Real Estate Investing in Wapwallopen, Pennsylvania (18660)

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

Luzerne County • Population: 3,278 • Data updated: September 2026

☆ Watch this market Free account

Should you buy in 18660 (Wapwallopen, PA)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
CAUTION
Grade D (53/100)

Proceed carefully. Weak appreciation or affordability makes this a harder case for most buyers.

📈 For Investors
MIXED
3.0 / 5 (47/100)

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: 13.1% of homes vacant — above national norms.

• Modeled rent — no observed market rent for this ZIP; the figure is estimated from HUD fair-market rent.

What’s happening in Wapwallopen, PA (18660)?

Click any question — our AI will research it live from the web and show you sources.

✨ Live AI + Web Search
Want to ask your own questions? Upgrade to Pro for unlimited custom queries.
3.0/ 5

Investability

Overall investment appeal

2.0/ 5

Appreciation

Long-term value growth

3.0/ 5

Cashflow ROI

Rental yield potential

Avg Home Value $259,221
Avg Monthly Rent $1,062
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $78,750
% Renters 9.0%

Market Analysis: 18660 Wapwallopen

On the rental side, ZIP 18660 has challenges — vacancy pressure, softer price growth, and tenant stability concerns sit alongside the $259K median. It rewards specialists, not generalists.

Distressed does not mean uninvestable. It means the margin for error is thinner. ZIP 18660 rewards the prepared, punishes the overconfident, and leaves the math unchanged either way.

Within PA, ZIP 18660 trails on several market indicators that neighboring Luzerne County submarkets outperform. The gap is real and durable enough to shape underwriting.

The demographic picture in 18660 includes headwinds that any investor should price in. Income distribution skews lower than Wapwallopen averages, and tenant stability requires active management.

looks to the ZIP is not uninvestable, but it is unforgiving. Section 8 landlords, local operators, and specialized value-add funds are the investor types that tend to succeed.

Explore the Data — Click a Tab Below
🏦 Current 30-yr Fixed Mortgage Rate: 6.76% as of Sep 10 Source: Freddie Mac PMMS

Here's what matters if you're considering buying a home in Wapwallopen:

C+ Average
Buy Confidence Score: 64/100
Affordability
20/25
Appreciation
14/25
Stability
7/20
Timing
8/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Moderate
Homes cost 3.3× the median income
Value Trend
Rising (+8.6%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $1,062/mo if you need to move
Market Conditions
BALANCED
Even conditions for buyers and sellers
Bottom Line: Mixed signals in this market. Research specific properties carefully and be prepared to negotiate.
⚖️
BALANCED MARKET
Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA Metro Area
Even conditions for buyers and sellers
39 days
Average time to sell
Average
9.8%
Listings with price cuts
Few Cuts
0.0%
Sale price vs asking
Below Ask
0.0%
Income needed for mortgage
Affordable
📅 Market conditions as of August 29, 2026 — updated weekly from Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA metro data

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$268K$242K$216K$191K$165K$139KJul 2006Jul 2016Jul 2026

📊 How Does 18660 Compare?

Metric 18660 Wapwallopen Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA Pennsylvania
Home Value $259,221 $259,221 N/A $278,018
5-Year CAGR 2.7% 2.7% N/A 6.3%
Avg Rent $1,062 $1,062 N/A -
Cap Rate 3.2% 3.2% - -
💡 Why Invest in 18660? Click to expand

With a 3/5 investability rating, this ZIP shows solid fundamentals for buy-and-hold investors.

📊 See where this ZIP ranks in our Best-of lists →
A great house in the wrong ZIP is still a bad deal — screen every market by cash flow & cap rate.
Open the Market Finder →
Free to search · investor plans from $19/mo

Landlord Ground Truth

Real numbers from people who own or manage rentals in ZIP 18660 (Wapwallopen, PA). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

Do you own or manage rentals in ZIP 18660 (Wapwallopen, PA)?

