Wilkes-Barre is a city in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, home to about 44,423 people across 6.8 square miles. Its ZIP codes are 18701, 18702 and 18705, and parts of 18704 are in Wilkes-Barre too.
Homes sold for a median of $114 per square foot across 3 ZIP codes in the three months ending August 2026, and 2 of 3 were seller’s markets.
All in Wilkes-Barre
Mostly Wilkes-Barre; also Plains and Wilkes-Barre Township
Mostly Wilkes-Barre; also Plains
Mostly Kingston Borough; part is in Wilkes-Barre
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Wilkes-Barre. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Wilkes-Barre’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
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| Nearest major airport | Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)93 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport (AVP)8 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Philadelphia, PA92 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Wilkes-Barre; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Wilkes-Barre had 44,328 residents in the 2020 census, up 3% since 2000.
It’s the 20th largest of 2,568 towns in Pennsylvania by population.
Luzerne County grew from 257,121 residents in 1900 to 325,594 in 2020.
Luzerne County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 85°F in summer, and winter lows average 20°F. About 39 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 45 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Wilkes-Barre Intl Ap, PA weather station (8 miles away).
139,382 jobs at 7,212 businesses in Luzerne County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
868 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Wilkes-Barre’s ZIP codes.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 71 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 177 |
| Dentists | 41 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 185 |
| Mental health providers | 161 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 203 |
| Optometrists | 20 |
| Chiropractors | 10 |
| Pharmacies | 32 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Parks (1 nearby)
Grocery stores
Pharmacies
Libraries
Museums
Theaters and performance venues
Counts are within about 2 miles of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Established in 1769.
Notable people born here
Source: Wikidata (wikidata.org), the free knowledge base; people are listed by place of birth.
Public schools here are run by Bear Creek Community CS, Wilkes-Barre Area SD, Wilkes-Barre Area Career & Technical Center. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear Creek Community CSBear Creek Township | K–8 | 604 | Charter | 3.8 mi |
| Daniel J Flood El SchWilkes Barre | K–5 | 616 | Public | 3.3 mi |
| Dodson El SchWilkes Barre | K–5 | 522 | Public | 3.1 mi |
| Dr David W Kistler El SchWilkes Barre | K–5 | 961 | Public | 5.5 mi |
| Heights/Murray El SchWilkes Barre | K–5 | 838 | Public | 3.6 mi |
| Solomon/Plains El SchPlains | K–5 | 718 | Public | 3.3 mi |
| G A R MsWilkes-Barre | 6–8 | 1,101 | Public | 4.0 mi |
| Solomon/Plains MSPlains | 6–8 | 758 | Public | 3.3 mi |
| Wilkes-Barre Area Career & Technical CenterWilkes-Barre | 9–12 | 30 | Career and Technical | 1.7 mi |
| Wilkes-Barre Area HSPlains | 9–12 | 2,569 | Public | 3.4 mi |
| Wilkes-Barre Area SD STEM AcademyPlains | 9–12 | 93 | Public | 3.4 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Al Noor Islamic AcademyWilkes Barre | Pre-K–6 | 55 | Islamic | 2.3 mi |
| Cheder Menachem, Inc.Wilkes Barre | Pre-K–8 | 271 | Jewish | 3.9 mi |
| Cheder Menachem, Inc.Wilkes Barre | Pre-K–8 | 274 | Jewish | 3.9 mi |
| St Nicholas-St Mary's SchoolWilkes Barre | Pre-K–8 | 231 | Roman Catholic | 4.3 mi |
| Milford E Barnes Jr. SchoolWilkes Barre | K–12 | 60 | Nonsectarian | 4.6 mi |
| Wilkes-Barre AcademyWilkes Barre | K–8 | 176 | Nonsectarian | 3.2 mi |
| Wilkes-Barre Mennonite SchoolWilkes Barre | K–11 | 29 | Mennonite | 4.9 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools; Private School Universe Survey (2023-2024) for private schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Shares ZIP codes with Kingston Borough, Plains, Swoyersville, Edwardsville, Forty Fort, Wilkes-Barre Township, Bear Creek, Larksville, Laflin, Pringle and Courtdale.
Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.