18705 and 18702 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
18705
18702
Opportunity
47 · Bottom 33%
vs45 · Bottom 30%
Growth
56 · Top 40%
vs56 · Top 40%
Climate
63 · Bottom 30%
vs63 · Bottom 30%
Physical resilience
72 · Top 32%
vs72 · Top 32%
Housing affordability
94 · Top 23%
vs92 · Top 28%
Schools
26 · Bottom 17%
vs23 · Bottom 13%
Access
52 · Bottom 4%
vs50 · Bottom 4%
Economic stability
39 · Bottom 19%
vs36 · Bottom 15%
Measured values
| Metric | 18705 | 18702 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 15,624 | 41,970 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $59,344 | $56,378 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $30,425 | $31,728 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,153/sq mi | 537/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $140,700 | $131,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,024 | $1,011 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 60.8% | 59.5% | 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 | 24.9% | 23.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 22.9% | 18.7% | 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 | 82 mi | 87 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.6 min | 22.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.5 | 39.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 5 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.98 | 17.97 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 13.8% | 12.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 32.5% | 29.2% | 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: 18705 — Wilkes-Barre, PA · 18702 — Wilkes-Barre, PA · How this is calculated: methodology