HomePennsylvaniaLuzerne County
Luzerne County, Pennsylvania: commercial real estate data.
Luzerne County, Pennsylvania had an estimated 331,379 residents on July 1, 2024, up 1.8 percent since the 2020 census base of 325,602, across 890 square miles. County output reached $20.58 bn in 2024, 7,212 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 269 7(a) approvals worth $102.9 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Luzerne County
How many people live in Luzerne County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024327,675
- Households135,055
- Average household size2.43
- Median household income$63,691
- Median age42.0
- Median gross rent$1,004 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$174,100
- Home value to household income2.7 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income18.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher25.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree9.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over233,287
- Population under 1866,457
- Share under 1820.3 percent
- Population 65 and over65,922
- Share 65 and over20.1 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 64195,296
- Civilian labor force162,489
- Unemployment rate5.8 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over62.2 percent
- Rank by population among Pennsylvania counties12th of 67
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included224th of 3,222
Luzerne County is the 12th largest of 67 Pennsylvania counties by population. A median home costs 2.7 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 20.3 percent against 20.1 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Luzerne County
Is Luzerne County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 2024331,379
- Census 2020 base population325,602
- Population change since the 2020 census base1.77 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 20242,470
- Births, 20243,024
- Deaths, 20244,049
- Natural change, 2024-1,025
- Net domestic migration, 2024725
- Net international migration, 20242,792
- Total net migration, 20243,517
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20244,505
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1252nd of 3,144
The county has grown 1.77 percent since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 and the population still grew, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration is more sensitive to a change in relative cost than one growing from household formation.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Luzerne County
Where are people moving to Luzerne County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving6,148
- People arriving, from those returns10,731
- Tax returns filed by households leaving6,126
- Net household movement22
- Adjusted gross income arriving$311.8 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-53.3 m
- Average income of an arriving household$50,713
- Average income of a leaving household$59,601
- Largest single originLackawanna County (665 households)
- Largest single destinationLackawanna County (708 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lackawanna County | 665 | 1,100 | $31.2 m |
| Bronx County | 455 | 885 | $14.4 m |
| Kings County | 312 | 668 | $18.2 m |
| Schuylkill County | 250 | 422 | $10.4 m |
| Columbia County | 244 | 425 | $12.4 m |
| Queens County | 186 | 346 | $6.6 m |
| Passaic County | 175 | 363 | $5.2 m |
| Monroe County | 169 | 300 | $8.2 m |
Households arriving report $8,888 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Lackawanna County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Luzerne County
What is the Luzerne County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$20.58 bn
- County GDP, 2023$19.65 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20244.7 percent
- GDP change over five years32.1 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Pennsylvania areas BEA publishes14th of 67
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes254th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$62,808
Output grew 4.7 percent in the latest year and 32.1 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Luzerne County
Employment by industry in Luzerne County
- Covered employment, annual average145,190
- Establishments reporting7,474
- Average annual pay$55,901
- Average weekly wage$1,075
- Health care and social assistance, employment23,720
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$60,843
- Transportation and warehousing, employment19,236
- Transportation and warehousing, average annual pay$52,955
- Manufacturing, employment17,873
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$66,010
- Retail trade, employment15,873
- Retail trade, average annual pay$35,150
- Accommodation and food services, employment11,073
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment8,993
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 23,720 | 1,044 | $60,843 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 19,236 | 350 | $52,955 |
| Manufacturing | 17,873 | 323 | $66,010 |
| Retail trade | 15,873 | 1,111 | $35,150 |
| Accommodation and food services | 11,073 | 776 | $22,247 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 8,993 | 416 | $41,064 |
| Construction | 5,248 | 585 | $70,023 |
| Wholesale trade | 4,776 | 341 | $72,640 |
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 23,720 jobs, 16.3 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Luzerne County
How many businesses are in Luzerne County?
