What are the schools like in Luzerne, PA?

School district data for Luzerne is sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).

What is the median household income in Luzerne?

The median household income in Luzerne, PA is $39,471 according to the most recent US Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates. The unemployment rate is 7.1%.

What is the weather like in Luzerne, PA?

Luzerne has an average high temperature of 35.7°F in January and 84.6°F in July. Annual precipitation averages 45.4 inches and annual snowfall averages 45.1 inches.

Luzerne, PA Cost of Living, Crime & Is It a Good Place to Live? (2026)

Q: Is Luzerne, PA affordable or expensive?

Luzerne's cost of living index is 93, where 100 represents the national average. This means Luzerne is 7% less expensive than the average US city. The median home value is $103,600 and the median rent is $713 per month.

Q: What is the crime rate in Luzerne, PA?

Luzerne has a violent crime rate of 109.9 incidents per 100,000 residents and a property crime rate of 989.4 per 100,000. The national average violent crime rate is approximately 380 per 100,000.

Is Luzerne, PA a Good Place to Live?

Luzerne is a small town of 2,718 in Pennsylvania, with a median household income of $39,471 and a 7.1% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 93 (US average = 100), which is 7% below the national average.

Strengths: Luzerne stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, lower-than-average crime, short average commutes.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Luzerne is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Luzerne city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 93.0

Luzerne's overall cost of living index is 93.0, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Luzerne costs roughly 7% less than the average American city.

Metric	Luzerne, PA	National Avg
Median Home Value	$103,600	$244,900
Median Monthly Rent	$713	$1,163
Homeownership Rate	59.1%	65.9%
Median Household Income	$39,471	$74,755

Crime & Safety

Very Safe

Luzerne's violent crime rate is 109.9 per 100,000 residents — 71% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime

109.9 /100k

Property Crime

989.4 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Metric	Luzerne, PA	National Avg
School District	N/A	—
Elementary Schools	N/A	—
Middle Schools	N/A	—
High Schools	N/A	—
Student/Teacher Ratio	N/A	16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher	12.5%	35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher	89.6%	91.1%

Weather & Climate

Luzerne sees average highs of 35.7°F in January and 84.6°F in July, with 45.4 inches of annual precipitation and 45.1 inches of snow per year.

Metric	Luzerne, PA
Average High — January	35.7°F
Average High — July	84.6°F
Annual Precipitation	45.4"
Annual Snowfall	45.1"

Demographics

Metric	Luzerne, PA	National Avg
Population	2,718	—
Median Age	49.4	38.9
Unemployment Rate	7.1%	3.7%
Avg Commute Time	17.0 min	26 min
White (non-Hispanic)	95.0%	59.3%
Black or African American	1.0%	13.6%
Hispanic or Latino	0.8%	18.9%
Asian	0.0%	6.3%
Under 18	18.8%	22.2%
65 and over	22.8%	16.8%

Nearby Cities

Pringle, PA 1 mi Courtdale, PA 1 mi Swoyersville, PA 1 mi Forty Fort, PA 1 mi Kingston, PA 2 mi

ZIP Codes in Luzerne

Luzerne, PA is covered by 1 ZIP code:

18709

Luzerne vs Other Cities

Luzerne, PA vs Pringle, PA Luzerne, PA vs Courtdale, PA Luzerne, PA vs Swoyersville, PA Luzerne, PA vs Forty Fort, PA Luzerne, PA vs Kingston, PA

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Luzerne, PA affordable or expensive?

Luzerne's cost of living index is 93, where 100 is the national average. That makes Luzerne roughly 7% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $103,600 and median rent is $713/month.

What is the crime rate in Luzerne, PA?

Luzerne's violent crime rate is 109.9 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 989.4 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.

What are the schools like in Luzerne?

School district information is sourced from NCES Common Core of Data.

Is Luzerne, PA a good place to live?

Luzerne, PA has a population of 2,718, a median household income of $39,471, and an unemployment rate of 7.1%. It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.

What is the weather like in Luzerne?

Luzerne averages 35.7°F in January and 84.6°F in July. Annual rainfall is 45.4 inches with about 45.1 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).

What ZIP codes are in Luzerne?

Luzerne, PA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 18709.

What is the population of Luzerne?

The population of Luzerne, Pennsylvania is 2,718 with a median age of 49.4. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.

What are the pros and cons of living in Luzerne?

Key numbers for living in Luzerne: cost of living index 93 (100 = US average), median home $103,600, median household income $39,471, crime index 36 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Luzerne side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.