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Living in
Hazleton.
About
Life in Hazleton
The job market has shifted away from the old coal and textile industries toward distribution, warehousing, and light manufacturing, which means steady employment for warehouse and logistics workers, though professional opportunities may require looking to nearby Allentown or Scranton. The community itself is undergoing genuine transformation, with a significant and growing Latino population that's reshaping the cultural character of the city—you'll find church festivals celebrating Italian heritage alongside newer cultural traditions. Winters here are real: expect around 47 inches of snow annually plus 50 inches of rain, and the elevation (nearly 1,900 feet) means cooler temperatures than lower-lying parts of Pennsylvania.
Hazleton at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
37.5 yrs
Poverty Rate
25.0%
Foreign-Born
38.0%
Broadband Internet
85.6%
of households
Population Growth
+1.4%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics38.0% foreign-born, most often from Dominican Republic
Who lives in Hazleton: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Hazleton, the largest foreign-born group is from Dominican Republic (78.1%), and 55.1% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
24.2%
of residents
65 and Older
15.1%
of residents
Households with Kids
33.2%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
33.6%
of households
Married Couples
35.3%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.57
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 10% below PA average
Rent, home values, and income in Hazleton
In Hazleton, rent runs 10% below the PA average, and home values are 40% below the PA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
55.8%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
32.8%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
93.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$1,899
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
51.1%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1952
median year built
Vacant Homes
7.7%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $224,928 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.2 pts above PA average
Unemployment in Hazleton
Unemployment in Hazleton is 1.2 percentage points higher than the PA average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Hazleton Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute21.3 min avg
How Hazleton residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Hazleton, most residents drive alone to work (69%), and 80% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 29 mi
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport (AVP)
Regional airport · few flights222k passengers boarded in 2025
- 84 mi
Philadelphia International Airport (PHL)
Major hub14.8M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 50% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Hazleton runs 50% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
164.1
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
498.9
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Hazleton Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 13 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
91.6 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Luzerne County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Luzerne County, which includes Hazleton, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 13 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 13 | Winter Weather | $856,500 |
| 2024 | 18 | Thunderstorm Wind | $161,000 |
| 2023 | 11 | Thunderstorm Wind | $5.5M |
| 2022 | 10 | Thunderstorm Wind | $100,500 |
| 2021 | 20 | Thunderstorm Wind | $234,450 |
| 2020 | 8 | Thunderstorm Wind | $165,000 |
| 2019 | 17 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.1M |
| 2018 | 15 | Thunderstorm Wind | $5.3M |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Luzerne County, county-wide
Air Quality41 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Lehigh County, PA (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 31 miles from Hazleton) is typically good — 260 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
41
Good Days
260
per year
Moderate Days
100
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Lehigh County, PA (31 mi away)
Climate78°F summers, 19°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Hazleton has mild summers (avg high 78°F) and very cold winters (avg low 19°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
56°/36°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
78°/58°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
60°/41°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
35°/19°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
46.2"
Annual Snowfall
41.5"
Hot Days/Year
2
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
139
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
144
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 33°F | 18°F | 3.89" |
| Feb | 35°F | 18°F | 3.00" |
| Mar | 44°F | 25°F | 4.21" |
| Apr | 57°F | 37°F | 4.39" |
| May | 67°F | 47°F | 4.65" |
| Jun | 76°F | 56°F | 5.07" |
| Jul | 80°F | 61°F | 5.20" |
| Aug | 78°F | 58°F | 4.68" |
| Sep | 72°F | 52°F | 5.24" |
| Oct | 60°F | 41°F | 4.85" |
| Nov | 48°F | 31°F | 4.12" |
| Dec | 37°F | 23°F | 4.29" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 2.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Hazleton
Hazleton has 1 hospital, averaging 2.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
16.6%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
2.0 / 5
Lehigh Valley Hospital - Hazleton
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
St Luke's Miners Memorial Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 9.4 mi away · Coaldale
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education16.6:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Hazleton
Hazleton's student/teacher ratio is 16.6:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 10.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
3
within city limits
Private Schools
3
within city limits
College Degree Rate
10.8%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
16.6:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Steamtown National Historic Site, 35 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Hazleton
Hazleton has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Steamtown National Historic Site (35 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Steamtown National Historic Site
National Historic Site
35 mi awayAppalachian National Scenic Trail
National Scenic Trail
44 mi awayHopewell Furnace National Historic Site
National Historic Site
53 mi awayDelaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
55 mi awayLower Delaware National Wild and Scenic River
National Wild and Scenic River
64 mi awayValley Forge National Historical Park
National Historical Park
65 mi awayUpper Delaware Scenic & Recreational River
Scenic & Recreational River
69 mi awayMorristown National Historical Park
National Historical Park
76 mi awayPublic Libraries in Hazleton
Hazleton Area Public Library
55 N Church St, Hazleton
Cities Near Hazleton
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Hazleton?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Hazleton FAQ
Is Hazleton, Pennsylvania affordable?⌄
Hazleton's median rent is $1,089/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $46,177/year. Median home value is $151,600.
Is Hazleton, Pennsylvania safe?⌄
Hazleton's violent crime rate was 164 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 499 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Hazleton, Pennsylvania?⌄
Hazleton has an unemployment rate of 5.5%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Hazleton, Pennsylvania?⌄
The cost of living in Hazleton is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,089/month and median household income is $46,177/year. The median home value is $151,600. About 56% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Hazleton, Pennsylvania?⌄
The average commute in Hazleton is 21 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from