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Census Data for Wilkes-Barre

Population ...

The most recent Census Estimate<1> was for 2019 and it gave Wilkes-Barre a population of 40,729 people.

The last Decennial Census<2> was in 2010, which gave Wilkes-Barre a population of 41,498 people.

The city of Wilkes-Barre is located in Luzerne County. The 2010 Census gave Luzerne County; a population of 320,918 people. This means that Wilkes-Barre had 12.93% of the county's total population, making it Luzerne's most populous community.

At the same time, Pennsylvania had a population of 12,702,379 people, meaning that Wilkes-Barre had 0.33% of the total population of Pennsylvania - making it the state's 13th most populous community.

Area ...

The 2010 Census shows that the sampling area for Wilkes-Barre has a total area of 7.31 square miles [18.9 km²]. Of this total, 6.98 square miles [18.1 km²] is land, with the balance (4.5%) being water (0.33 square miles [0.9 km²]).

Luzerne County has a land area of 890 square miles [2,306 km²]. At 6.98 square miles [18.1 km²], Wilkes-Barre has 0.78% of the county's total land area.

  • Continue Reading ...
    • When the Census Bureau conducts a census for a city like Wilkes-Barre, they draw a boundary around the area in which they are going to conduct their count - this defines the sampling area (usually a polygon). The shape of the sampling area can be quite complex and it's important to keep in mind that the boundaries of the sampling area may or may not match the recognized boundaries of the city.
    • Things like population, area and housing for Wilkes-Barre reflect the sampling area. Since the shape of the sampling area and the actual boundaries of Wilkes-Barre might be different, it's best to check with the U.S. Census Bureau to resolve any difference between the two.
    • Not only does the sampling area define boundaries, it also has a GPS location (latitude & longitude) that indicates a point within the sampling area (usually the center of the polygon, known as the centroid). At the time of the 2010 Census, the sampling area was located at:
    • Lat:   41° 14' 47"   (or 41.25°)
    • Lon:   -75° 52' 32"   (or -75.88°)
    • More information on this topic and the changes between the 2000 Census and the 2010 Census can be found in the section for our Census-to-Census Observations ... (see below).

Housing Units ...

At the time of the 2010 Census, Wilkes-Barre had 19,595 Housing Units<3> and with its population of 41,498 people, this averages 2.12 people per Housing Unit.

  • Continue Reading ...
    • The 2010 Census shows Wilkes-Barre had a land area of 6.98 square miles [18.1 km²]. This translates to 2,680 Housing Units per square mile [1,035 housing units/km²].
    • From the Census of 2000: Wilkes-Barre had 20,294 Housing Units, a population of 43,123 people and a land area of 6.85 square miles [17.7 km²]. This gives a density of 2.12 people per Housing Unit and 2,826 Housing Units per square mile [1,091 housing units/km²].
    • Note: Repeating the caution above (under Population Density), be aware that when comparing Housing Units between the 2010 Census and the 2000 Census, there were changes in the sampling area for Wilkes-Barre and you need to be careful when comparing results between the censuses. More information about the nature of these the changes can be found in the section called Census-to-Census Observations ... (see below).

Luzerne County ...

Wilkes-Barre is located in Luzerne County<4> and is the County Seat for Luzerne County.

The county had a population of 320,918 people at the 2010 Census. With it's population of 41,498 people, Wilkes-Barre represented 12.93% of the county's total.

In addition, where the city of Wilkes-Barre has a population density of 5,677 people per square mile [2,192 people/km²], Luzerne County averages 360.4 people per square mile [139.2 people/km²].

For more information, please visit our Census Page for Luzerne County.

Census-to-Census Observations ...

Introduction ...

When the Census Bureau takes a census count (or enumeration) for Wilkes-Barre, they start by specifying the boundaries of the area to be counted. This area (or sampling area) is a polygon and its shape can be quite complex - it may or may not match the geographical boundaries of Wilkes-Barre. It's important to note that from one Census to the next, the shape and location of the polygon can change.

