United States › Pennsylvania › Wilkes-Barre CITY · 2020 ACS
Wilkes-Barre Pennsylvania · 44,328 residents · 6.85 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS 2024 ACS
The short version
Wilkes-Barre is home to 44,328 people in Pennsylvania. 44% of homes are owner-occupied. 18% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 33% national rate. Median home value sits at $78,000. That trails the Pennsylvania median by roughly 36%. The poverty rate is 23.3%, above the 12.8% national rate.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Younger
median age 35.9
US median: 38.8
Less educated
18% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
More affordable
home values down 21%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01
Population & growth from 38.8 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Population, 1990 – 2024
40K 42K 44K 46K 48K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Wilkes-Barre Age distribution, 2020
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Section 02
Income & economy $40,505
+1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $26,711 in 2000
US average: $66,278
from $15,050 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
from 14.3% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
from 17.8% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Professional, scientific, technical 6.5%
Public administration 4.6%
Transportation & warehousing 2.1%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.8%
Education & health services 1.4%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.4%
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$78,000
−21%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $65,500 in 2000
US average: $265,253
$757
+23%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $411 in 2000
US average: $1,124
from 53.5% in 2000
55.6% rent
2.43 people
+12%since 2009
from 2.17 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
from 2.6 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 91.4%(39,433)
Hispanic / Latino 1.6%(683)
2020
White, non-Hispanic 54.8%(24,312)
Hispanic / Latino 25%(11,060)
No data for the years selected.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Hispanic origin
+ 5 more hispanic origin groups with data Ancestry
+ 35 more ancestry groups with data from 12.8% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
from 76.8% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
from 4.7% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 11.7 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
from 69.5% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
from 23.0% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07
Work & employment from 8.4% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
from 56.7% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
US average: 73.3%
from 23.5% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08
People & community from 3.6% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
from 13.1% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
US average: 91.9%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married 51.6%(9,240)
Women 15+
Never married 46.5%(8,704)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 13.1% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Direct-purchase
US average: 13.7%
VA health care
US average: 2.3%
Any private
US average: 68.1%
Any public
US average: 35.2%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later) 14.8%(284)
Gulf War (1990s) 17.8%(342)
Share of the 1,920 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to Wilkes-Barre Head to head
Compare Wilkes-Barre to nearby cities WILKES-BARRE VS
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania? Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania has about 44,328 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania? The typical household in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania earns about $40,505 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 $78,000, and the typical rent is about $757 a month.
How educated are people in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania? About 18.4% 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 23.3% of people in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania live below the federal poverty line.
Has Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania grown since 1990? Yes, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 3,195 residents, a change of about -7 percent over that period.
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