Luzerne, PA · standard
ZIP Code 18709
Luzerne County, Pennsylvania - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 2,903
- 1,420/sq mi High-density area
- $42,135
- Median income Below-median income area
- $113,600
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 16.2%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Luzerne 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.
- 7th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 14th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 1,420
- people per sq mi
- 58%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 18709 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 18709 covers 2.0 square miles in Luzerne, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 2,903 residents on file, a density of 1,420 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 18709 reports a modest median household income of $42,135 (46% below the average Pennsylvania ZIP), while per-capita income is $32,009. The poverty rate is 23.2%, so the area-level income figures should not be treated as typical household experience. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $113,600 (50% below the average Pennsylvania ZIP), and median rent is $807; owner occupancy is 58.0%.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 16.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 46.1, and the average commute is 20 minutes. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Luzerne County, so 18709 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 →
Top industries in ZIP 18709
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Luzerne, PA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 18709.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
20 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
17 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
15 establishments
- Construction
Construction
11 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
9 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, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 18709, Luzerne, 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
2,903
Population
2.0
Area (sq mi)
1,420
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 18709?
46.1
Median Age
49.4%
Male
50.6%
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?
$42,135
Median Household Income
-46% vs state ZIP avg
$32,009
Per Capita Income
23.2%
Poverty Rate
6.1%
Unemployment Rate
20.2 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 18709 ranks among Pennsylvania ZIPs
Luzerne, 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)
$42,135 4th percentile higher than 4% 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
1,614housing units
1,614
Total Housing Units
1,443
Occupied Units
171
Vacant Units
2.02
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$113,600
Median Home Value
-50% vs state ZIP avg
$807
Median Rent
1950
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 97 business establishments in ZIP 18709, employing approximately 1,108 people with a combined annual payroll of $41,441,000.
97
Businesses
1,108
Employees
$41.4M
Annual Payroll
9
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 20 | 20.6% |
| Accommodation and food services | 17 | 17.5% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 15 | 15.5% |
| Construction | 11 | 11.3% |
| Health care and social assistance | 9 | 9.3% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 8 | 8.3% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 4 | 4.1% |
| Finance and insurance | 3 | 3.1% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 3 | 3.1% |
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 18709 vs 18704 →
ZIP 18709 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 18704
Kingston (18704)
31,206 residents
- 18612
Dallas (18612)
18,051 residents
- 18706
Wilkes Barre (18706)
16,105 residents
- 18705
Wilkes Barre (18705)
14,806 residents
- 18643
Pittston (18643)
12,908 residents
- 18651 8,880
Plymouth (18651)
8,880 residents
- 18708 8,817
Shavertown (18708)
8,817 residents
- 18644 7,546
Wyoming (18644)
7,546 residents
- 18701 3,447
Wilkes Barre (18701)
3,447 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 18709 ranks #0 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 18709 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 18708
Shavertown (18708)
$98,545 median income
- 18612
Dallas (18612)
$93,750 median income
- 18644
Wyoming (18644)
$70,026 median income
- 18704
Kingston (18704)
$64,444 median income
- 18643
Pittston (18643)
$63,125 median income
- 18705
Wilkes Barre (18705)
$59,344 median income
- 18706
Wilkes Barre (18706)
$58,558 median income
- 18709
Luzerne (18709)
$42,135 median income
- 18651
Plymouth (18651)
$41,990 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 18709 ranks #8 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18704 | Kingston, PA | 31,206 | 0.6 mi |
| 18701 | Wilkes Barre, PA | 3,447 | 2.9 mi |
| 18644 | Wyoming, PA | 7,546 | 3.3 mi |
| 18705 | Wilkes Barre, PA | 14,806 | 2.9 mi |
| 18708 | Shavertown, PA | 8,817 | 3.6 mi |
| 18706 | Wilkes Barre, PA | 16,105 | 5.7 mi |
| 18651 | Plymouth, PA | 8,880 | 4.3 mi |
| 18643 | Pittston, PA | 12,908 | 6.4 mi |
| 18612 | Dallas, PA | 18,051 | 6.3 mi |
| 18653 | Ransom, PA | 132 | 8.4 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 18709, both outside PA so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (2,903 here; floor ≥1,000).
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 18709 in?
ZIP code 18709 (Luzerne) 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 18709?
ZIP code 18709 in Luzerne, PA has a population of 2,903 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 18709?
The median household income in ZIP 18709 is $42,135, which is 45% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 18709?
The median home value in ZIP 18709 is $113,600, which is 59% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 18709?
The largest racial group in ZIP 18709 is White at 91.3%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 1.6% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 18709?
ZIP code 18709 has 97 business establishments employing approximately 1,108 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 18709?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 18709 are: Retail trade (20), Accommodation and food services (17), Other services (except public administration) (15). There are 9 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 18709?
In ZIP code 18709, 46.8% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 16.2% 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 18709?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 18709 is 20.2 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 18709?
In ZIP code 18709, approximately 58.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 42.0% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 18709?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 18709 is 23.2% 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 18709's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 18709 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Luzerne, PA ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
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ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.