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City · 5,178 residents · Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

West Hazleton , Pennsylvania

In West Hazleton, a typical home is worth $151,800 and typical rent is $1,186 a month. Compared with all of Luzerne County, typical household income is 46% lower, typical rent is 18% higher, and the share of households that own their home is 12 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $151,800

    13% below the county

    40% below Pennsylvania

    • West Hazleton
    • Luzerne
    • Pennsylvania

  • Typical rent

    $1,186a month

    18% above the county

    About the same as Pennsylvania

    • West Hazleton
    • Luzerne
    • Pennsylvania

  • Typical household income

    $34,118a year

    46% below the county

    56% below Pennsylvania

    • West Hazleton
    • Luzerne
    • Pennsylvania

  • Households that own their home

    56%

    12 points below the county

    14 points below Pennsylvania

    • West Hazleton
    • Luzerne
    • Pennsylvania

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$196,587
4.5% more than 12 months ago

From Zillow (ZHVI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

West Hazleton is in Luzerne County. The FHA loan limit ($541,287 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Luzerne County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets West Hazleton apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. West Hazleton has the lowest typical household income of the 272 cities in Pennsylvania with more than 5,000 people: $34,118.

  2. Nearby, in Tamaqua, the typical home value is $83,700: 45% less than in West Hazleton ($151,800).

  3. Nearby, in Nanticoke, the typical rent is $792: 33% less than in West Hazleton ($1,186).

  4. West Hazleton has the 13th largest share of rent-burdened renters of the 232 cities in Pennsylvania with more than 5,000 people (67%).

  5. 56% of households in West Hazleton own their home, against 68% in Luzerne County.

  6. The typical rent in West Hazleton is $1,186 a month, 18% more than in Luzerne County as a whole ($1,004).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

The homes here

Housing in West Hazleton

What homes there are in West Hazleton, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

Homes in West Hazleton are varied: detached houses are the largest group, at 47%, against 64% in Luzerne County.

Year built

Homes in West Hazleton are older: the typical year built is 1950; in Luzerne County, 1960.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes
Monthly rent with utilities

With a mortgage

$1,217 a month

Luzerne County: $1,475 a month

Without a mortgage

$606 a month

Luzerne County: $623 a month

Owners with a mortgage

53%

Luzerne County: 54%

The typical cost for an owner with a mortgage in West Hazleton is $1,217 a month, less than in Luzerne County ($1,475); without one, $606.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

From 2015–2019 to 2020–2024, the typical home value in West Hazleton rose 113%; in Luzerne County, it rose 37%.

Rents in West Hazleton rose at about the same pace as in Luzerne County: 31% since 2015–2019, against 28%.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureWest HazletonLuzerne CountyPennsylvaniaUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimate4.7%4.9%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimate1.0%0.8%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimate1.6%1.6%3.4%
People per household 3.052.352.392.53
Drive alone 74%75%68%69%
Carpool 15%10%8%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimate1%4%3%
Walk or bike Unreliable estimate3%4%3%
Work from home Unreliable estimate11%16%15%
Other means Unreliable estimate1%1%2%
Typical commute 10 to 19 minutesUnreliable estimate20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

On average, a household in West Hazleton has 3.05 people, more than in Luzerne County (2.35).

Carpooling is common in West Hazleton: 15% of workers get to work that way, against 10% in Luzerne County.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in West Hazleton?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home in West Hazleton, worth $151,800, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 45% of the typical household income in West Hazleton, which is $34,118 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $55,042 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Luzerne County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in West Hazleton. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $5,313 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$1,284

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$149,051
Total interest
$214,449
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $2,564 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $796 a month

  • Tight

    $796 to $1,024 a month

  • Hard

    more than $1,024 a month

    Your payment · 45%

Compared with the typical household income in West Hazleton ($34,118 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$1,284
Principal & interest$1,010
Property tax$144
Home insurance$63
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$67

You need at least $5,313 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

West Hazleton and Luzerne County

West Hazleton is in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

West Hazleton's own numbers

Typical home value
$151,800
Typical monthly rent
$1,186
Typical yearly household income
$34,118
Households that own their home
56%
Effective property tax rate
1.14%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Luzerne County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,363
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+61%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
2.3%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Luzerne County.

Everything about Luzerne County

Buying

Buying a home in West Hazleton

A typical home in West Hazleton is worth $151,800: 13% below the county and 40% below Pennsylvania. With the typical household income in West Hazleton ($34,118 a year), a typical home costs 4.4 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • West Hazleton 4.4 years
  • Luzerne 2.7 years
  • Pennsylvania 3.3 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Luzerne County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Luzerne County rose 81% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Luzerne County.

