Signals
Wilkes-Barre
Mountain Top
Opportunity
44 · Bottom 25%
vs69 · Top 25%
Climate
63 · Bottom 29%
vs63 · Bottom 29%
Physical resilience
73 · Top 33%
vs73 · Top 33%
Housing affordability
88 · Top 37%
vs100 · Top 8%
Schools
17 · Bottom 7%
vs54 · Top 47%
Access
52 · Bottom 4%
vs55 · Bottom 5%
Economic stability
30 · Bottom 7%
vs78 · Top 11%
Measured values
| Metric | Wilkes-Barre | Mountain Top | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 44,423 | 11,850 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $48,515 | $109,535 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $25,979 | $55,506 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 6,487/sq mi | 789/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $117,200 | $297,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $946 | $849 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 51.2% | 89.3% | 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% | 45.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 23.1% | 5.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| 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 | 79 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.9 min | 27.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.7 | 45.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 11 | 3 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.98 | 20.04 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 13.1% | 30.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 30.3% | 62.4% | 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
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Wilkes-Barre
53
Your Score
55
Area Score
Mountain Top
70
Your Score
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Area Score
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Full profiles: Wilkes-Barre, PA · Mountain Top, PA · How this is calculated: methodology