Wilkes-Barre, PA

Census Place

Add Comparison

2020 Population

40,805

0.152% 1-year decline

US Senator

Bob Casey Jr.

Democratic Party

US Senator

Pat Toomey

Republican Party

2020 Median Age

34.1

1.16% 1-year decrease

2020 Poverty Rate

23.3%

12.2% 1-year decrease

2020 Median Household Income

$40,505

6.87% 1-year growth

2020 Median Property Value

$78,000

3.86% 1-year growth

2020 Employed Population

17,096

0.636% 1-year growth

About

In 2020, Wilkes-Barre, PA had a population of 40.8k people with a median age of 34.1 and a median household income of $40,505. Between 2019 and 2020 the population of Wilkes-Barre, PA declined from 40,867 to 40,805, a −0.152% decrease and its median household income grew from $37,902 to $40,505, a 6.87% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Wilkes-Barre, PA are White (Non-Hispanic) (56.2%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (11.4%), Other (Hispanic) (11%), White (Hispanic) (9.19%), and Two+ (Hispanic) (3.76%).

None of the households in Wilkes-Barre, PA reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

92.7% of the residents in Wilkes-Barre, PA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Wilkes-Barre, PA are Wilkes University (1,562 degrees awarded in 2020), King's College (628 degrees), and Jolie Hair and Beauty Academy-Wilkes-Barre (182 degrees).

In 2020, the median property value in Wilkes-Barre, PA was $78,000, and the homeownership rate was 48.5%.

Most people in Wilkes-Barre, PA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 19.1 minutes. The average car ownership in Wilkes-Barre, PA was 2 cars per household.

Population & Diversity

Wilkes-Barre, PA is home to a population of 40.8k people, from which 92.7% are citizens. As of 2020, 12.9% of Wilkes-Barre, PA residents were born outside of the country (5.25k people).

In 2020, there were 4.95 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (22.9k people) in Wilkes-Barre, PA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 4.63k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 4.5k Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

92.7%

2020 Citizenship

94.3%

2019 Citizenship

As of 2020, 92.7% of Wilkes-Barre, PA residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.4%. In 2019, the percentage of US citizens in Wilkes-Barre, PA was 94.3%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Wilkes-Barre, PA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Wilkes-Barre, PA

White (Non-Hispanic)
22.9k ± 957
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
4.63k ± 693
Other (Hispanic)
4.5k ± 861

26.6%

Hispanic Population

10.8k people

26.6% of the people in Wilkes-Barre, PA are hispanic (10.8k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Wilkes-Barre, PA as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place level, so we are showing data for Pennsylvania.

Most Common Origin

India
92,750 ± 7,450 people
Dominican Republic
72,397 ± 6,587 people
China
65,642 ± 6,274 people

In 2020, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Pennsylvania was India, the natal country of 92,750 Pennsylvania residents, followed by Dominican Republic with 72,397 and China with 65,642.

Foreign-Born Population

12.9%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

5.25k people

10.2%

2019 Foreign-Born Population

4.18k people

As of 2020, 12.9% of Wilkes-Barre, PA residents (5.25k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.5%. In 2019, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Wilkes-Barre, PA was 10.2%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Wilkes-Barre, PA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
574 ± 129
Gulf War (2001-)
284 ± 111
Gulf War (1990s)
265 ± 97

Wilkes-Barre, PA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.02 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Wilkes-Barre, PA employs 17.1k people. The largest industries in Wilkes-Barre, PA are Health Care & Social Assistance (2,679 people), Manufacturing (2,348 people), and Retail Trade (1,783 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($67,864), Public Administration ($48,819), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($42,394).

Males in Pennsylvania have an average income that is 1.34 times higher than the average income of females, which is $54,196. The income inequality in Pennsylvania (measured using the Gini index) is 0.466, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

17.1k

2020 Value

± 965

0.636%

1 Year growth

± 7.36%

From 2019 to 2020, employment in Wilkes-Barre, PA grew at a rate of 0.636%, from 17k employees to 17.1k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Wilkes-Barre, PA, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (2,397 people), Production Occupations (1,701 people), and Material Moving Occupations (1,535 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Wilkes-Barre, PA.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Pennsylvania.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Pennsylvania (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

View Full Dashboard

Industries

Employment by Industries

17.1k

2020 Value

± 965

0.636%

1 Year growth

± 7.36%

From 2019 to 2020, employment in Wilkes-Barre, PA grew at a rate of 0.636%, from 17k employees to 17.1k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Wilkes-Barre, PA, are Health Care & Social Assistance (2,679 people), Manufacturing (2,348 people), and Retail Trade (1,783 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Wilkes-Barre, PA, though some of these residents may live in Wilkes-Barre, PA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$35,422

Median earning men ± $2,333

$24,351

Median earning women ± $2,017

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2020 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($54,688), Public Administration ($54,103), and Information ($43,542).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2020 are Public Administration ($42,270), Construction ($42,222), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($40,434).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Pennsylvania.