  • Continue Reading ...
    • Although we don't have specific information about the shape of the polygon for Wilkes-Barre or how it changed has over time, there is some information that can give us some hints. For example, since the shape of the sampling area is directly related to the shape of the polygon, any change to area probably indicates a new shape for the polygon.
    • If you need precision or details about the methodology of the Census, you should visit the U.S. Census Bureau for a definitive answer.

Location ...

While generally coinciding with the GPS location (latitude/longitude) of Wilkes-Barre, the latitude and longitude given by the Census Bureau actually indicates the GPS location of the polygon for Wilkes-Barre.

  • Continue Reading ...
    • For the 2010 Census, the location was given as:
    • Lat:   41.246561°   (or 41°14'47" N)
    • Lon:   -75.875689°   (or -75°52'32" W)
    • For the 2000 Census, the location given was:
    • Lat:   41.244581°   (or 41°14'40" N)
    • Lon:   -75.877918°   (or -75°52'40" W)
    • The difference indicates that the U.S. Census Bureau moved the location of the polygon for the 2010 Census 945 feet to the northeast<5> of the location that was used in the 2000 Census.
    • The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN) have assigned a unique GNIS identifier (#1215416) to Wilkes-Barre. This identifier also marks a GPS point on the map, and that point lies within the boundaries of Wilkes-Barre. The GNIS point has been mapped to the latitude/longitude:
    • Lat:   41.242860°   (or 41°14'34" N)
    • Lon:   -75.880474°   (or -75°52'49" W)
    • The GPS location given for the 2010 Census lies 1,881 feet to the northeast<6> of the point given by the GNIS for Wilkes-Barre. For more information about this and the relationship of the various Federal Codes, please visit our Misc Page for Wilkes-Barre.

Miscellaneous Information for Wilkes-Barre ...

The Federal government has assigned various identifying codes to each community, county and state. At one time or another, the US Census Bureau has used one (or more) of the following identifiers when referring to either Luzerne County or the city of Wilkes-Barre:

  • The GNIS Codes ...
    • The current system of identification is called the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS). The following GNIS codes relate to Wilkes-Barre:
    • GNIS ID for Wilkes-Barre: 1215416
    • GNIS ID for Luzerne County: 1209183
    • GNIS ID for State of Pennsylvania: 1779798
  • Misc. Census Codes ...
    • Wilkes-Barre is located in Census Region #1 (the Northeast Region) and Division #2 (the Middle Atlantic Division).

For more information about the various Federal identification codes, please visit our Misc Page for Wilkes-Barre.

The official website for Wilkes-Barre: www.wilkes-barre.pa.us/

The official website for Luzerne County: www.luzernecounty.org/

The official website for State of Pennsylvania: https://www.pa.gov/

The official website of the U.S. Census Bureau

The official website of the U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN)

The official website of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)

Footnotes ...

<1>Every year, the US Census Bureau creates a population estimate for the preceeding year. Keep in mind that this value is an estimate and not an actual count. The most recent Census estimate is for the year 2019.
<2>Every 10 years (eg- 1990, 2000, 2010), the US Census Bureau conducts a Constitutionally-mandated count (or enumeration) of people living within the United States. This count is called a Decennial Census. The last Decennial Census was the 2010 Census, with the next one planned for 2020.
<3>A Housing Unit is a broad term for those places where people live (whether occupied or temporarily vacant), such as a house, an apartment, a mobile home, or an area that is considered as a separate living quarter. Separate living quarters (consisting of one or more rooms) are considered to be those places where people live, sleep and eat separately from others and that have access to the outside (either directly or by a shared hallway).
<4>If you're interested in how the shape of Pennsylvania's counties, including Luzerne, have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
<5>The calculated bearing (or angle) to the 2010 Census location is 319 degrees and a distance of 945 feet.
<6>The calculated bearing (or angle) to the GNIS point is 315 degrees and a distance of 1,881 feet.









 

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This page was last modified/updated: 10 Mar 2024