Drifton, PA · standard
ZIP Code 18221
Luzerne County, Pennsylvania - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 389
- 76/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $71,250
- Median income Near-median income area
- $204,300
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 9.9%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Drifton pairs a below-median household income with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 49th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 45th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 76
- people per sq mi
- 74%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 18221 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 18221 is a sparsely populated ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Drifton, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, home to just 389 residents across 5.1 square miles, a density of 76 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 18221 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $71,250 (8% below the average Pennsylvania ZIP), while per-capita income is $33,853. Unemployment is 22.5%, an important qualifier alongside the household-income figure. Median home value is $204,300 (10% below the average Pennsylvania ZIP); 73.6% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 9.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 33.7, and the average commute is -. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Luzerne County, so 18221 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 18221, Drifton, PA · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.
Quick Facts
389
Population
5.1
Area (sq mi)
76
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 18221?
33.7
Median Age
49.5%
Male
50.5%
Female
0.0%
Foreign-Born
Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How much do residents earn?
$71,250
Median Household Income
-8% vs state ZIP avg
$33,853
Per Capita Income
11.7%
Poverty Rate
22.5%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 18221 ranks among Pennsylvania ZIPs
Drifton, PA household income vs. every Pennsylvania ZIP code
Median household income among 1,642 reporting Pennsylvania ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$71,250 Top 50% higher than 50% of 1,642 Pennsylvania ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more Pennsylvania ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What is the education profile here?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
258housing units
258
Total Housing Units
216
Occupied Units
42
Vacant Units
2.02
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$204,300
Median Home Value
-10% vs state ZIP avg
1938
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 4 business establishments in ZIP 18221, employing approximately 17 people with a combined annual payroll of $902,000.
4
Businesses
17
Employees
$902K
Annual Payroll
0
Industry Sectors
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.
Nearby ZIP Codes
Want a side-by-side? Compare 18221 vs 18223 →
ZIP 18221 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 18201
Hazleton (18201)
27,516 residents
- 18222 9,020
Drums (18222)
9,020 residents
- 18224 6,017
Freeland (18224)
6,017 residents
- 18216 1,067
Beaver Meadows (18216)
1,067 residents
- 18254 871
Tresckow (18254)
871 residents
- 18234 401
Lattimer Mines (18234)
401 residents
- 18221 389
Drifton (18221)
389 residents
- 18239 232
Milnesville (18239)
232 residents
- 18230 132
Junedale (18230)
132 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 18221 ranks #7 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 18221 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 18222
Drums (18222)
$108,581 median income
- 18254
Tresckow (18254)
$87,813 median income
- 18221
Drifton (18221)
$71,250 median income
- 18224
Freeland (18224)
$69,620 median income
- 18216
Beaver Meadows (18216)
$49,350 median income
- 18201
Hazleton (18201)
$47,802 median income
- 18234 $30,949
Lattimer Mines (18234)
$30,949 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 18221 ranks #3 of 7 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18223 | Ebervale, PA | 115 | 2.2 mi |
| 18234 | Lattimer Mines, PA | 401 | 2.5 mi |
| 18224 | Freeland, PA | 6,017 | 2.4 mi |
| 18225 | Harleigh, PA | 114 | 3.1 mi |
| 18239 | Milnesville, PA | 232 | 3.5 mi |
| 18216 | Beaver Meadows, PA | 1,067 | 4.4 mi |
| 18201 | Hazleton, PA | 27,516 | 4.2 mi |
| 18230 | Junedale, PA | 132 | 5.6 mi |
| 18222 | Drums, PA | 9,020 | 4.9 mi |
| 18254 | Tresckow, PA | 871 | 6.4 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 18221, both outside PA so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Luzerne County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 18221 in?
ZIP code 18221 (Drifton) is located in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. Luzerne County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/luzerne-pa.
What is the population of ZIP code 18221?
ZIP code 18221 in Drifton, PA has a population of 389 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 18221?
The median household income in ZIP 18221 is $71,250, which is 7% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 18221?
The median home value in ZIP 18221 is $204,300, which is 27% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 18221?
The largest racial group in ZIP 18221 is White at 100.0%.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 18221?
ZIP code 18221 has 4 business establishments employing approximately 17 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What is the education level in ZIP code 18221?
In ZIP code 18221, 90.4% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 9.9% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 18221?
In ZIP code 18221, approximately 73.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 26.4% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 18221?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 18221 is 11.7% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 18221's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 18221 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Drifton, PA ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.