CensusEasy
CITY · 1990 CENSUS

Wilkes-Barre

Pennsylvania · 47,523 residents · 6.848 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO
Part of the Scranton metro area
Compare
The short version

Wilkes-Barre has notably lower household income than the US average, with a median household income of $19,525. Population has held roughly steady since 2000. 13% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national rate of 20%. Median home value is $43,600. Households here earn about 33% less than the Pennsylvania median.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $30,130
Older
median age 37.0
US median: 33.0
Less educated
13% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 20%
More affordable
home values down 12%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $93,722
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
47,523
+10%vs 2000
vs 43,123 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
37.0
−5%vs 2000
vs 38.8 in 2000
US average: 33.0
Population, 1990 – 2024
40K42K44K46K48K1990201020202024Wilkes-Barre
202444K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 1990
Under 55.6%(2,659)
US avg: 7.3%
5 to 95.4%(2,558)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 145.7%(2,722)
US avg: 6.9%
15 to 197.7%(3,682)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 248.7%(4,119)
US avg: 7.5%
25 to 3414.3%(6,774)
US avg: 17.5%
35 to 4412.4%(5,871)
US avg: 15.1%
45 to 548.6%(4,083)
US avg: 10.2%
55 to 6410.7%(5,069)
US avg: 8.5%
65 to 7411.5%(5,479)
US avg: 7.3%
75 to 847.6%(3,614)
US avg: 4%
85 and over1.9%(893)
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$19,525
−4%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $26,711 in 2000
US average: $30,130
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$10,513
−30%vs 2000
vs $15,050 in 2000
US average: $14,340
Poverty rate
15.4%
−2.4 ptsvs 2000
vs 17.8% in 2000
US average: 13.2%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$43,600
−12%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $65,500 in 2000
US average: $93,722
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$317
+2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $411 in 2000
US average: $450
Owner-occupied
52.7%
−0.9 ptsvs 2000
vs 53.5% in 2000
47.3% rent
RELATED:See current rent listings in Wilkes-Barre on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic91.4%(39,433)
Black4.9%(2,129)
Hispanic / Latino1.6%(683)
Asian0.8%(342)
Other0%
1990
White, non-Hispanic96.1%(45,684)
Black2.9%(1,391)
Hispanic / Latino0.5%(215)
Asian0.6%(263)
Other0.4%(185)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin
Dominican14%(6,205)
Mexican7.9%(3,498)
Puerto Rican6.4%(2,856)
South American3.3%(1,466)
Colombian1.4%(620)
Ecuadorian1.3%(556)
Honduran0.6%(276)
Spaniard0.5%(218)
Uruguayan0.4%(163)
Argentine0.2%(78)
Panamanian0.1%(55)
+ 5 more hispanic origin groups with data
Chilean0.1%(36)
Cuban0.1%(31)
Salvadoran0.1%(26)
Costa Rican0.1%(25)
Peruvian0%(13)
Asian origin
Hmong0.6%(245)
Asian Indian0.2%(108)
Filipino0.2%(99)
Chinese0.1%(63)
Korean0.1%(63)
Pakistani0.1%(33)
Japanese0%(10)
Pacific Islander origin
Ancestry
Irish13.6%(6,022)
Polish10.3%(4,576)
German8.6%(3,823)
Italian8.2%(3,654)
English3.6%(1,590)
Welsh3.1%(1,392)
American2.5%(1,095)
Slovak1.7%(759)
Lithuanian1.7%(734)
Russian1.6%(700)
West Indian1.5%(658)
+ 35 more ancestry groups with data
Arab1.3%(566)
Jamaican0.9%(416)
Dutch0.8%(363)
Lebanese0.7%(326)
Scottish0.6%(260)
French0.6%(245)
Ukrainian0.5%(210)
Syrian0.4%(198)
Nigerian0.4%(188)
Haitian0.4%(172)
Swedish0.2%(96)
Greek0.2%(90)
Portuguese0.2%(90)
Austrian0.2%(88)
Guyanese0.2%(86)
Hungarian0.2%(73)
Scotch-Irish0.2%(69)
Swiss0.1%(53)
Czech0.1%(47)
Brazilian0.1%(32)
Egyptian0.1%(31)
Kenyan0.1%(27)
British0.1%(26)
Croatian0.1%(23)
Romanian0%(21)
Iranian0%(16)
Norwegian0%(15)
Canadian0%(10)
Ethiopian0%(10)
Slovene0%(9)
Finnish0%(5)
Belgian0%(3)
RANKED:Largest Dominican population · Largest Irish population · Largest Polish population · Largest German population · Largest Italian population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
12.9%
+0.1 ptsvs 2000
vs 12.8% in 2000
US average: 20.3%
High school or higher
69.5%
−7.3 ptsvs 2000
vs 76.8% in 2000
US average: 75.2%
Graduate degree
4.7%
Unchangedvs 2000
vs 4.7% in 2000
US average: 7.1%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
14.1 min
+21%vs 2000
vs 11.7 min in 2000
US average: 21.9
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married51.6%(9,240)
Married36%(6,456)
Widowed4.1%(743)
Divorced8.2%(1,476)
Women 15+
Never married46.5%(8,704)
Married32.4%(6,063)
Widowed9.6%(1,803)
Divorced11.4%(2,134)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Drill deeper

Places similar to Wilkes-Barre

Hallandale Beach
Pop 42,698
Fort Pierce
Pop 51,737
Lauderdale Lakes
Pop 36,898
Leesburg
Pop 38,905
Places similar to Wilkes-Barre
Head to head

Compare Wilkes-Barre to nearby cities

WILKES-BARRE VS
Kingston
Income$55,347+183%
Home value$172,900+297%
Population13,462−70%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WILKES-BARRE VS
Nanticoke
Income$57,462+194%
Home value$108,100+148%
Population10,712−76%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WILKES-BARRE VS
Mountain Top
Income$109,535+461%
Home value$297,700+583%
Population11,850−73%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WILKES-BARRE VS
Dunmore
Income$71,302+265%
Home value$196,100+350%
Population14,249−68%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania?

Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania has about 47,523 residents according to the 1990 Census.

What is the median household income in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania?

The typical household in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania earns about $19,525 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania expensive?

In Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, the median home is worth about $43,600, and the typical rent is about $317 a month.

How educated are people in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania?

About 12.9% of adults age 25 and over in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania?

About 15.4% of people in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania live below the federal poverty line.

Keep going

Explore from here

Up the hierarchy
Pennsylvania
Rankings
Highest income citiesFastest growing citiesMost educated cities
Compare
Compare Wilkes-Barre with another place

DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →