Housing decision brief
Luzerne County, PA Housing Market
Luzerne County screens as a below-state purchase price, rent that needs comparison, a higher tax-rate signal market. Use the page as a decision brief, not just a price lookup, because local income, taxes, and data confidence change how affordable the county really is.
24th lowest home value out of 67 Pennsylvania counties with data | 43rd lowest rent out of 67
Median home value
$163,800
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$958/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$973/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.6x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
28.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$15/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower purchase price
$163,800 median home value is 15% below Pennsylvania county median
Rent burden below pressure line
28.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
What to Check
Lower income base
$62,321 median income is 4% below Pennsylvania county median
Tax rate needs attention
1.53% effective property-tax rate is 18% above Pennsylvania county median
Water quality cross-check
Water quality grade is D. Review water data before treating housing cost as the full story.
Crime data coverage
Crime data coverage is partial. Treat zero or low crime rates as incomplete until you check the source coverage.
Best Fit For
- Buyers comparing homes to local incomes
- Remote earners or cash buyers looking below the state price line
Poor Fit For
- Households dependent on a deep local wage market
- Buyers focused only on purchase price and ignoring annual property tax
- Buyers who will not investigate local water systems before moving
- Anyone treating reported crime rates as complete without source context
County vs State vs National
The county number only matters after you see the benchmark. These comparisons show where Luzerne County is genuinely cheap, where it is average, and where the hidden cost may be.
| Metric | County | State | U.S. | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Median home value Lower usually helps affordability. | $163,800 | $193,100 | $281,900 | 15% favorable15% below Pennsylvania county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $958 | $868 | $1,163 | 10% pressure10% above Pennsylvania county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $973 | $893 | $1,672 | 9% pressure9% above Pennsylvania county median |
Median household income | $62,321 | $64,758 | $74,755 | Near state median4% below Pennsylvania county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 1.53% | 1.29% | 1.02% | 18% pressure18% above Pennsylvania county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 28.00% | 27.00% | N/A | Near state median28.00% of renter income goes to rent. |
Income Fit
A low price only helps if local income can carry the monthly cost. This panel compares the county income base with rent and owner-cost thresholds.
Rent cushion
+$24,001
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$20,621
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Housing in Luzerne County is affordable. The median rent is $958/month against a median household income of $62,321, putting rent at 18.4% of income.
Rent vs own
The median rent in Luzerne County is $958/month, while owner costs run $973/month. Renting saves approximately $15/month.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $38,320/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $41,700/year. With a median household income of $62,321, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 28.0% of renter households in Luzerne County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Columbia County where rent averages $904/month, Luzerne County is approximately 6% more expensive.
Better Counties to Compare
Similar counties are matched on home value, rent, income, and state context. This is more useful than a simple nearest-price list.
| County | Home Value | Rent | Why compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Erie County, PA | $169,500 | $876/mo | Same-state comparison near $169,500 home value and $876/mo rent. |
| Blair County, PA | $156,700 | $854/mo | Same-state comparison near $156,700 home value and $854/mo rent. |
| Lackawanna County, PA | $189,900 | $973/mo | Same-state comparison near $189,900 home value and $973/mo rent. |
| Tioga County, PA | $176,000 | $850/mo | Same-state comparison near $176,000 home value and $850/mo rent. |
| Bradford County, PA | $182,300 | $868/mo | Same-state comparison near $182,300 home value and $868/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Luzerne County
Is Luzerne County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Luzerne County?
How much income do you need for housing in Luzerne County?
What should I double-check before moving to Luzerne County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.