- Establishments, all industries7,212
- Employment at those establishments139,382
- Annual payroll$7.30 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents22.0
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Luzerne County
Building permits in Luzerne County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024325
- Declared construction value permitted$92.1 m
- Single family units authorized293
- Multifamily units authorized32
- Multifamily share of units9.8 percent
- Average declared value per unit$283,292
- Units authorized per 1,000 households2.4
Single-family homes are 90.2 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Luzerne County
SBA loans in Luzerne County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded269
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$102.9 m
- Average 7(a) approval$382,492
- Median 7(a) approval$120,000
- 10th percentile approval$20,000
- 90th percentile approval$884,000
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)2,131
- Jobs per approval7.9
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active48
- Distinct industries receiving approvals129
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer16.7 percent
- Loans on real estate terms45
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter211
- Franchise loans23
- Franchise share of approvals8.6 percent
- Leading industry by approval countFull-Service Restaurants (23)
- Most active lenderManufacturers and Traders Trust Company (85)
- 504 approvals recorded57
- 504 gross approval dollars$59.2 m
- Average 504 approval$1,038,754
- Median 504 approval$503,000
- Distinct CDCs active7
- 504 jobs per approval14.8
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved14.2
- Most active CDCNEPA Alliance Business Finance Corporation (29)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$162.1 m
The average approval of $382,492 sits well above the median of $120,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 16.7 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Luzerne County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Luzerne County
Do SBA loans in Luzerne County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded43
- Paid in full41
- Charged off2
- Charge-off rate on resolved loans4.7 percent
- Status: Paid in full41
- Status: Exempt from disclosure173
- Status: Cancelled32
- Status: Charged off2
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed21
Of the 43 loans that have reached a final outcome, 4.7 percent were charged off. This is computed only over resolved loans, because a loan still running has not yet succeeded or failed and counting it either way would be wrong.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Luzerne County
SBA lending by place in Luzerne County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending48
- Wilkes-Barre, approvals60
- Kingston, approvals30
- Pittston, approvals25
- Drums, approvals17
- Mountain Top, approvals14
- Hazleton, approvals11
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Wilkes-Barre | 60 | $32,751,200 |
| Kingston | 30 | $5,821,800 |
| Pittston | 25 | $14,195,600 |
| Drums | 17 | $6,232,000 |
| Mountain Top | 14 | $7,179,500 |
| Hazleton | 11 | $3,939,500 |
| Dallas | 11 | $2,980,600 |
| Wyoming | 7 | $465,000 |
| 40 other borrower cities | 94 | $29,325,100 |
Wilkes-Barre accounts for 60 approvals against 30 in Kingston. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Luzerne County
How large is Luzerne County?
- Land area890 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Pennsylvania counties14th of 67
- Width, east to west37.3 mi
- Height, north to south36.3 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary7
- Residents per square mile of land368
- Establishments per square mile8.10
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Luzerne County
Flood risk in Luzerne County
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book76
- Of those, participating in the NFIP75
- NFIP participation rate98.7 percent
- Best Community Rating System class in the county A lower CRS class is a larger flood insurance premium discount.Class 6
- Communities carrying a CRS class4
- Radon levels in Luzerne County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/LZone 1
The EPA places Luzerne County in radon zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. The best Community Rating System class among the county's communities is 6, which carries a flood insurance premium discount for policies written in that community. 98.7 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Luzerne County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Luzerne County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024327,675
- Households135,055
- Average household size2.43
- Median household income$63,691
- Median age42.0
Common questions
Luzerne County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania?
The Census Bureau estimates 331,379 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 327,675, in 135,055 households, ranking 12th of 67 Pennsylvania counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Luzerne County's population growing?
The population has grown 1.77 percent since the 2020 census base of 325,602, to 331,379 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 3,024 births against 4,049 deaths, with net migration of 3,517. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Luzerne County?
$63,691. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $174,100, which is 2.7 times income, and median gross rent is $1,004 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Luzerne County?
7,212 establishments, employing 139,382 people with an annual payroll of $7.30 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Luzerne County?
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 23,720 jobs, 16.3 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 145,190 jobs at an average annual pay of $55,901, or $1,075 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Luzerne County?
