1st Advantage MortgageIn Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, the typical household earns $63,691 a year and the typical rent is $1,004. A loan makes sense only if its total cost beats your alternatives and the payment fits your budget. Check the lender's Pennsylvania license first.
On this page
- Luzerne County by the numbers
- Work, industries and travel time in Luzerne County
- How much Luzerne County households make
- Luzerne County housing compared with Pennsylvania
- The communities that make up Luzerne County
- Luzerne County next to its neighbors
- A Luzerne County household budget, worked through
- Luzerne County households compared
- Borrowing situations common in Luzerne County
- Who licenses lenders for Luzerne County residents
- Four steps for Luzerne County borrowers
- Related local guides
- Frequently asked questions
Luzerne County by the numbers
The latest five-year Census estimate puts Luzerne County's population at 327,675; only 11 of Pennsylvania's 67 county-level areas are larger. It covers 890 square miles of land, or about 368 people per square mile. It is one of the counties that make up the Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA metropolitan statistical area (OMB, 2023). The Census Bureau counts 66 places in the county (40 incorporated, 26 census-designated); the largest is Wilkes-Barre, with about 44,423 residents, or 14% of the county.
Work, industries and travel time in Luzerne County
The biggest employer of Luzerne County residents, by industry, is education and health care at 25% of workers, followed by retail trade (13%). The sharpest difference from the state is in transportation, warehousing and utilities, at 9% locally and 6% for Pennsylvania. ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 5.8% in Luzerne County. About 75% drive to work alone and 11% have trips of 45 minutes or more. 9.5% of households have no vehicle.
| Top industries | Luzerne County share | +/- vs Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 25.2% | -1.5 pts |
| Retail trade | 12.8% | +1.8 pts |
| Manufacturing | 12.1% | +0.7 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 8.8% | -2.5 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 8.8% | +2.7 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 7.5% | 0.0 pts |
Shorter commutes usually mean lower vehicle costs, which can leave more room for a payment, or for paying a loan off early.
How much Luzerne County households make
The median household income in Luzerne County is $63,691; statewide it is $77,971, so Luzerne County runs 18% below Pennsylvania as a whole.
| Band | Luzerne County | Compared with Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 27.0% | +5.0 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 42.9% | +3.8 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 23.1% | -3.9 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 7.0% | -4.8 pts |
About 27% of households earn under $35,000, while 30% clear $100,000. 15.3% of residents fall below the federal poverty line (statewide: 11.7%). If your income is irregular, as it often is with tips, gig work or seasonal jobs, plan around your leaner months rather than the Luzerne County median.
Luzerne County housing compared with Pennsylvania
A typical Luzerne County rental runs $1,004 a month including utilities, which is 17% below Pennsylvania. 46% of renting households spend 30% or more of income on rent, and 27% spend half or more. With a median value of $174,100, a typical Luzerne County house costs 2.7 times what the median household earns in a year. The ownership rate is 68%. The median home was built in 1960, so roofs, wiring and heating systems are a common source of repair bills.
| Housing | Luzerne County | Pennsylvania statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,004/mo | $1,209/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $174,100 | $254,500 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 68% | 69% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 46% | 48% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 26% | 24% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 3.2% | 3.5% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 11% | 9% | n/a |
The communities that make up Luzerne County
66 Census places fall mainly inside Luzerne County; the 14 biggest are below. They account for 234,540 residents, leaving about 28% of the county in unincorporated, unnamed areas. Bear Creek Village has the highest median household income on the list ($160,962) and Lattimer the lowest ($31,206), counting places with at least 500 residents. None of the 66 has its own city guide, so this page covers all of them.