Period County Pennsylvania U.S.
Last year (2025) +5.5% +4.7% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +61% +48% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +81% +77% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

West Hazleton next to Luzerne County, Pennsylvania and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • West Hazleton $151,800
  • Luzerne $174,100
  • Pennsylvania $254,500
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • West Hazleton $1,186
  • Luzerne $1,004
  • Pennsylvania $1,209
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • West Hazleton $34,118
  • Luzerne $63,691
  • Pennsylvania $77,971
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
West Hazleton next to Luzerne County and Pennsylvania
Measure West Hazleton Luzerne County Pennsylvania U.S.
Typical home value $151,800 $174,100 $254,500 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $1,186 $1,004 $1,209 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $34,118 $63,691 $77,971 $80,734
Households that own their home 56% 68% 69% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $1,726 $2,530 $3,311 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 1.14% 1.45% 1.3% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 67% 46% 48% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Luzerne County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in West Hazleton

For a typical $151,800 home in West Hazleton, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, West Hazleton's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $1,284a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $5,313
    Cash to close
    $9,867
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $67

  • Conventional, 5% down $1,256a month

    Down payment
    $7,590
    Cash to close
    $12,144
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $72

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $1,030a month

    Down payment
    $30,360
    Cash to close
    $34,914
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $1,170a month

    Down payment
    $22,770
    Cash to close
    $27,324
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for West Hazleton and for Luzerne County.

Property tax

Effective rate in West Hazleton

1.14%of the home’s value each year

$1,726 a year for the typical owner in West Hazleton.

  • West Hazleton 1.14%
  • Luzerne 1.45%
  • Pennsylvania 1.3%

What Pennsylvania publishes Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program (PTRR) (Pennsylvania Department of Revenue)

Exemptions and deadlines in Pennsylvania

Flood risk in Luzerne County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Luzerne County.

Homes in the high-risk zone
2.3%
2,670
Of those, with NFIP insurance
53%
County Pennsylvania U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 2.3% 2% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 53% 23% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in West Hazleton

Typical rent in West Hazleton is $1,186 a month: 18% above the county. In West Hazleton, 67% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Luzerne County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,363 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $26.21 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Luzerne County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $949 $18.25 $37,960
1 bedroom $1,106 $21.27 $44,240
2 bedrooms $1,363 $26.21 $54,520
3 bedrooms $1,786 $34.35 $71,440
4 bedrooms $1,962 $37.73 $78,480

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in West Hazleton

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). West Hazleton is in ZIP code 18202.

For 2 bedrooms it is $1,460: $97 more than the fair market rent for Luzerne County ($1,363).

  • 18202 $1,460$1,920

1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for West Hazleton when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Free help

Help to buy or rent in West Hazleton

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

There are 2 HUD-approved agencies with an office in Luzerne County; 2 say they serve in Spanish.

Two women and a girl laugh together at the bus stop.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in West Hazleton

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for West Hazleton or Luzerne County. The ones below are statewide in Pennsylvania: they work in West Hazleton the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Pennsylvania

Housing counselors near West Hazleton

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of West Hazleton, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • Commission on Economic Opportunity of Luzerne County

    165 Amber Ln, Wilkes Barre · 20 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Mortgage delinquency workshops
    • and 2 more
    (570) 826-0510

  • Housing Development Corporation of Northeast

    163 Amber Ln, Wilkes Barre · 20 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and credit workshops
    • and 5 more
    (570) 824-4803

  • Schuylkill Community Action

    225 N Centre St, Pottsville · 22 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Home improvement and repairs
    • and 5 more
    (570) 622-1995

Every agency in Luzerne County All counseling agencies in Pennsylvania

Help in Spanish near West Hazleton

3 of the 3 agencies on this list say they serve in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of West Hazleton

HUD’s record names them for West Hazleton or Luzerne County. They run public housing or Section 8 vouchers. Ask whether their waiting list is open.

  • Housing Authority of the County of Luzerne Public housing and Section 8 vouchers (570) 287-9661

4 other authorities have an office in Luzerne County: see the list Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Luzerne County

These cities are also in Luzerne County. They share its loan limits and fair market rents, but home values and rent change from one to the next.

Everything about Luzerne County Housing in Pennsylvania

Nearby cities

The cities closest to West Hazleton, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If Luzerne County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in West Hazleton.

All guides
A father and mother walk their son by the hand down the sidewalk.

Questions

Housing questions about West Hazleton

Short answers with the numbers for West Hazleton and all of Luzerne County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in West Hazleton?

The typical home value in West Hazleton is $151,800, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Luzerne County it is $174,100.

How much does it cost to rent in West Hazleton?

Typical rent in West Hazleton is $1,186 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Luzerne County is $1,363.

What is the FHA loan limit in West Hazleton?

West Hazleton uses the FHA limit for all of Luzerne County (2026): $541,287 for a one-unit home and $1,041,125 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in West Hazleton?

The typical homeowner in West Hazleton pays $1,726 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 1.14% of the home’s value; in Luzerne County, the rate is 1.45%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in West Hazleton?

There are 2 HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Luzerne County. 2 say they serve in Spanish. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).