Wilkes-Barre is a city located in Luzerne County Pennsylvania. Wilkes-Barre has a 2024 population of 44,254. It is also the county seat of Luzerne County. Wilkes-Barre is currently declining at a rate of 0% annually and its population has increased by 0% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 44,253 in 2020.
The average household income in Wilkes-Barre is $60,771 with a poverty rate of 21.75%. The median age in Wilkes-Barre is 34.3 years: 34.2 years for males, and 34.4 years for females.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Wilkes-Barre was:
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
|---|---|---|
| White | 26,011 | 58.95% |
| Other race | 6,210 | 14.07% |
| Black or African American | 5,520 | 12.51% |
| Two or more races | 5,222 | 11.84% |
| Asian | 943 | 2.14% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 170 | 0.39% |
| Native American | 47 | 0.11% |
White
Other race
Black or African American
Two or more races
Asian
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Native American
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | 16,461 | 2.47 | 47.9 | 52.1 |
| Non Family | 6,646 | 1.22 | 36.5 | 63.5 |
| Married | 5,439 | 3.22 | 70.5 | 29.5 |
| Female | 3,212 | 3.52 | 34.2 | 65.8 |
| Male | 1,164 | 3.14 | 44.7 | 55.3 |
3.12
Average Family Size
2.47
Average Household Size
47.9%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 9th to 12th Grade | 2,433 | 8.58% |
| Associates Degree | 2,755 | 9.72% |
| Bachelors Degree | 3,566 | 12.58% |
| Graduate Degree | 1,717 | 6.06% |
| High School Graduate | 11,341 | 40% |
| Less Than 9th Grade | 1,616 | 5.7% |
| Some College | 4,927 | 17.38% |
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 17,809 | 16,162 | 3,623 |
| Hispanic | 6,654 | 4,819 | 1,084 |
| Other Race | 3,394 | 2,398 | 505 |
| Black | 3,121 | 2,656 | 251 |
| 2+ Races | 2,474 | 1,947 | 565 |
| Asian | 489 | 374 | 193 |
| Islander | 20 | 20 | 20 |
| Native American | 2 | 2 | 0 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among native american people with a rate of 100%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among islander people with a rate of 100%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelors Degree | $42,645 | $44,896 | $37,195 |
| Graduate Degree | $62,024 | $80,848 | $55,457 |
| High School Graduate | $34,034 | $38,966 | $28,561 |
| Less Than 9th Grade | $25,284 | $30,603 | $20,348 |
| Overall | $36,259 | $41,034 | $32,263 |
| Some College | $36,578 | $41,870 | $34,251 |
$36,259
Average Earnings
$41,034
Average Male
$32,263
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
75.7% of Wilkes-Barre residents speak only English, while 24.3% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 20.68% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 21,586 | 3,456 | 16.01% |
| Hispanic | 12,402 | 3,052 | 24.61% |
| Multiple | 5,002 | 1,879 | 37.56% |
| Black | 4,976 | 1,593 | 32.01% |
| Other | 6,070 | 1,398 | 23.03% |
| Asian | 894 | 81 | 9.06% |
| Native | 39 | 38 | 97.44% |
21.75%
Overall Poverty Rate
19.59%
Male Poverty Rate
23.76%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Wilkes-Barre is Native, with 97.44% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Wilkes-Barre is Asian, with 9.06% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 2.8%. Among those working part-time, it was 25.23%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 30.02%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Less Than 9th Grade | 32.64% |
| High School | 19.06% |
| Some College | 13.42% |
| Bachelors or Greater | 5.05% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Male Unemployed | 43.78% |
| Female Unemployed | 38.08% |
| Female Employed | 11.96% |
| Male Employed | 5.03% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
|---|---|---|
| Families | $57,047 | $72,003 |
| Households | $46,597 | $60,771 |
| Married Families | $79,164 | $-999,999,999 |
| Non Families | $30,722 | $38,971 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
32.9%
Overall Marriage Rate
33.5%
Male Marriage Rate
32.3%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 55-64.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
2,085
Number of Veterans
1,938
Male Veterans
147
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
|---|---|
| Vietnam | 578 |
| First Gulf War | 379 |
| Second Gulf War | 324 |
| Korea | 220 |
| World War II | 10 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
|---|---|
| 75+ | 637 |
| 35 to 54 | 480 |
| 55 to 64 | 420 |
| 65 to 74 | 405 |
| 18 to 34 | 143 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| White | 1,733 | 7.61% |
| Black | 218 | 5.67% |
| Hispanic | 132 | 1.66% |
| 2+ Races | 96 | 3.26% |
| Other Race | 32 | 0.83% |
| Asian | 6 | 1.01% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
10.9%
Veteran Poverty Rate
29.5%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
56.9%
Labor Force Participation
52%
Employment Rate
8.4%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
56.21%
Born in Wilkes-Barre
85.53%
Native Born
14.47%
Foreign Born
8.57%
Non Citizen
5.9%
Naturalized
85.53% of Wilkes-Barre residents were born in the United States, with 56.21% having been born in Pennsylvania. 8.57% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.
Year | Population | Growth | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2029 | 44,256 | 1 | 0% |
| 2028 | 44,255 | 0 | 0% |
| 2027 | 44,255 | 0 | 0% |
| 2026 | 44,255 | 1 | 0% |
| 2025 | 44,254 | 0 | 0% |
| 2024 | 44,254 | 0 | 0% |
| 2023 | 44,254 | 3 | 0.01% |
| 2022 | 44,251 | -67 | -0.15% |
| 2021 | 44,318 | 65 | 0.15% |
| 2020 | 44,253 | 3,524 | 8.65% |
| 2019 | 40,729 | -174 | -0.43% |
| 2018 | 40,903 | -44 | -0.11% |
| 2017 | 40,947 | 150 | 0.37% |
| 2016 | 40,797 | -123 | -0.3% |
| 2015 | 40,920 | -132 | -0.32% |
| 2014 | 41,052 | 0 | 0% |
| 2013 | 41,052 | -298 | -0.72% |
| 2012 | 41,350 | -48 | -0.12% |
| 2011 | 41,398 | -104 | -0.25% |
| 2010 | 41,502 | 0 | 0% |
| 2000 | 43,123 | -4,400 | -9.26% |
| 1990 | 47,523 | -4,028 | -7.81% |
| 1980 | 51,551 | -7,305 | -12.41% |
| 1970 | 58,856 | -4,695 | -7.39% |
| 1960 | 63,551 | -13,275 | -17.28% |
| 1950 | 76,826 | -9,410 | -10.91% |
| 1940 | 86,236 | -390 | -0.45% |
| 1930 | 86,626 | 12,793 | 17.33% |
| 1920 | 73,833 | 6,728 | 10.03% |
| 1910 | 67,105 | 15,384 | 29.74% |
| 1900 | 51,721 | 14,003 | 37.13% |
| 1890 | 37,718 | 14,379 | 61.61% |
| 1880 | 23,339 | 13,165 | 129.4% |
| 1870 | 10,174 | 5,921 | 139.22% |
| 1860 | 4,253 | 1,530 | 56.19% |
| 1850 | 2,723 | -41,533 | -93.85% |