Performance indicators for the Wilkes Barre short-term rental market based on reliable data.
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The highest-performing listings in Wilkes Barre.
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Challenging to Investors
Short‑term rentals are likely legal only in commercial/mixed‑use zones; whole‑home STRs in residential districts are commonly prohibited under the state‑recognized ‘single housekeeping unit’ standard. Wilkes‑Barre lacks a city‑specific STR ordinance, so investors must verify zoning and permitting in advance. State lodging/tax compliance adds permitting, inspections, insurance, and tax duties that raise costs and risk.
Local STR Agent
STR specialist · Wilkes Barre, PA
Wilkes-Barre sits in Luzerne County in northeastern Pennsylvania, anchored along the Susquehanna River in the Wyoming Valley. With a population of roughly 44,000, it is the larger of the two principal cities that anchor the Scranton-Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area. The city carries a deep anthracite-coal heritage, but today it functions as a regional hub for healthcare, higher education, and entertainment, and as a practical base for travelers exploring the Pocono Mountains, the Endless Mountains, and the broader Wyoming Valley. Wilkes-Barre lies roughly 100 miles north of Philadelphia, about 20 miles south of Scranton, and a little over 120 miles west of New York City.
Just a few miles west of downtown, Frances Slocum State Park wraps around a 165-acre lake with about 1,000 acres of surrounding forest. The park, roughly a 15-minute drive from the city, draws local visitors for swimming, fishing, picnicking, and short hikes, and its campground gives guests a quiet overnight option without leaving the immediate Wilkes-Barre area.
About 50 miles northwest, an easy hour-long drive, Ricketts Glen State Park is one of the marquee outdoor destinations in Pennsylvania. The park's Glens Natural Area strings together more than two dozen named waterfalls along a rugged, hemlock-shaded gorge, and in winter its higher elevations offer cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. For a Wilkes-Barre-based guest, it is one of the most rewarding day trips in the region.
Scranton, about 20 miles to the north, adds a second anchor for cultural and historical exploration. The Steamtown National Historic Site operates as a working railroad museum with a collection of preserved steam locomotives, and the Lackawanna Coal Mine Tour descends into a former anthracite mine, both giving visitors a hands-on sense of the area's industrial past. Pairing a Wilkes-Barre stay with a Scranton day trip is a common itinerary for short-term rental guests.
Closer to home, the F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts on Public Square brings touring concerts and shows to downtown Wilkes-Barre, while the Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza in the township hosts family events, concerts, and minor-league hockey. Together with Mohegan Sun Pocono in nearby Plains Township, these venues make the city a year-round entertainment hub for the Wyoming Valley.
For short-term rental owners and guests alike, Wilkes-Barre's appeal lies in its mix of small-city convenience and wide-reaching day-trip options. The city offers a walkable downtown, a busy events calendar, and quick interstate access, all within easy reach of state-park hiking, Pocono resorts, and the heritage attractions of Scranton. That combination of affordability, central location, and varied nearby experiences makes Wilkes-Barre a flexible base for travelers exploring northeastern Pennsylvania.