
IndicatorValue
Math proficiency53%
Reading proficiency58%
Student-teacher ratio14:1

Helpful Context

  • Use the school section as a local screen for Wilkes-Barre, then confirm campus-level details before making decisions.
  • A single score rarely explains the full school picture for Wilkes-Barre; program fit and attendance zones matter too.
  • Nearby city pages can help separate Wilkes-Barre-specific signals from broader Pennsylvania patterns.

Local Economy

A simple labor-market snapshot showing local job mix, wages, and workforce size.

Industry Job Types

Industry job mix
IndustryShareIndex
Manufacturing31%74
Agriculture26%64
Healthcare19%52
Retail14%39
Other Services10%31
Local economy snapshot
MetricValue
Unemployment4.2%
Median wage$47,970
Labor force264

Climate

Winter avg: 15 degrees F - Summer avg: 82 degrees F - Snowfall: 43 in

Local Takeaways

  • Compare Wilkes-Barre with Georgetown, PA to see whether wages and housing are moving in the same direction.
  • The median household income value is $47,970 when ACS data is available for this place.
  • Use the economy card with housing and taxes to judge whether Wilkes-Barre works for a specific household budget.

Real Estate

Home values, property taxes, and rental context in one housing-focused snapshot.

Median Home Value Trend

Median home value trend
201920202021202220232024
$154k$161k$172k$181k$186k$189k

Property Tax Breakdown

  • County levy: 42%
  • School district: 34%
  • City/other: 24%
Housing and tax snapshot
IndicatorValue
Median home value$108,000
Median property tax paid$2,136
Estimated state sales tax rate7.39%
Rent (2-bed)$939/mo
View Pennsylvania property tax report

Climate

A compact view of weather patterns and natural-risk context for the area.

Avg High (Jul)82°F
Avg Low (Jan)8°F
Humidity72%

Climate Snapshot

Reference
Now--
Condition--
Wind--
Today--

Climate context is provided for planning and comparison.

Climate snapshot
MeasureValue
Sunny days196
Annual snowfall43 in
NOAA hazard risk scoreModerate

Planning Notes

  • Seasonal weather can change the practical cost picture in Wilkes-Barre, especially for heating, cooling, and maintenance.
  • Utility planning matters because electricity is above many state baselines, so seasonal usage can matter.
  • Compare climate and insurance sections together before using Wilkes-Barre as a relocation shortlist.

Insurance

Location-based risk and cost pressure signals that can affect insurance pricing.

Risk IndexModerate
Weather RiskMedium
Cost PressureLow
Insurance summary
IndicatorEstimate
Insurance cost index95
NOAA hazard risk scoreModerate
Primary local riskWinter weather

What Affects Rates

  • Electricity is above many state baselines, so seasonal usage can matter and may indirectly affect household operating costs.
  • Local claims history, coverage limits, deductibles, and property condition can outweigh broad PA averages.
  • Compare with Georgetown, PA for a broader read on Pennsylvania insurance pressure.
View Pennsylvania insurance report

Wilkes-Barre Facts

Fast factual reference points for Wilkes-Barre, combining available ACS, EIA, and BLS signals.

Wilkes-Barre, PA facts
FactValueSource context
Population44,217ACS place estimate
Median household income$47,970ACS household estimate
Median home value$108,000ACS housing estimate
Median age35.3ACS demographic estimate
Bachelor+ share19.4%ACS education estimate
Residential electric rate$0.209/kWhEIA state residential rate

Helpful Context

  • The utility fact uses the current state residential benchmark because electricity is above many state baselines, so seasonal usage can matter.
  • City-specific ACS values are used when the place matches; state-level API values fill statewide measures.
  • Use these facts as a fast PA screen before checking address-level records or provider quotes.

Wilkes-Barre Local Data Brief

This section is generated from cached city metrics and clearly labeled state-level benchmarks. It is meant to make the Wilkes-Barre page less generic and more useful for comparing housing, income, utilities, taxes, insurance, demographics, and nearby alternatives.

