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 $63,469 with a poverty rate of 21.14%. The median age in Wilkes-Barre is 35.3 years: 35.4 years for males, and 35.2 years for females.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Wilkes-Barre was:
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
|---|---|---|
| White | 24,518 | 55.45% |
| Other race | 6,862 | 15.52% |
| Black or African American | 6,080 | 13.75% |
| Two or more races | 5,696 | 12.88% |
| Asian | 920 | 2.08% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 127 | 0.29% |
| Native American | 14 | 0.03% |
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 | 16,710 | 2.43 | 48.9 | 51.1 |
| Non Family | 6,988 | 1.2 | 40 | 60 |
| Married | 5,326 | 3.21 | 69.4 | 30.6 |
| Female | 3,204 | 3.58 | 36 | 64 |
| Male | 1,192 | 3.04 | 44.8 | 55.2 |
3.12
Average Family Size
2.43
Average Household Size
48.9%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 9th to 12th Grade | 2,645 | 9.25% |
| Associates Degree | 2,901 | 10.15% |
| Bachelors Degree | 3,687 | 12.9% |
| Graduate Degree | 1,859 | 6.5% |
| High School Graduate | 11,172 | 39.08% |
| Less Than 9th Grade | 1,656 | 5.79% |
| Some College | 4,670 | 16.33% |
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 | 17,336 | 15,765 | 3,909 |
| Hispanic | 7,168 | 4,944 | 1,126 |
| Other Race | 3,703 | 2,483 | 482 |
| Black | 3,271 | 2,788 | 304 |
| 2+ Races | 2,998 | 2,296 | 637 |
| Asian | 444 | 390 | 104 |
| Native American | 10 | 10 | 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 asian people with a rate of 23.42%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelors Degree | $45,528 | $50,714 | $40,397 |
| Graduate Degree | $59,386 | $79,735 | $57,648 |
| High School Graduate | $36,843 | $40,943 | $31,658 |
| Less Than 9th Grade | $26,745 | $28,791 | $22,146 |
| Overall | $38,206 | $41,566 | $34,029 |
| Some College | $37,664 | $40,975 | $33,434 |
$38,206
Average Earnings
$41,566
Average Male
$34,029
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
74.39% of Wilkes-Barre residents speak only English, while 25.61% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 22.1% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hispanic | 13,038 | 3,741 | 28.69% |
| White | 20,404 | 2,722 | 13.34% |
| Multiple | 5,375 | 1,900 | 35.35% |
| Black | 5,597 | 1,753 | 31.32% |
| Other | 6,737 | 1,601 | 23.76% |
| Asian | 816 | 108 | 13.24% |
| Native | 14 | 6 | 42.86% |
21.14%
Overall Poverty Rate
19.21%
Male Poverty Rate
22.96%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Wilkes-Barre is Native, with 42.86% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Wilkes-Barre is Asian, with 13.24% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 3.74%. Among those working part-time, it was 24.08%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 28.98%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Less Than 9th Grade | 30.17% |
| High School | 17.19% |
| Some College | 14.65% |
| Bachelors or Greater | 7.35% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Male Unemployed | 41.43% |
| Female Unemployed | 37.03% |
| Female Employed | 12.4% |
| Male Employed | 5.25% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
|---|---|---|
| Families | $59,231 | $75,548 |
| Households | $47,970 | $63,469 |
| Married Families | $83,827 | $-999,999,999 |
| Non Families | $33,831 | $41,929 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
32.2%
Overall Marriage Rate
33.9%
Male Marriage Rate
30.5%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is 45-54, 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
1,965
Number of Veterans
1,836
Male Veterans
129
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
|---|---|
| Vietnam | 595 |
| Second Gulf War | 382 |
| First Gulf War | 311 |
| Korea | 205 |
| World War II | 14 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
|---|---|
| 75+ | 629 |
| 55 to 64 | 500 |
| 35 to 54 | 412 |
| 65 to 74 | 300 |
| 18 to 34 | 124 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| White | 1,652 | 7.56% |
| Black | 154 | 3.71% |
| Hispanic | 132 | 1.56% |
| 2+ Races | 99 | 2.78% |
| Other Race | 49 | 1.13% |
| Asian | 11 | 1.85% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
9.45%
Veteran Poverty Rate
30.01%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
58.9%
Labor Force Participation
53.9%
Employment Rate
8.3%
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
56.48%
Born in Wilkes-Barre
84.91%
Native Born
15.09%
Foreign Born
8.72%
Non Citizen
6.38%
Naturalized
84.91% of Wilkes-Barre residents were born in the United States, with 56.48% having been born in Pennsylvania. 8.72% 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% |