18702 and 18705 receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
18702
18705
Opportunity
45 · Bottom 30%
vs47 · Bottom 33%
Growth
56 · Top 40%
vs56 · Top 40%
Climate
63 · Bottom 30%
vs63 · Bottom 30%
Physical resilience
72 · Top 32%
vs72 · Top 32%
Housing affordability
92 · Top 28%
vs94 · Top 23%
Schools
23 · Bottom 13%
vs26 · Bottom 17%
Access
50 · Bottom 4%
vs52 · Bottom 4%
Economic stability
36 · Bottom 15%
vs39 · Bottom 19%
Measured values
| Metric | 18702 | 18705 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 41,970 | 15,624 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $56,378 | $59,344 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $31,728 | $30,425 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 537/sq mi | 3,153/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $131,900 | $140,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,011 | $1,024 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 59.5% | 60.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 6.0% | 6.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.6% | 2.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.6% | 24.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 18.7% | 22.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 6 | 6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.1 | 0.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 500.0% | 500.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 85°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 20°F | 20°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 38.7" | 38.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 87 mi | 82 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.3 min | 22.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.1 | 36.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.97 | 17.98 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 12.7% | 13.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 29.2% | 32.5% | 2019-20 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Full profiles: 18702 — Wilkes-Barre, PA · 18705 — Wilkes-Barre, PA · How this is calculated: methodology