Real Estate Investing in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

Everything the listing leaves out — vacancy, rent trend, cap rate, landlord climate. All free.

31 ZIP codes • Population: 321,542

Should you buy in Luzerne County, PA? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
MIXED
Grade C (64/100)

Mixed signals β€” some positives, some negatives. Worth considering but not a slam-dunk.

πŸ“ˆ For Investors
MIXED
3.1 / 5 (54/100)

A middle-of-the-road market. Workable, but the best opportunities may be nearby ZIPs rather than this one.

⚠️ Risks to Know
1 flag
  • High vacancy: 12.5% of homes vacant β€” above national norms.

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3.1/ 5

Investability

County-wide average

3.0/ 5

Appreciation

6.7% 5yr CAGR

4.0/ 5

Landlord Climate

Regulatory friendliness

Avg Investability β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜…
Avg Home Value $232,228
Avg Monthly Rent $1,194
ZIP Codes 31

Investing in Luzerne County Real Estate

Luzerne County (PA) covers 31 ZIPs and 27 municipalities. plainly the fundamentals here skew distressed, and both rent and price trends have been sluggish across most of the geography.

The investment case for Luzerne County is difficult to make on screen data alone. a harder case for a 3.1 rating and cap rates that appear attractive only until real vacancy is underwritten.

Distressed-leaning demographics in Luzerne β€” soft income growth, high rent burden, population shifts β€” are among the reasons the β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜†β˜† rating sits where it does.

A great house in the wrong ZIP is still a bad deal — screen every market by cash flow & cap rate.
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Landlord Ground Truth

Real numbers from people who own or manage rentals in Luzerne County, PA. Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Avg Home Value
$232,228
Avg Monthly Rent
$1,194
1% Rule
βœ— Below
Landlord Friendly (PA)
β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜†

πŸŽ“ Colleges & Universities in Luzerne County

6 Colleges 14,415 Students 2,580 Off-Campus Renters
C
Misericordia University
4-Year Private Β· 2,107 students
C
Wilkes University
4-Year Private Β· 5,198 students
C
King's College
4-Year Private Β· 1,932 students
C
Luzerne County Community College
2-Year Public Β· 4,315 students
πŸ“ ~2,394 students rent off-campus
C
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Hazleton
4-Year Public Β· 510 students
D
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Wilkes-Barre
4-Year Public Β· 353 students
πŸ“ ~116 students rent off-campus

Investor Insight: With 2,580 students living off-campus, Luzerne County has substantial rental demand from the college population β€” typically stable, lease-renewing tenants.

Cities in Luzerne County

ZIP Codes in Luzerne County, PA

18702 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
Wilkes-Barre
Population 42,120
Avg Home $179,267
Avg Rent $1,388/mo
18201 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
Hazleton
Population 31,428
Avg Home $203,871
Avg Rent $1,399/mo
18704 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
Kingston
Population 30,997
Avg Home $222,481
Avg Rent $1,420/mo
18612 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
Dallas
Population 17,754
Avg Home $312,998
Avg Rent $1,210/mo
18640 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
Pittston
Population 16,418
Avg Home $217,214
Avg Rent $1,150/mo
18707 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
Mountain Top
Population 16,418
Avg Home $339,043
Avg Rent $963/mo
18706 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
Wilkes-Barre
Population 16,318
Avg Home $187,948
Avg Rent $1,070/mo
18705 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
Wilkes-Barre
Population 15,595
Avg Home $197,658
Avg Rent $1,331/mo
18634 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
Nanticoke
Population 13,638
Avg Home $174,615
Avg Rent $1,108/mo
18202 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
Hazleton
Population 13,477
Avg Home $259,131
Avg Rent $1,200/mo
18643 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
Exeter
Population 12,683
Avg Home $231,285
Avg Rent $1,134/mo
18222 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
Drums
Population 9,946
Avg Home $305,492
Avg Rent $1,494/mo
18708 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
Shavertown
Population 9,063
Avg Home $301,882
Avg Rent $1,242/mo
18651 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
Plymouth
Population 8,672
Avg Home $158,097
Avg Rent $1,225/mo
18644 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
Wyoming
Population 7,318
Avg Home $249,761
Avg Rent $1,053/mo
18641 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
Dupont
Population 6,385
Avg Home $206,152
Avg Rent $1,053/mo
18224 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
Freeland
Population 5,954
Avg Home $173,469
Avg Rent $1,224/mo
18655 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
Shickshinny
Population 5,789
Avg Home $244,204
Avg Rent $1,089/mo
18661 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
White Haven
Population 5,541
Avg Home $252,007
Avg Rent $1,386/mo
18621 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
Hunlock Creek
Population 4,903
Avg Home $241,177
Avg Rent $1,278/mo
18642 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
Duryea
Population 4,469
Avg Home $217,006
Avg Rent $1,197/mo
18249 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
Sugarloaf
Population 4,161
Avg Home $322,184
Avg Rent $1,314/mo
18701 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
Wilkes-Barre
Population 3,926
Avg Home $178,357
Avg Rent $1,271/mo
18635 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
Nescopeck
Population 3,640
Avg Home $255,891
Avg Rent $1,044/mo
18618 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
Harveys Lake
Population 3,583
Avg Home $273,158
Avg Rent $1,584/mo
18660 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
Wapwallopen
Population 3,278
Avg Home $259,221
Avg Rent $1,062/mo
18709 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
Luzerne
Population 2,959
Avg Home $182,957
Avg Rent $927/mo
18656 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
Sweet Valley
Population 2,128
Avg Home $284,609
Avg Rent $1,062/mo
18617 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
Glen Lyon
Population 1,616
Avg Home $129,012
Avg Rent $954/mo
18219 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
Conyngham
Population 1,072
Avg Home $278,343
Avg Rent $1,044/mo
18241 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
Nuremberg
Population 293
Avg Home $160,582
Avg Rent $1,134/mo

Screen every market in Luzerne County

Filter this county’s ZIPs by cap rate, vacancy, appreciation and 30+ more criteria, and export your shortlist to CSV — with the Investor plan ($19/mo). Add weekly alerts when these markets move with Investor Pro+.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Luzerne County

What is the tenant pool like in, PA?

, PA draws a stable base of working renters. Demand at the $1,194/mo rent level is reasonable for standard single-family and small multi rentals.

Are home values higher in, PA than the rest of PA?

Against the PA average, is broadly in line with. The divergence is driven by local fundamentals rather than statewide trends.

Where do home prices stand in, PA?

Expect median prices around $232K in, PA. The market has run at a 0.0% 5-year CAGR, so entry costs have been predictable.

Are rents high in, PA?

Rental rates in, PA average $1,194/mo. Tenant demand and $232K home values make the yield look reasonable by investor standards.

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