Census tract · Luzerne County
Census Tract 2159, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
Census Tract 2159, GEOID 42079215900, in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, partly within Huntington Township, Luzerne County, Fairmount Township and New Columbus. 3,479 residents in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±264); the 2020 Census counted 3,485.
Residents, 2020-2024
3,479
±264 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 3,485
Median household income
$64,939
±$7,143 (90% margin)
Luzerne County: $63,691
Median home value
$233,000
±$21,817 (90% margin)
Luzerne County: $174,100
Median gross rent
$1,079
±$342 (90% margin)
Luzerne County: $1,004
Where is Census Tract 2159?
Census Tract 2159 is one of 101 census tracts in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. It covers 77.45 square miles of land, 45 residents per square mile in 2020. Its GEOID, 42079215900, names it uniquely (how tract numbers and GEOIDs work).
| Place | Share of the tract |
|---|---|
| Huntington Township, Luzerne County | 50% |
| Fairmount Township | 42% |
| New Columbus | 8% |
7 census tracts border Census Tract 2159: Tract 501 in Columbia County ($69,015), Tract 2157.02 ($71,917), Tract 2158 ($87,697), Tract 2161 ($78,560), Tract 9601.01 in Sullivan County ($78,906), Tract 9602.02 in Sullivan County ($66,429) and Tract 4002 in Wyoming County ($77,059). The figure in brackets is each tract's median household income.
Whether a tract counts as low- or moderate-income for bank lending (the Community Reinvestment Act) is set by the FFIEC against its metro area's family income: look it up in the FFIEC census geocoder.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 block assignment files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Census Tract 2159?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Census Tract 2159's population at 3,479 (±264) in 1,450 households; the 2020 Census counted 3,485 residents and 1,602 housing units.
| Measure | Tract 2159 | Luzerne County |
|---|---|---|
| Total population | 3,479 ±264 | 327,675 |
| Households | 1,450 ±131 | 135,055 |
| Average household size | 2.35 ±0.15 | 2.35 |
| Housing units | 1,674 ±129 | 151,287 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Census Tract 2159?
The median resident of Census Tract 2159 is 49.8 years old; 17.6% are under 18 and 26.1% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 95.0%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 2.9%.
| Measure | Tract 2159 | Luzerne County |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 49.8 ±3.1 | 42.0 |
| Under 18 years | 17.6% ±2.2 pts | 20.3% |
| 65 years and over | 26.1% ±3.4 pts | 20.1% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 0.4% ±0.3 pts | 17.3% |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 95.0% ±3.0 pts | 74.2% |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 1.2% ±1.6 pts | 4.1% |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.3% ±0.5 pts | 1.2% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.9 pts | 0.0% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.9 pts | 0.0% |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 2.9% ±2.4 pts | 2.9% |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.3 pts | 0.3% |
| Born outside the United States | 0.3% ±0.2 pts | 9.6% |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 0.7% ±0.6 pts | 15.9% |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 9.7% ±3.6 pts | 6.5% |
| With a disability | 15.0% ±3.4 pts | 16.1% |
| No health insurance coverage | 3.2% ±1.4 pts | 6.6% |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 91.2% ±4.1 pts | 90.2% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 18.3% ±3.5 pts | 25.3% |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 6.8% ±2.1 pts | 9.9% |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 95.8% ±2.8 pts | 89.3% |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Census Tract 2159 earn?
Half of the 1,450 households in Census Tract 2159 earn less than $64,939 a year (±$7,143), against $63,691 across Luzerne County: 51st highest of the county's 100 tracts with a reliable estimate. 8.8% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Tract 2159 | Luzerne County |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $64,939 ±$7,143 | $63,691 |
| Mean household income | $88,275 ±$9,447 | $86,447 |
| Per capita income | $37,279 ±$3,459 | $36,493 |
| People below the poverty line | 8.8% ±4.2 pts | 15.3% |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 4.9% ±5.4 pts | 24.7% |
| Households receiving SNAP | 10.6% ±3.2 pts | 19.6% |
| Households with a computer | 86.4% ±7.7 pts | 92.0% |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 81.7% ±6.8 pts | 87.8% |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Census Tract 2159?
Owners occupy 89.4% of Census Tract 2159's occupied homes and renters 10.6%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $233,000 by its owner (±$21,817). The median renter pays $1,079 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Tract 2159 | Luzerne County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $233,000 ±$21,817 | $174,100 |
| Median gross rent | $1,079 ±$342 | $1,004 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 14.5% ±12.1 pts | 38.3% |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,466 ±$131 | $1,475 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 89.4% ±3.7 pts | 67.8% |
| Renter-occupied homes | 10.6% ±3.7 pts | 32.2% |
| Housing units | 1,674 ±129 | 151,287 |
| Single-family detached homes | 82.8% ±6.4 pts | 64.1% |
| Mobile homes | 11.0% ±6.8 pts | 3.2% |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.7% ±0.8 pts | 0.6% |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 7.1% ±2.7 pts | 3.0% |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 20.1% ±4.7 pts | 30.3% |
| Households with no vehicle | 2.3% ±1.6 pts | 9.5% |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Census Tract 2159 get to work?
85.8% of Census Tract 2159's workers drive alone and 10.2% work from home. The average trip to work takes 37.2 minutes.
| Measure | Tract 2159 | Luzerne County |
|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 51.1% ±5.5 pts | 60.4% |
| Unemployment rate | 6.1% ±4.6 pts | 5.8% |
| Drove alone to work | 85.8% ±4.4 pts | 74.6% |
| Carpooled | 3.1% ±1.9 pts | 10.0% |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±2.3 pts | 0.7% |
| Walked | 0.6% ±0.7 pts | 2.4% |
| Worked from home | 10.2% ±4.1 pts | 10.9% |
| Mean travel time to work | 37.2 min ±3.3 | 23.5 min |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
How does Census Tract 2159 compare with the other tracts in Luzerne County?
Among Luzerne County's tracts with a reliable estimate, Census Tract 2159 ranks as shown below (1 = highest).
| Measure | In Luzerne County |
|---|---|
| Population | 40th of 101 |
| Residents per square mile | 100th of 101 |
| Median household income | 51st of 100 |
| Per capita income | 47th of 101 |
| Median home value | 20th of 99 |
| Median gross rent | 40th of 98 |
| Poverty rate | 63rd of 81 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 68th of 99 |
| Median age | 15th of 101 |
| Owner-occupied share | 13th of 100 |
The tracts next to it on Luzerne County's income ladder
| Tract | Rank | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 2007 | 48th | $66,250±$12,765 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 2142 | 49th | $65,078±$7,583 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 2143 | 50th | $65,000±$17,715 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 2159 | 51st | $64,939±$7,143 |
| Tract 2146 | 52nd | $64,928±$20,708 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 2152 | 53rd | $64,079±$17,243 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 2003 | 54th | $63,864±$9,832 · within the margin of this tract |
"Within the margin": the two incomes differ by less than their combined 90% margins, so the survey cannot say which is higher and the ranks between them are not firm.
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Census Tract 2159?
3 of the 18 figures for Census Tract 2159 on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
A census tract's figures rest on a few hundred sampled households over five years, so its margins are wider than a city's. Two tracts differ only when the gap between them is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins). How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · Check it at data.census.gov
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections