Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania Population, Hospitals, Airports, and Schools

Population: 43,123. Estimated population in July 2024: 41,337 (-4.1% change)
Males: 20,799 (48.2%), Females: 22,324 (51.8%)

Luzerne County

Zip code: 18702

Demographics

Median resident age: 38.8 years
Median household income: $26,711
Median house value: $64,700

Population by Race

Races in Wilkes-Barre:

  • White Non-Hispanic (91.4%)
  • Black (5.1%)
  • Hispanic (1.6%)
  • Two or more races (1.2%)
  • Other race (0.5%)

Ancestries: Irish (21.8%), Polish (19.8%), German (17.4%), Italian (11.1%), Welsh (6.1%), English (5.7%).

Elevation: 550 feet

Land area: 6.8 square miles

Population by Education

For population 25 years and over in Wilkes-Barre

  • High school or higher: 76.8%
  • Bachelor’s degree or higher: 12.8%
  • Graduate or professional degree: 4.7%
  • Unemployed: 8.9%
  • Mean travel time to work: 17.7 minutes

For population 15 years and over in Wilkes-Barre city

  • Never married: 33.7%
  • Now married: 42.0%
  • Separated: 2.8%
  • Widowed: 12.6%
  • Divorced: 8.9%

2.3% Foreign born (1.0% Europe, 0.6% Asia, 0.5% Latin America).

Population change in the 1990s: -4,577 (-9.6%).

Hospitals

Hospital/medical center in Wilkes-Barre:

  • WVHCS HOSPITAL INC (575 NORTH RIVER STREET)

Other hospitals/medical centers near Wilkes-Barre:

Airports

Airports certified for carrier operations nearest to Wilkes-Barre:

  • WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON INTL (about 13 miles; WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON, PA; Abbreviation: AVP)
  • LEHIGH VALLEY INTERNATIONAL (about 52 miles; ALLENTOWN, PA; Abbreviation: ABE)
  • READING REGIONAL/CARL A SPAATZ FIELD (about 61 miles; READING, PA; Abbreviation: RDG)

Other public-use airports nearest to Wilkes-Barre:

  • WILKES-BARRE WYOMING VALLEY (about 4 miles; WILKES-BARRE, PA; Abbreviation: WBW)
  • SKYHAVEN (about 20 miles; TUNKHANNOCK, PA; Abbreviation: 76N)
  • HAZLETON MUNI (about 20 miles; HAZLETON, PA; Abbreviation: HZL)

Colleges and Universities

Colleges/universities with over 2000 students nearest to Wilkes-Barre:

  • WILKES UNIVERSITY (about 1 miles; WILKES BARRE, PA; Full-time enrollment: 2,438)
  • LUZERNE COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE (about 10 miles; NANTICOKE, PA; Full-time enrollment: 3,582)
  • UNIVERSITY OF SCRANTON (about 20 miles; SCRANTON, PA; Full-time enrollment: 4,093)
  • MARYWOOD UNIVERSITY (about 21 miles; SCRANTON, PA; Full-time enrollment: 2,203)
  • BLOOMSBURG UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA (about 42 miles; BLOOMSBURG, PA; Full-time enrollment: 6,880)
  • LEHIGH CARBON COMMUNITY COLLEGE (about 44 miles; SCHNECKSVILLE, PA; Full-time enrollment: 2,145)
  • KUTZTOWN UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA (about 50 miles; KUTZTOWN, PA; Full-time enrollment: 7,101)

Schools

Public high school in Wilkes-Barre:

  • G A R MEMORIAL JSHS (Students: 855; Grades: 07 – 12)

Public primary/middle schools in Wilkes-Barre:

  • LYNDWOOD EL SCH (Students: 289; Grades: 02 – 05)
  • WILKES-BARRE AVTS (Grades: 00 – 00)

Libraries

Library in Wilkes-Barre:

  • OSTERHOUT FREE LIBRARY (Operating income: $1,745,348; Location: 71 SOUTH FRANKLIN ST; 232,588 books; 9,091 audio materials; 3,139 video materials; 473 serial subscriptions)