HomePennsylvaniaLuzerne County
Luzerne County, Pennsylvania: commercial real estate data.
Luzerne County, Pennsylvania has a population of 327,675 across 890 square miles, up 1.8 percent since the 2020 census base. 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.
129 sourced county values · tier FULL · 12 sections
Luzerne County
How many people live in Luzerne County
- Population327,675
- 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-equivalents224th
Luzerne County is the 12th largest of 67 Pennsylvania counties by population. A median home costs 2.7 times median household income, which is an affordable ownership market 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 growing
- Population change since the 2020 census base1.77 percent
- Census 2020 base population325,602
- 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
The county has grown 1.77 percent since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration alone 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 people moving to Luzerne County come from
- Tax returns filed by households arriving6,148
- People arriving, from those returns10,731
- Adjusted gross income arriving$311.8 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$50,713
- Largest single originLuzerne County Non-migrants (135,562 households)
- Largest single destination (135,562 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Luzerne County Non-migrants | 135,562 | 251,009 | $9.22 bn |
| Other flows - Different State | 1,368 | 2,302 | $85.5 m |
| Other flows - South | 710 | 1,160 | $39.3 m |
| Lackawanna County | 665 | 1,100 | $31.2 m |
| Bronx County | 455 | 885 | $14.4 m |
| Other flows - Northeast | 344 | 600 | $27.9 m |
| Kings County | 312 | 668 | $18.2 m |
| Schuylkill County | 250 | 422 | $10.4 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is Luzerne County Non-migrants, 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 the Luzerne County economy runs on
- 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 Pennsylvania counties14th
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents254th
- 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
Who employs people in Luzerne County
- Covered employment, annual average145,190
- Establishments reporting7,474
- Average annual pay$55,901
- Average weekly wage$1,075
- Sector 62, employment23,720
- Sector 62, average annual pay$60,843
- Sector 48-49, employment19,236
- Sector 48-49, average annual pay$52,955
- Sector 31-33, employment17,873
- Sector 31-33, average annual pay$66,010
- Sector 44-45, employment15,873
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$35,150
- Sector 72, employment11,073
- Sector 56, employment8,993
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 62 | 23,720 | 1,044 | $60,843 |
| Sector 48-49 | 19,236 | 350 | $52,955 |
| Sector 31-33 | 17,873 | 323 | $66,010 |
| Sector 44-45 | 15,873 | 1,111 | $35,150 |
| Sector 72 | 11,073 | 776 | $22,247 |
| Sector 56 | 8,993 | 416 | $41,064 |
| Sector 23 | 5,248 | 585 | $70,023 |
| Sector 42 | 4,776 | 341 | $72,640 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 23,720 jobs, 16.3 percent of covered employment. Average pay per job sits below median household income, so households here typically need more than one earner.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Luzerne County
What businesses operate 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.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Luzerne County
What is being built in Luzerne County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 2024325
- Declared construction value permitted$92.1 m
- Single family units authorised293
- Multifamily units authorised32
- Multifamily share of units9.8 percent
- Average declared value per unit$283,292
- Units authorised per 1,000 households2.4
Multifamily is 9.8 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is predominantly for sale product.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Luzerne County
How much SBA lending happens in Luzerne County
- 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$900,000
- 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)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals82.5 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$162.1 m
The average approval of $382,492 sits well above the median of $120,000, so a small number of large deals is pulling the mean up. The median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here actually 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
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.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Luzerne County
Which parts of Luzerne County get the lending
- Places in the county with recorded lending49
- WILKES BARRE, approvals55
- Kingston, approvals30
- Pittston, approvals25
- DRUMS, approvals17
- Mountain Top, approvals14
- HAZLETON, approvals11
| Place | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| WILKES BARRE | 55 | $31,891,400 |
| 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 |
WILKES BARRE accounts for 55 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 big 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
What hazards affect Luzerne County
- EPA radon zone predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/LZone 1
- Communities 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
The EPA places the county in radon zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. The best Community Rating System class in the county is 6, which carries a flood insurance premium discount for properties in the participating community.
US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001. FEMA OpenFEMA, NFIP Community Status Book, Community Status Book, as retrieved.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Every item below could be filled with a plausible figure. None of them is. On a page a lender may read, a number that cannot be traced is worse than an absence, so the absences are named.
- Flood zone record counts are not held. The flood coverage export has not landed, so no count is shown rather than an estimated one.
- Traffic counts resolve in the platform, not in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here.
- Zoning is in build. Parcel level zoning is not published on this page.
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.
- Population327,675
- 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?
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 growing?
The population has grown 1.77 percent since the 2020 census base. 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 there 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 the average wage in Luzerne County?
Average annual pay is $55,901, or $1,075 a week, across 145,190 covered jobs. 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 totalling $102.9 m since FY2020, across 48 lenders, with a median approval of $120,000, plus 57 504 approvals worth $59.2 m. 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.
What is being built in Luzerne County?
325 housing units were authorised 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 Luzerne County Non-migrants, with 135,562 households. Arriving households report an average income of $50,713 against null 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?
Not yet. The zoning layer is in build. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame with confirm locally attached.