Wilkes-Barre receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Hazleton
Wilkes-Barre
Opportunity
38 · Bottom 15%
vs44 · Bottom 25%
Growth
44 · Bottom 38%
vs57 · Top 38%
Climate
63 · Bottom 29%
vs63 · Bottom 29%
Physical resilience
72 · Top 33%
vs73 · Top 33%
Housing affordability
73 · Bottom 38%
vs88 · Top 37%
Schools
13 · Bottom 4%
vs17 · Bottom 7%
Access
62 · Bottom 8%
vs52 · Bottom 4%
Economic stability
38 · Bottom 15%
vs30 · Bottom 7%
Measured values
| Metric | Hazleton | Wilkes-Barre | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 30,111 | 44,423 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $46,177 | $48,515 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $22,188 | $25,979 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 5,042/sq mi | 6,487/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $151,600 | $117,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,089 | $946 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 51.1% | 51.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 7.4% | 6.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.6% | 2.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 10.8% | 20.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 25.0% | 23.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 15 | 6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.5 | 0.1 | 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 | 67 mi | 82 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.2 min | 21.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.5 | 34.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 3 | 11 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.53 | 17.98 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 9.4% | 13.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 24.6% | 30.3% | 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.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Hazleton
51
Your Score
51
Area Score
Wilkes-Barre
53
Your Score
55
Area Score
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Full profiles: Hazleton, PA · Wilkes-Barre, PA · How this is calculated: methodology