| Community | Type | Residents | Household income (median) | Rent (median) | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilkes-Barre | city | 44,423 | $48,515 | $946 | 7 mi |
| Hazleton | city | 30,111 | $46,177 | $1,089 | 15 mi |
| Kingston | borough | 13,397 | $55,347 | $1,038 | 8 mi |
| Mountain Top | CDP | 11,850 | $109,535 | $849 | 5 mi |
| Nanticoke | city | 10,653 | $57,462 | $792 | 2 mi |
| Pittston | city | 7,626 | $49,941 | $871 | 15 mi |
| Plymouth | borough | 5,770 | $39,167 | $930 | 5 mi |
| Exeter | borough | 5,541 | $57,639 | $981 | 14 mi |
| West Hazleton | borough | 5,178 | $34,118 | $1,186 | 14 mi |
| Duryea | borough | 5,084 | $62,462 | $1,130 | 16 mi |
| Swoyersville | borough | 5,048 | $71,555 | $744 | 10 mi |
| Edwardsville | borough | 4,932 | $44,866 | $1,069 | 7 mi |
| West Pittston | borough | 4,679 | $63,706 | $968 | 14 mi |
| Larksville | borough | 4,255 | $56,942 | $1,091 | 7 mi |
CDP: census-designated place, an unincorporated community mapped for statistics.
Luzerne County next to its neighbors
Distances run center to center, from Carbon County at 23 miles out to Monroe County at 35. Income ranges from $64,644 in Columbia County to $83,565 in Monroe County; all six of these neighbors top Luzerne County's median.
| Neighbor | Distance | Income | Rent | Own |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luzerne County | - | $63,691 | $1,004/mo | 68% |
| Carbon County, PA | 23 mi | $67,554 | $994/mo | 76% |
| Columbia County, PA | 24 mi | $64,644 | $943/mo | 69% |
| Wyoming County, PA | 24 mi | $72,460 | $943/mo | 78% |
| Lackawanna County, PA | 26 mi | $66,223 | $1,007/mo | 65% |
| Sullivan County, PA | 33 mi | $69,764 | $775/mo | 85% |
| Monroe County, PA | 35 mi | $83,565 | $1,393/mo | 80% |
A Luzerne County household budget, worked through
How much room does a median Luzerne County budget have? Take median income, subtract median rent, and check what is left under a few common debt-to-income limits.
- Start: $5,308 gross per month ($63,691 / 12)
- Rent at the median, $1,004, takes 19% of that
- With a 40% ceiling, about $1,119 remains for car, card, student and any new loan payments
Subtract what you already pay on other debts. A new payment should fit in what remains, with some to spare.
Luzerne County households compared
25% of Luzerne County adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or more. About 7% go without health insurance.
| Measure | Luzerne County | Pennsylvania statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.0 | 40.9 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 25.3% | 35.2% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 9.8% | 7.9% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 6.6% | 5.6% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 9.5% | 10.4% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 10.9% | 15.6% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 15.3% | 11.7% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 5.8% | 5.3% | 4.4% |
| Travel time to work | Workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 31.1% |
| 15 to 29 min | 42.3% |
| 30 to 44 min | 15.3% |
| 45 to 59 min | 5.1% |
| 60+ min | 6.3% |
Borrowing situations common in Luzerne County
Based on the Luzerne County data above, these borrowing questions are most likely to matter locally.
- 46% rent-burdened. A payment on top of high rent needs a cushion; size it with the calculator.
- Paperwork. ID, proof of income and a bank account are the basics (requirements).
- Check your file. An error fixed before you apply can change the offers a Luzerne County borrower sees (free reports).
Who licenses lenders for Luzerne County residents
No county office licenses personal lenders. For Luzerne County, check the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities. Banks and credit unions have their own regulators, and the CFPB takes complaints about any lender. More on Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania personal loans.
Four steps for Luzerne County borrowers
Before you apply, wherever you live in Luzerne County:
- Size the loan to the bill, not to the most a lender offers.
- Prequalify with soft pulls where offered, then compare in writing.
- Check the license, then the reviews, then the offer.
- Keep a small cushion so one surprise bill does not mean another loan.
Related local guides
The Pennsylvania guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
Is Luzerne County a high-income county?
Its $63,691 median ranks 43rd of 67 Pennsylvania counties and compares with $65,681 for the median U.S. county.
What do renters pay in Luzerne County?
$1,004 a month at the median, about 19% of median household income.
I live in a small Luzerne County town. Is this my guide?
Yes. If your town has no city guide, this county page is the local one; it covers Wilkes-Barre, Hazleton, Kingston, Mountain Top, Nanticoke and 61 more.
Does my county matter to the questionnaire?
Only your state does. Whether you live in Luzerne County or elsewhere in Pennsylvania, the same rules apply.
Who do I complain to about a lender in Luzerne County?
Start with the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities, then the CFPB complaint portal. Keep copies of every message.