Wilkes-Barre, PA local metrics and source context
MetricValueHow to read it
Population44,217Wilkes-Barre is treated as a smaller-city place for comparison.
Median household income$47,970Income is more constrained, so utilities, rent, and taxes deserve extra attention.
Median home value$108,000Home values are comparatively low, but maintenance, taxes, and utilities still matter.
Two-bedroom rent$939/moRent gives a renter-side affordability baseline beside owner costs.
Median property tax paid$2,136Property tax should be read with mortgage, insurance, and home value.
Residential electric rate$0.209/kWhThis is a state-level EIA benchmark, not a city utility quote.
Unemployment4.2%This is a state-level BLS labor-market benchmark.
Median age35.3Age mix can affect housing demand, commute needs, and school planning.
Bachelor+ share19.4%Education mix can help frame labor-market and school-context questions.

Affordability Summary

Population is 44,217, so Wilkes-Barre should be compared with similar-size places before using broader Pennsylvania averages. Median household income is $47,970, so the best affordability read for Wilkes-Barre is income versus housing, taxes, utilities, and insurance together.

Median home value is $108,000, so ownership costs in Wilkes-Barre should be checked with mortgage, property tax, insurance, and maintenance assumptions. Two-bedroom rent is $939/mo, so renters can compare Wilkes-Barre against ownership costs and nearby rental markets.

Housing and Income Context

For Wilkes-Barre, income is more constrained, so utilities, rent, and taxes deserve extra attention. Home values are comparatively low, but maintenance, taxes, and utilities still matter.

Use the home value, rent, and income fields together before deciding whether Wilkes-Barre looks more favorable for renting, buying, or comparing with Georgetown, PA.

Utility Cost Context

The residential electricity benchmark is $0.209/kWh, so Wilkes-Barre households should treat usage, home size, heating, and cooling as the practical bill drivers. The electricity value shown for Wilkes-Barre is a Pennsylvania state-level EIA benchmark, so it should not be read as a local provider tariff.

For Wilkes-Barre, utility planning is stronger when the electric benchmark is paired with home age, square footage, insulation, HVAC equipment, and household occupancy.

Property Tax Context

Median property tax paid is $2,136, so Wilkes-Barre buyers should still verify parcel-specific tax records before budgeting. Parcel boundaries, exemptions, school districts, and reassessment rules can move the actual bill for a Wilkes-Barre address.

Compare the property tax field with home value rather than reading it by itself; a lower tax bill can still pair with a different assessment base or exemption profile.

Insurance and Risk Context

Insurance costs in Wilkes-Barre depend on address-level factors such as roof condition, structure age, coverage limits, claims history, deductible choice, and carrier underwriting.

Home value, tax burden, and insurance exposure should be reviewed together for Wilkes-Barre, especially when comparing with Georgetown, PA.

Population and Demographics

Median age is 35.3, so Wilkes-Barre may have different school, commute, healthcare, and housing demand patterns than a statewide average. Bachelor+ share is 19.4%, so Wilkes-Barre education context can be useful when reading labor-market and school sections.

Unemployment is 4.2%, so Wilkes-Barre wage and job-market context should be compared with commute options and regional employment centers.

Nearby Pennsylvania comparison pages
PlacePopulationHome valueElectric benchmark
Georgetown, PA269$166k$0.209/kWh
Kingston, PA13,333$164k$0.209/kWh
Edwardsville, PA4,917$114k$0.209/kWh
Forty Fort, PA4,235$163k$0.209/kWh

Source Notes

  • City-specific Census ACS values are used when a matching place row exists in the cached city metrics file.
  • Electricity and unemployment fields are state-level EIA and BLS benchmarks, so they are labeled as planning context rather than city quotes.
  • The page should be used as a comparison screen before checking provider rates, parcel records, insurance quotes, school boundaries, and address-level details for Wilkes-Barre.

Wilkes-Barre Cost Drill-Down

This dashboard keeps the fast local overview on one page, while the linked category reports go deeper into one decision at a time. For Wilkes-Barre, the strongest local signals in the current cache are population 44,217, median household income $47,970, median home value $108,000, rent $939/mo, property tax paid $2,136, and the Pennsylvania residential electric benchmark $0.209/kWh.