269 7(a) approvals totaling $102.9 m since FY2020, across 48 lenders, with a median approval of $120,000, plus 57 504 approvals worth $59.2 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Luzerne County get paid back?
Of the 43 loans that have reached a final outcome, 41 were paid in full and 2 charged off, a charge-off rate of 4.7 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
How many building permits were issued in Luzerne County?
325 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $92.1 m. Multifamily was 9.8 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Luzerne County?
Zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Luzerne County come from?
The largest single origin is Lackawanna County, with 665 households. Arriving households report an average income of $50,713 against $59,601 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Luzerne County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Luzerne County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Luzerne County
Cities and places in Luzerne.
67 Census places lie wholly or partly in Luzerne County. All 67 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilkes-Barre | city | 44,423 | 60 | Wholly in this county |
| Hazleton | city | 30,111 | 11 | Wholly in this county |
| Kingston | borough | 13,397 | 30 | Wholly in this county |
| Mountain Top | CDP | 11,850 | 14 | Wholly in this county |
| Nanticoke | city | 10,653 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Pittston | city | 7,626 | 25 | Wholly in this county |
| Plymouth | borough | 5,770 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| Exeter | borough | 5,541 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| West Hazleton | borough | 5,178 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Duryea | borough | 5,084 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Swoyersville | borough | 5,048 | 4 | Wholly in this county |
| Edwardsville | borough | 4,932 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| West Pittston | borough | 4,679 | 4 | Wholly in this county |
| Larksville | borough | 4,255 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Forty Fort | borough | 4,252 | 4 | Wholly in this county |
| Plains | CDP | 4,153 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| Freeland | borough | 3,837 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Wyoming | borough | 3,118 | 7 | Wholly in this county |
| Harveys Lake | borough | 2,809 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Luzerne | borough | 2,723 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Dallas | borough | 2,692 | 11 | Wholly in this county |
| West Wyoming | borough | 2,662 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Ashley | borough | 2,602 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Dupont | borough | 2,559 | 6 | Wholly in this county |
| Avoca | borough | 2,526 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| East Berwick | CDP | 2,279 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Shavertown | CDP | 2,137 | 6 | Wholly in this county |
| Beech Mountain Lakes | CDP | 2,111 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Trucksville | CDP | 2,042 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Glen Lyon | CDP | 1,925 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Georgetown | CDP | 1,880 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Browntown | CDP | 1,671 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Hudson | CDP | 1,588 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Inkerman | CDP | 1,581 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Conyngham | borough | 1,526 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Hughestown | borough | 1,506 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Nescopeck | borough | 1,486 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Laflin | borough | 1,459 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Harleigh | CDP | 1,389 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Chase | CDP | 1,037 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| White Haven | borough | 1,014 | 4 | Wholly in this county |
| Hilldale | CDP | 1,012 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Misericordia University | CDP | 1,011 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Upper Exeter | CDP | 1,004 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Sugar Notch | borough | 999 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Pringle | borough | 803 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Yatesville | borough | 749 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Nuangola | borough | 748 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Silkworth | CDP | 745 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Lattimer | CDP | 684 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Courtdale | borough | 678 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Shickshinny | borough | 638 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| West Nanticoke | CDP | 632 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Bear Creek Village | borough | 628 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Sheatown | CDP | 614 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Mocanaqua | CDP | 593 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Wanamie | CDP | 555 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Weston | CDP | 495 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Hickory Hills | CDP | 480 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Laurel Run | borough | 469 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Warrior Run | borough | 466 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Penn Lake Park | borough | 376 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Pardeesville | CDP | 366 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| New Columbus | borough | 305 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Pikes Creek | CDP | 221 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Jeddo | borough | 158 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Nuremberg | CDP | 133 | None recorded | 40.9 percent here, 59.1 percent Schuylkill County |
A further 45 of the county's 269 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Luzerne County, the largest being Drums (17), Harding (5), Sugarloaf (3). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.