18705 Property Tax Rate
Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania · Part of Luzerne County
Effective Tax Rate
1.93%
15.3% below state avgMedian Annual Tax
$2,374
$198/mo escrow
Estimate Your Tax
Annual Tax
$2,374
Monthly
$198
Eff. Rate
1.93%
Buyer decision brief
What ZIP 18705 means for your housing budget
Use this ZIP page to compare recurring tax burden before you compare listing prices. The numbers below are Census ZCTA estimates, so they are strongest for neighborhood comparison and weakest for parcel-specific tax planning.
Monthly escrow signal
$198/mo
Based on median annual tax paid
State context
0.59 percentage points above the Pennsylvania average
Pennsylvania average: 1.34%
Data confidence
High confidenceThe Census margin of error is $180, about 8% of the median tax estimate.
Verify before you offer
- Confirm parcel assessed value with Luzerne County assessor.
- Check homestead, senior, veteran, and disability exemptions.
- Ask whether purchase triggers reassessment or value-cap reset.
- Review school district and special assessment boundaries.
Lower-rate similar ZIPs
This is informational content, not tax, legal, or mortgage advice. Local assessor records remain the source of truth for a specific property.
Data confidence ledger
Can you trust ZIP 18705 for comparison?
ACS vintage
2019-2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
Five-year Census ZCTA estimates.
ZCTA caveat
Census area, not parcel boundary
USPS ZIP routes and taxing districts can differ inside the same area.
Field completeness
3/3 required fields
Median tax, home value, and derived rate are present.
MOE status
Strong ACS confidence
$180 tax MOE, 8% of the median tax estimate.
Last site refresh
March 10, 2026
Dataset and page-quality audit run locally before publication.
County fallback
County advisory available
Luzerne County is used for assessor verification and broader context.
Tax bill anatomy
What can change your actual bill in ZIP 18705
Use the ZIP estimate to compare neighborhoods, then verify these parcel-level inputs before relying on a payment estimate.
Assessed value
The ZCTA median home value is $122,800, but your bill starts with the local assessed value for a specific parcel.
Effective rate
The displayed rate is 1.93%, derived from median tax paid divided by median home value.
Exemptions
Homestead, senior, veteran, disability, and local exemptions can reduce taxable value. Confirm eligibility before estimating escrow.
Reassessment
A purchase can change assessed value depending on Pennsylvania and county rules. Ask how sale price affects the next assessment cycle.
Escrow impact
The median tax paid in this ZCTA equals about $198 per month before insurance, HOA dues, or special assessments.
Assessor verification
Luzerne County assessor or tax collector records are the source of truth for parcel taxes, appeal windows, and exemptions.
How ZIP 18705 Compares
Median Annual Property Tax
ZIP 18705
1.93%
Effective rate
Pennsylvania Avg
1.34%
Effective rate
National Avg
1.10%
Effective rate
State Ranking
Property Tax Rank in Pennsylvania
Higher than 92% of ZIP codes in Pennsylvania(92th percentile, 1,638 ZIPs compared)
Property Tax Analysis
Property Tax Insights for ZIP 18705
Property owners in ZIP code 18705 (Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania) pay a median of $2,374/year in property taxes on homes valued at $122,800. This translates to an effective tax rate of 1.93%, which is 44% above the Pennsylvania state average of 1.34%.
The monthly property tax burden for a median-valued home in 18705 is approximately $198, which factors into escrow payments on mortgages. This ZIP code is located within Luzerne County. This is $430 less than the Pennsylvania average of $2,804/year.
Compared to similar ZIP codes in Pennsylvania, 18705 has higher property taxes. ZIP codes with similar effective rates include 19064 (1.93%) and 16750 (1.93%).
In Wilkes Barre, property taxes represent approximately 3.9% of the median household income of $61,293, providing context for the relative tax burden on homeowners in this area.
Pennsylvania does not reassess property at sale; your assessed value remains stable unless the property is physically improved or the county conducts a countywide reassessment. Luzerne County offers a Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program for seniors (62+), widows, and disabled persons earning ≤$35,000 annually — apply by June 30 each year through the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue. Register your Homestead Exclusion claim with your school district immediately upon purchase; the exclusion amount is district-specific and applies only to school operating taxes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the property tax rate in ZIP code 18705?
How much are property taxes in Wilkes Barre, PA (18705)?
How does ZIP 18705 compare to the Pennsylvania average?
What is the median home value in ZIP 18705?
What county is ZIP code 18705 in?
Margin of Error
The median property tax estimate for this ZIP code has a margin of error of ±$180. ZCTA-level data has wider margins than county-level estimates due to smaller sample sizes.
County-Level Data
ZIP code 18705 is part of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. View the full county profile for broader context and more data.
View Luzerne County on TaxByCounty →Explore Wilkes Barre, PA
View all 4 ZIP codes in Wilkes Barre with property tax comparisons.
View Wilkes Barre Property Tax Rates →Why compare these ZIPs?
Better comparison set for ZIP 18705
Each ZIP highlights a homebuyer tradeoff: lower rate, stronger value context, shared county rules, city boundary changes, or nearby missing data.
18706
Wilkes Barre, PA
0.12 percentage points lower than ZIP 18705.
Rate
1.82%
Tax
$2,213
Quality
96
18702
Wilkes Barre, PA
0.05 percentage points lower than ZIP 18705.
Rate
1.89%
Tax
$2,183
Quality
96
18221
Drifton, PA
1.48 percentage points lower than ZIP 18705.
Rate
0.46%
Tax
$861
Quality
84
18234
Lattimer Mines, PA
1.17 percentage points lower than ZIP 18705.
Rate
0.77%
Tax
$1,699
Quality
89
18256
Weston, PA
1.13 percentage points lower than ZIP 18705.
Rate
0.81%
Tax
$1,250
Quality
81
18635
Nescopeck, PA
0.80 percentage points lower than ZIP 18705.
Rate
1.14%
Tax
$2,129
Quality
89
18219
Conyngham, PA
0.76 percentage points lower than ZIP 18705.
Rate
1.18%
Tax
$2,581
Quality
84
18656
Sweet Valley, PA
0.74 percentage points lower than ZIP 18705.
Rate
1.19%
Tax
$2,461
Quality
89
Data from U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates (ZCTA level). ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census approximations of USPS ZIP codes.
Estimates are informational only and should not be used as financial or legal advice.