Kingston receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Wilkes-Barre
Kingston
Opportunity
44 · Bottom 25%
vs56 · Bottom 49%
Growth
57 · Top 38%
vs38 · Bottom 29%
Climate
63 · Bottom 29%
vs63 · Bottom 29%
Physical resilience
73 · Top 33%
vs73 · Top 33%
Housing affordability
88 · Top 37%
vs88 · Top 35%
Access
52 · Bottom 4%
vs53 · Bottom 5%
Economic stability
30 · Bottom 7%
vs48 · Bottom 28%
Measured values
| Metric | Wilkes-Barre | Kingston | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 44,423 | 13,397 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $48,515 | $55,347 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $25,979 | $38,424 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 6,487/sq mi | 6,243/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $117,200 | $172,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $946 | $1,038 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 51.2% | 52.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 6.0% | 5.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.6% | 2.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.5% | 31.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 23.1% | 18.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 6 | 2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.1 | 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 | 82 mi | 81 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.9 min | 21.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.7 | 37.9 | 2024 ACS 5-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
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Wilkes-Barre
53
Your Score
55
Area Score
Kingston
60
Your Score
62
Area Score
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Full profiles: Wilkes-Barre, PA · Kingston, PA · How this is calculated: methodology