Wilkes-Barre category drill-down links and metric context
CategoryPrimary valueSecond valueWhy it matters here
Cost of living $47,970 $108,000 Wilkes-Barre affordability is mostly a housing-versus-income read: income is more constrained, so utilities, rent, and taxes deserve extra attention and home values are comparatively low, but maintenance, taxes, and utilities still matter.
Utility costs $0.209/kWh $939/mo Wilkes-Barre utility planning should pair the Pennsylvania electric benchmark with home size, cooling load, appliance use, and occupancy.
Property taxes $2,136 $108k Wilkes-Barre tax planning should compare the tax-paid field with home value, exemptions, assessment rules, and parcel-level records.
Insurance costs 35.3 19.4% Wilkes-Barre insurance context should be read with housing age, replacement cost, roof condition, claim history, and nearby risk patterns.

Budget Fit

Wilkes-Barre should be read as a smaller-city place where income, home value, rent, taxes, utilities, and insurance need to be checked together. Income is more constrained, so utilities, rent, and taxes deserve extra attention, and home values are comparatively low, but maintenance, taxes, and utilities still matter.

Monthly Bills

The electricity value on this page is a Pennsylvania state-level EIA benchmark, not a city utility tariff. For Wilkes-Barre, that benchmark becomes useful when paired with home square footage, cooling load, HVAC age, insulation, and household usage.

Ownership Costs

Median property tax paid is $2,136 and median home value is $108,000. That makes the ownership read stronger than a single price estimate because taxes, insurance, maintenance, and financing terms can move the real monthly cost.

Comparison Angle

Use Georgetown, PA as a local comparison before using a broad PA average. The nearby table below keeps the comparison tied to home value, taxes, and electric benchmarks instead of alphabetical city links.

Labor and Demographics

Unemployment is 4.2%, median age is 35.3, and bachelor-plus share is 19.4%. These fields help frame school demand, commute patterns, wage fit, and service-provider availability around Wilkes-Barre.

Source Discipline

City-specific ACS values are used where the place matches the cache. State-level EIA and BLS fields are labeled as benchmarks, so this page does not pretend those values are address-level or city-utility quotes.

Nearby comparison context for Wilkes-Barre
PlaceDistanceHome valueProperty taxElectric benchmark
Georgetown, PA 1 mi $166k $2,136 $0.209/kWh
Kingston, PA 1 mi $164k $2,606 $0.209/kWh
Edwardsville, PA 2 mi $114k $2,025 $0.209/kWh
Forty Fort, PA 2 mi $163k $2,683 $0.209/kWh
Plains, PA 2 mi $142k $2,218 $0.209/kWh

Data Freshness

This Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania dashboard was generated on 2026-06-18. The city metrics cache was refreshed on 2026-06-16; the nearby-city coordinate cache was refreshed on 2026-06-17.

  • City metrics: Census ACS place fields are city-specific where a matching place record exists.
  • State benchmarks: EIA electricity and BLS unemployment values are state-level context, not city provider tariffs or city labor surveys.
  • Nearby comparisons: Distance uses cached Census Gazetteer place coordinates when available.

Regional Data Explorer

Zoom out from Wilkes-Barre to nearby cities, Pennsylvania Area, and Pennsylvania benchmarks.

Open Explorer
Nearby Cities Pennsylvania Hub Pennsylvania Cost Benchmarks

Benchmark Preview

Wilkes-Barre 95.8
Home value
$189k
Property tax
$2,190
Electric rate
$0.154/kWh
County Avg 97.4
Home value
$178k
Property tax
$2,240
Electric rate
$0.158/kWh
PA Avg 101.2
Home value
$286k
Property tax
$3,180
Electric rate
$0.162/kWh

Local Service Cost Guides

Use these contractor-cost guides with the Wilkes-Barre dashboard to compare local housing, utility, tax, climate, and repair-cost context.

Plumber Rates for Wilkes-Barre $85-$165/hr planning range. Leak, drain, fixture, water heater, and emergency plumbing cost planning. Opens the deepest available state guide for Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Open state guide HVAC Installation for Wilkes-Barre $5,500-$14,500 planning range. AC, furnace, heat pump, ductwork, and seasonal system replacement planning. Opens the deepest available national guide for Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Open national guide Roof Replacement for Wilkes-Barre $8,000-$24,000 planning range. Roof replacement, leak repair, flashing, ventilation, and storm-exposure planning. Opens the deepest available national guide for Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Open national guide Electrician Rates for Wilkes-Barre $90-$175/hr planning range. Panel, outlet, EV charger, lighting, wiring, and inspection cost planning. Opens the deepest available national guide for Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Open national guide

Data note: City-profile values are local estimates for comparison and planning context.