~25 seconds · no account needed · your report is anonymous

Investability
Good
Cap Rate
3.2%
Low
5yr Growth
+2.7%
Slow

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $259,221
Monthly Rent $1,062
Price-to-Rent 20.3:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 4.9%
Cap Rate 3.2%
5-Year IRR 5.9%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +8.6% ▲
3-Year CAGR +2.8% ▲
5-Year CAGR +2.7% ▲
10-Year CAGR +4.6% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year N/A
3-Year CAGR N/A
5-Year CAGR N/A
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 3.2%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (3.2%). Financing reduces your cash-on-cash return below the cap rate. Markets like this may still make sense as IRR plays — factoring in appreciation, depreciation, and a future refinance when rates drop.

Run an IRR Analysis →

⚠️ Risk Signals

Composite view of factors that can impact a ZIP's stability and your downside risk.

Vacancy
13.1%
Moderate risk
Landlord Climate
4.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+2.7%
Stable
Eviction process: Moderate Rent control: Favorable

Demographics in 18660

Population: 3,278

💰 Median Household Income
$78,750
This area
$78,750
State
$73,647
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
9.0%
This area
9.0%
State
23.0%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
3.9%
This area
3.9%
State
-7.4%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
22.3%
This area
22.3%
State
12.3%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
46.6 years
This area
46.6 years
State
25.7 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
13.1%
This area
13.1%
State
14.6%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 97.5%
Other/Mixed 2.2%
Hispanic/Latino 1.0%
Black/African American 0.4%
👶 Under 18
17.2%
This area
17.2%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
20.0%
This area
20.0%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
5.4%
This area
5.4%
USA
11.5%

Crime & Safety

🚧

Crime & Safety Data Coming Soon

We're integrating comprehensive crime statistics including violent crime rates, property crime, and safety scores to help you make informed investment decisions.

Expected: Q1 2025

🎓 Nearby Colleges & Universities

6 Nearby 2,580 Off-Campus Students
C
Luzerne County Community College
4,315 students · 7.4 mi
C
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Hazleton
510 students · 8.3 mi
C
Hazleton Area Career Center
7 students · 9.7 mi
C
Wilkes University
5,198 students · 13.3 mi
C
King's College
1,932 students · 13.9 mi
D
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Wilkes-Barre
353 students · 14.3 mi

Investor Insight: With 2,580 students living off-campus nearby, this area has strong rental demand from the college population.

Frequently Asked Questions

What strategy should investors use in Wapwallopen, PA?

Investors usually favor careful cash-flow rentals with hands-on management in Wapwallopen, PA. With home values at $259K and rents near $1,062/mo, other strategies can work but produce predictable rather than outsized returns.

Is rental property easy to operate in Wapwallopen, PA?

The landlord environment in Wapwallopen, PA is landlord-friendly. Statewide rules shape most day-to-day operations for rental owners.

Is it easy to find good tenants in Wapwallopen, PA?

The renter base in Wapwallopen, PA is reasonable for the $1,062/mo price point. Screening well and pricing to market typically yields stable tenants.

Does a duplex house hack pencil in Wapwallopen, PA?

For house hackers, Wapwallopen, PA is a challenging. The $1,062/mo rent on a unit helps defray the mortgage on a $259K property.

Is Wapwallopen in PA worth investing in?

Investors tracking Wapwallopen, PA will find a 3.0/5 rating supported by $259K median home values and $1,062/mo rents. That profile suits long-term holders targeting predictable returns.

You know 18660 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

This page stays free — all of it. What one page can’t tell you is how 18660 compares to every other market. Investor ($19/mo) screens every U.S. ZIP by cap rate, the 1% rule, vacancy and landlord climate, and exports your shortlist.

Compare Plans

How 18660 ranks in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA

Every ZIP in this metro, ranked. Free.

Cash Flow → Appreciation → Affordable →
🤖

AI Market Advisor

Ask questions about investing in 18660 (Wapwallopen)

Loading...

Community Ratings

What people who’ve spent time here actually say. Not paid reviews.

Be the first to rate 18660 (Wapwallopen, PA).

It takes 30 seconds. No signup. Your rating helps everyone who comes here after you.