Y-Axis

8.45%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between May 2020 and May 2021

As of May 2021, there are 145M people employed in Pennsylvania. This represents a 8.45% increase in employment when compared to May 2020.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Pennsylvania.

View Full Dashboard

Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from Pennsylvania to other states, or from other states to Pennsylvania.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

In 2020, the top outbound Pennsylvania product (by dollars) was Pharmaceuticals with $110B, followed by Mixed freight ($74.2B) and Electronics ($44.2B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound Pennsylvania products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Pennsylvania.

$734B

2020 Value in Pennsylvania

$1.46T

Projected 2050 Value in Pennsylvania

99.3% growth

In 2020, total outbound Pennsylvania trade was $734B. This is expected to increase 99.3% to $1.46T by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound Pennsylvania trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from Pennsylvania to other states, or from other states to Pennsylvania.

Most Common Trade Partners

New Jersey
$73.5B
New York
$71.1B
Ohio
$36.8B

In 2020, the top outbound Pennsylvania domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was New Jersey with $73.5B, followed by New York with $71.1B and Ohio and $36.8B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that Pennsylvania shares with each state (excluding itself).

Civics

Bob Casey Jr. and Pat Toomey are the senators currently representing the state of Pennsylvania. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Pennsylvania is currently represented by 18 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Senators Elections

US Senators from Pennsylvania

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Pennsylvania.

Bob Casey Jr.

Senator from Pennsylvania

Assumed office on January 3, 2007

Pat Toomey

Senator from Pennsylvania

Assumed office on January 3, 2011

Bob Casey Jr. and Pat Toomey are the senators currently representing Pennsylvania.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Pennsylvania over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representatives Elections

US Representatives from Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania is currently represented by 18 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Pennsylvania have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2020, universities in Wilkes-Barre, PA awarded 2,372 degrees. The student population of Wilkes-Barre, PA in 2020 is skewed towards women, with 2,852 male students and 4,353 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Wilkes-Barre, PA are White (1,841 and 80.8%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (147 and 6.45%), Black or African American (111 and 4.87%), and Unknown (68 and 2.98%).

The largest universities in Wilkes-Barre, PA by number of degrees awarded are Wilkes University (1,562 and 65.9%), King's College (628 and 26.5%), and Jolie Hair and Beauty Academy-Wilkes-Barre (182 and 7.67%).

The most popular majors in Wilkes-Barre, PA are Registered Nursing (255 and 10.8%), Other Teacher Education & Professional Development (179 and 7.55%), and Educational & Instructional Technology (144 and 6.07%).

The median tuition cost in Wilkes-Barre, PA for private four year colleges is $37,475.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2020 in Wilkes-Barre, PA, the percentage of applicants admitted was 89.4%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 16.1%. The number of students enrolled in 2020 was 7,205 (39.6% men and 60.4% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2020 there were 7,205 students enrolled in Wilkes-Barre, PA, 39.6% men and 60.4% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 5,337 records, of which 61.9% were women and 38.1% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Registered Nursing
100 degree-majors awarded
General Business Administration & Management
88 degree-majors awarded
Other Health Professions & Related Clinical Sciences
72 degree-majors awarded

In 2020, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Wilkes-Barre, PA was Registered Nursing with 100 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Wilkes-Barre, PA according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Wilkes University
1,562 degrees awarded
King's College
628 degrees awarded
Jolie Hair and Beauty Academy-Wilkes-Barre
182 degrees awarded

In 2020, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Wilkes University with 1,562 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2020, 810 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Wilkes-Barre, PA, which is 0.519 times less than the 1,562 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2020 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 1,841 degrees mean that there were 12.5 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 147 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($37,475) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2020.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($1,941) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2020.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($1,450) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Pennsylvania.

Measure

In 2020, 0.658% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.701% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Pennsylvania.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2020 were High School or Equivalent (3.5M), Bachelors Degree (1.89M), and Some college (1.84M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Wilkes-Barre, PA was $78,000 in 2020, which is 0.339 times smaller than the national average of $229,800. Between 2019 and 2020 the median property value increased from $75,100 to $78,000, a 3.86% increase. The homeownership rate in Wilkes-Barre, PA is 48.5%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.4%.

