PlainZIP

Wilkes Barre, PA · standard

ZIP Code 18705

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

14,806
1,047/sq mi
$59,344
Median income
$140,700
Median home value
24.9%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Wilkes Barre pairs a below-median household income with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.

28th pct
household income, US ZIPs
23th pct
home value, US ZIPs
1,047
people per sq mi
61%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 18705 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 18705 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Wilkes Barre, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, home to 14,806 residents across 14.1 square miles, a density of 1,047 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 18705 reports a modest median household income of $59,344 (24% below the Pennsylvania average), while per-capita income is $30,425. Poverty here runs at 22.9%, with unemployment measured at 5.5%. Median home value sits at $140,700 (38% below the state average), median rent at $1,024 a month, and owner-occupancy at 60.8%.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 24.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 36.5, and the average commute is 22 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 10 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 18705, plus 6 more within Luzerne County, give a clearer read than the national average 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 18705

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Wilkes Barre, PA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 18705.

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 18705, 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

14,806

Population

14.1

Area (sq mi)

1,047

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 18705?

36.5

Median Age

52.7%

Male

47.3%

Female

9.4%

Foreign-Born

White 69.1%
African American 5.0%
Asian 0.8%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.2%
Two or More Ethnicities 11.0%
Hispanic or Latino 23.2%

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?

$59,344

Median Household Income

-24% vs state

$30,425

Per Capita Income

22.9%

Poverty Rate

5.5%

Unemployment Rate

21.7 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 18705 ranks nationally

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

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

$59,344 28th percentile higher than 28% 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 59.8%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 24.9%

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

What does housing look like?

7,096

Total Housing Units

6,339

Occupied Units

757

Vacant Units

2.46

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 60.8%
Renter 39.2%

$140,700

Median Home Value

-38% vs state

$1,024

Median Rent

1942

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

+19.4%

YoY Change (2024)

212

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+112%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 18705 have increased 19.4% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +112% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +5.9% 133
2021 +18.6% 158
2022 +12.9% 179
2023 -0.7% 177
2024 +19.4% 212

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 242 business establishments in ZIP 18705, employing approximately 4,029 people with a combined annual payroll of $160,106,000.

242

Businesses

4,029

Employees

$160.1M

Annual Payroll

14

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Health care and social assistance 45 18.6%
Accommodation and food services 34 14.1%
Other services (except public administration) 34 14.1%
Retail trade 27 11.2%
Construction 17 7.0%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 17 7.0%
Wholesale trade 14 5.8%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 14 5.8%
Manufacturing 10 4.1%
Transportation and warehousing 8 3.3%
Finance and insurance 7 2.9%
Real estate and rental and leasing 4 1.6%
Management of companies and enterprises 3 1.2%
Educational services 3 1.2%

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 18705 vs 18704 →

ZIP 18705 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 18705 ranks #5 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

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

ZIP 18705 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 18705 ranks #5 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
18704 Kingston, PA 31,206 2.7 mi
18709 Luzerne, PA 2,903 2.9 mi
18701 Wilkes Barre, PA 3,447 2.9 mi
18644 Wyoming, PA 7,546 4.5 mi
18643 Pittston, PA 12,908 6.6 mi
18702 Wilkes Barre, PA 40,295 5.1 mi
18640 Pittston, PA 17,155 5.6 mi
18706 Wilkes Barre, PA 16,105 5.9 mi
18653 Ransom, PA 132 8.5 mi
18651 Plymouth, PA 8,880 6.4 mi

More ZIP Codes in Luzerne County

18702 standard
Wilkes Barre, PA
Pop: 40,295
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

Related Areas

Luzerne County Wilkes Barre, PA Pennsylvania

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 18705 in? ▼
ZIP code 18705 (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 18705? ▼
ZIP code 18705 in Wilkes Barre, PA has a population of 14,806 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 18705? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 18705 is $59,344, which is 22% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 18705? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 18705 is $140,700, which is 49% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 18705? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 18705 is White at 69.1%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 23.2% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 18705? ▼
ZIP code 18705 has 242 business establishments employing approximately 4,029 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 18705? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 18705 are: Health care and social assistance (45), Accommodation and food services (34), Other services (except public administration) (34). There are 14 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 18705? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 18705 increased by 19.4% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 112%. 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 18705? ▼
In ZIP code 18705, 59.8% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 24.9% 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 18705? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 18705 is 21.7 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 18705? ▼
In ZIP code 18705, approximately 60.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 39.2% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 18705? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 18705 is 22.9% 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.