Wilkes-Barre, PA
Census place 4285152 · pop 44,423
An anthracite coal town named for British politicians John Wilkes and Isaac Barre, who backed the American colonies.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities
$48,515 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
23.1% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities
85.2% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 0.99% · worse than most cities
1.78% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
51.2% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 24.3% · worse than most cities
20.5% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities
4.3% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.45 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities
86/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities
21 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities
+8.7% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities
$1,293/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median $214,900 · better than most cities
$117,200 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
Not measured for Wilkes-Barre: Crime, Air, Obesity, Mental, Inactive, Smoking, Uninsured, Bad air, Property crime. Not every public source covers every city — EPA air monitors and Zillow rent only reach some places, and national crime data is still being added.
Frequently asked
- Is Wilkes-Barre, PA a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Wilkes-Barre scores 45/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 13 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is housing cost and its weakest is median household income. Pennsylvania overall ranks #37 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- Is Wilkes-Barre, PA expensive to live in?
- Wilkes-Barre has a median home value of $117,200 and typical rent around $1,293/mo — more affordable than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Wilkes-Barre, PA?
- Its weakest measured area is median household income ($48,515) — 10/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Wilkes-Barre, PA best at?
- Its strongest measured area is housing cost ($117,200) — 94/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: An anthracite coal town named for British politicians John Wilkes and Isaac Barre, who backed the American colonies.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.