PlainZIP

Wilkes Barre, PA · standard

ZIP Code 18702

Luzerne County, Pennsylvania - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

40,295
224/sq mi
$56,378
Median income
$131,900
Median home value
23.6%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Wilkes Barre pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a low-density, mixed-tenure area.

23th pct
household income, US ZIPs
20th pct
home value, US ZIPs
224
people per sq mi
60%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 18702 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 18702 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Wilkes Barre, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, with 40,295 residents across 179.6 square miles, a density of 224 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 18702 reports a modest median household income of $56,378 (28% below the Pennsylvania average), while per-capita income is $31,728. 18.7% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 8.2%. The typical home here is valued at $131,900 (42% below the state average); renters pay a median of $1,011 monthly, and 59.5% of units are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 23.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 39.1, and the average commute is 21 minutes. Beyond these figures, 10 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing Luzerne County, letting you compare 18702 to its immediate surroundings rather than a national baseline alone.

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 →

Top industries in ZIP 18702

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Wilkes Barre, PA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 18702.

establishments

What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

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 18702, Wilkes Barre, 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

40,295

Population

179.6

Area (sq mi)

224

People / sq mi

New York

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 18702?

39.1

Median Age

49.6%

Male

50.4%

Female

15.2%

Foreign-Born

White 60.1%
African American 10.8%
Asian 1.8%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.5%
Two or More Ethnicities 13.9%
Hispanic or Latino 27.6%

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?

$56,378

Median Household Income

-28% vs state

$31,728

Per Capita Income

18.7%

Poverty Rate

8.2%

Unemployment Rate

21.1 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 18702 ranks nationally

Wilkes Barre, PA household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$56,378 23rd percentile higher than 23% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US 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?

High School Graduate or Higher 60.6%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 23.6%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

19,663

Total Housing Units

16,951

Occupied Units

2,712

Vacant Units

2.36

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 59.5%
Renter 40.5%

$131,900

Median Home Value

-42% vs state

$1,011

Median Rent

1951

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How have home values changed over time?

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+31.1%

YoY Change (2024)

260

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+160%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 18702 have increased 31.1% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +160% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +4.0% 132
2021 +13.2% 149
2022 +26.8% 189
2023 +4.7% 198
2024 +31.1% 260

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 1,142 business establishments in ZIP 18702, employing approximately 22,980 people with a combined annual payroll of $1,036,002,000.

1,142

Businesses

22,980

Employees

$1.0B

Annual Payroll

17

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 243 21.3%
Health care and social assistance 188 16.5%
Accommodation and food services 162 14.2%
Other services (except public administration) 113 9.9%
Construction 68 6.0%
Finance and insurance 57 5.0%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 52 4.5%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 51 4.5%
Real estate and rental and leasing 44 3.9%
Wholesale trade 41 3.6%
Transportation and warehousing 29 2.5%
Information 26 2.3%
Manufacturing 22 1.9%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 15 1.3%
Management of companies and enterprises 13 1.1%
Educational services 12 1.1%
Utilities 4 0.3%

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 18702 vs 18602 →

ZIP 18702 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 18702 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 18702 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 18702 ranks #9 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
18602 Bear Creek, PA 257 2.5 mi
18640 Pittston, PA 17,155 5.6 mi
18705 Wilkes Barre, PA 14,806 5.1 mi
18701 Wilkes Barre, PA 3,447 6.0 mi
18642 Duryea, PA 4,345 9.2 mi
18706 Wilkes Barre, PA 16,105 7.2 mi
18661 White Haven, PA 5,730 9.4 mi
18641 Pittston, PA 6,812 8.3 mi
18704 Kingston, PA 31,206 7.4 mi
18709 Luzerne, PA 2,903 7.8 mi

More ZIP Codes in Luzerne County

18704 standard
Kingston, PA
Pop: 31,206
18201 standard
Hazleton, PA
Pop: 27,516
18612 standard
Dallas, PA
Pop: 18,051
18640 standard
Pittston, PA
Pop: 17,155
18706 standard
Wilkes Barre, PA
Pop: 16,105
18707 standard
Mountain Top, PA
Pop: 15,557

Related Areas

Luzerne County Wilkes Barre, PA Pennsylvania

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 18702 in? ▼
ZIP code 18702 (Wilkes Barre) 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 18702? ▼
ZIP code 18702 in Wilkes Barre, PA has a population of 40,295 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 18702? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 18702 is $56,378, which is 26% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 18702? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 18702 is $131,900, which is 53% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 18702? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 18702 is White at 60.1%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 27.6% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 18702? ▼
ZIP code 18702 has 1,142 business establishments employing approximately 22,980 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 18702? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 18702 are: Retail trade (243), Health care and social assistance (188), Accommodation and food services (162). There are 17 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 18702? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 18702 increased by 31.1% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 160%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 18702? ▼
In ZIP code 18702, 60.6% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 23.6% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 18702? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 18702 is 21.1 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 18702? ▼
In ZIP code 18702, approximately 59.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 40.5% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 18702? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 18702 is 18.7% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.