Housing Market Overview
The median home price (often called the average home price), rent costs, affordability metrics, and housing stock characteristics for this housing market.
Median Home Price Map: Nearby Counties
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Luzerne County | Pennsylvania Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $147,366 | $154,283 | $242,182 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 9.1% | 4.4% | 8.2% |
| Median Gross Rent | $958 | $1,161 | $1,342 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 4.4% | 4.4% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Luzerne County is about 4% lower than in Pennsylvania. Rent is about 18% lower than the Pennsylvania average.
Median Home and Rent Price Trends
Median Home Prices, 2015-2023
Median Rent Prices, 2015-2023
Both home prices and rent are rising in Luzerne County, up about 9.1% and 4.4% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
Median rent in Luzerne County rose about 36.5% between 2015 and 2023, from $702 to $958. Over the same span, rent in Pennsylvania rose about 38.3%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 2.4 yearly household incomes in Luzerne County.
Buying the median-priced home in Luzerne County costs roughly 12.8 years of rent at the median monthly rate. That is a relatively low price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor buying over renting in Luzerne County. The price-to-rent ratio in Pennsylvania is about 11.1.
| Metric | Luzerne County | Pennsylvania Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $147,366 | $154,283 | $242,182 |
| Median Household Income | $62,606 | $76,231 | $78,145 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 2.4 | 2.0 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2023, the median home price in Luzerne County rose about 90.4%, while median household income rose about 49.9% between 2009 and 2023 — the home price grew faster than income.
Income Growth vs Housing Cost Growth (Year-over-Year %)
Compare income and housing cost trends.
Occupancy & Tenure
| Metric | Luzerne County | Pennsylvania Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 59.9% | 62.8% | 58.2% |
| Rental Rate | 28.5% | 27.8% | 31.3% |
| Vacancy Rate | 11.6% | 9.4% | 10.6% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 18.0 | 17.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2008 | 2009 | 2011 |
Luzerne County has a homeownership rate of 59.9%, lower than the Pennsylvania average of 62.8%. Its housing vacancy rate is 11.6%, compared with 9.4% in Pennsylvania.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Luzerne County | Pennsylvania Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.36 people | 2.40 people | 2.54 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1960 | 1965 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 6.0 | 6.0 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Luzerne County was built around 1960. On average, 2.4 people live in a home with about 6.0 rooms, staying for about 18.0 years on average.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania.
What is the median home price in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania?
The median home price in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania is $147,366, lower than the Pennsylvania average of $154,283.
What is the average home price in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania?
The typical home price in %s, reported as the median sale price, is %s. The median is used instead of a mathematical average because it is not skewed by a small number of very expensive or very cheap homes, so it better reflects what a typical buyer pays.
What is the median rent in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania?
The median gross rent in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania is $958 per month, lower than the Pennsylvania average of $1,161.
What was the median gross rent in Luzerne County in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania was $772 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania?
The price-to-rent ratio in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania is about 12.8, meaning it would take roughly 12.8 years of rent payments at the median rent to equal the median home price. That is a relatively low price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor buying over renting in Luzerne County.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania?
Both home prices and rent are rising in Luzerne County, up about 9.1% and 4.4% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania?
59.9% of households in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania own their home, lower than the Pennsylvania average of 62.8%.
What is the vacancy rate in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania?
The housing vacancy rate in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania is 11.6%, higher than the Pennsylvania average of 9.4%.