People in Wilkes-Barre, PA have an average commute time of 19.1 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Wilkes-Barre, PA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Wilkes-Barre, PA is $40,505. In 2020, the place with the highest median household income in Wilkes-Barre, PA was Census Tract 2016 with a value of $57,976, followed by Census Tract 2002 and Census Tract 2003, with respective values of $53,702 and $53,241.

Housing

Property

$78,000

Median Property Value 2020

±$3,028

$7,500

Median Property Taxes

±$588

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Wilkes-Barre, PA the largest share of households pay taxes in the $800 - $1,499 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Wilkes-Barre, PA compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

48.5%

Homeownership

2020

59.4%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2020

In 2020, 48.5% of the housing units in Wilkes-Barre, PA were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 46.7%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Wilkes-Barre, PA compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 2016
Census Tract 2002
Census Tract 2003

In 2020, the place with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Wilkes-Barre, PA was Census Tract 2016 with a value of $57,976, followed by Census Tract 2002 and Census Tract 2003, with respective values of $53,702 and $53,241.

The following map shows all of the places in Wilkes-Barre, PA colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$40,505

Median Household Income

± $1,972

15.5k

Number of Households

± 883

In 2020, the median household income of the 15.5k households in Wilkes-Barre, PA grew to $40,505 from the previous year's value of $37,902.

The following chart displays the households in Wilkes-Barre, PA distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the < $10k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Wilkes-Barre, PA is from Pennsylvania.

0.466

2020 Wage GINI in Pennsylvania

0.469

2019 Wage GINI in Pennsylvania

In 2020, the income inequality in Pennsylvania was 0.466 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.614% decline from 2019 to 2020, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Pennsylvania was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Pennsylvania in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Pennsylvania across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2020

Drove Alone (71.3%)
Carpooled (11.3%)
Walked (7.56%)

In 2020, 71.3% of workers in Wilkes-Barre, PA drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (11.3%) and those who walked to work (7.56%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

19.1 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Wilkes-Barre, PA have a shorter commute time (19.1 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.9 minutes). Additionally, 1.51% of the workforce in Wilkes-Barre, PA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Wilkes-Barre, PA compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Wilkes-Barre, PA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Wilkes-Barre, PA have 2 cars.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

23.3% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Wilkes-Barre, PA (8.79k out of 37.7k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.8%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 35 - 44, followed by Males 25 - 34 and then Females 6 - 11.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Wilkes-Barre, PA is White, followed by Hispanic and Black.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

92.4% of the population of Wilkes-Barre, PA has health coverage, with 39.8% on employee plans, 30.6% on Medicaid, 11.8% on Medicare, 9.67% on non-group plans, and 0.577% on military or VA plans.

Per capita personal health care spending in Pennsylvania was $9,258 in 2014. This is a 4.29% increase from the previous year ($8,877).

Primary care physicians in Luzerne County, PA see 1260 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.316% decrease from the previous year (1264 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1476 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 923 patients per year.

COVID-19

Daily New Cases by Date

Showing data at the state level for Pennsylvania. Hospitalization data for some states may be delayed or not reported.

Y-Axis

This chart shows the number of COVID-19 daily new cases by date in Pennsylvania, as a 7-day rolling average, compared with the four states with the most similar number of confirmed cases.

View Full Dashboard

Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the country level. Showing data for Luzerne County, PA.

1,260 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Luzerne County, PA

Primary care physicians in Luzerne County, PA see an average of 1,260 patients per year. This represents a 0.316% decrease from the previous year (1,264 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Luzerne County, PA in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Community Mobility

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Pennsylvania.

This chart presents movement trends over time in the state of Pennsylvania across different categories of places such as retail and recreation, groceries and pharmacies, parks, transit stations, workplaces, and residential.

View Full Dashboard

Coverage

Health Care Diversity

In 2020, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 26.1% under 18 years, 25.7% between 18 and 34 years, 33.5% between 35 and 64 years, and 14.6% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.6% were men and 52.4% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

7.59%

Uninsured

39.8%

Employer Coverage

30.6%

Medicaid

11.8%

Medicare

9.67%

Non-Group

0.577%

Military or VA

Between 2019 and 2020, the percent of uninsured citizens in Wilkes-Barre, PA grew by 11.4% from 6.81% to 7.59%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Wilkes-Barre, PA changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.