ZIP Code 18661 — Penn Lake Park borough, PA Demographics & Data

ZIP code 18661 covers Penn Lake Park, PA in Luzerne County with a population of about 5,541.

At a glance, the area shows median age of 50.7 versus a U.S. median of about 38.9.

It sits in telephone area codes 272, 570; U.S. House district PA-8; the WILKES BARRE - SCRANTON media market.

Median household income in ZIP 18661 is about $68,795 — about 8% below the U.S. median ($75,149).

On socioeconomic markers, US5 shows a poverty rate of 14.7%; unemployment rate near 6.8%; 21.0% of adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher (about 12.7 points below the national share (33.7%)).

Labor and commute patterns include leading industry context around Healthcare, Food services, and Retail trade; about 8.6% of workers reporting work-from-home (about 6.6 points below the U.S. share (15.2%)); a mean commute of about 180.0 minutes (U.S. average near 26.8).

Median home value is about $182,500 — about 48% below the U.S. median home value ($348,079).

Housing tenure and rents show median gross rent around $836 (about 28% below the U.S. median rent ($1,163)), and owner-occupancy near 83.1% (about 17.7 points above the national owner-occupancy rate (65.4%)).

To comfortably buy a median-priced home in ZIP 18661 in Penn Lake Park, PA, a household would need roughly $50,000 in annual income under a 20% down, 30-year loan at 6.8% (illustrative), keeping housing costs near 28% of income. Estimated monthly PITI is about $1,172. That sits below the local median household income ($68,795), suggesting the typical household income is closer to a workable buy-in level under these assumptions. Rates, taxes, insurance, and HOA fees vary — treat this as a planning estimate, not a lender quote.

FEMA’s National Risk Index rates natural-hazard risk for Penn Lake Park borough, PA as Relatively Moderate (composite score 91.6), which is among the highest nationally. The strongest component scores on US5 are flood (95.3) and hurricane (83.1). These scores are county-linked NRI values published for planning context — all ZIP codes in the same county share the same composite score on US5. Useful when comparing insurance and disaster exposure across areas, not a substitute for a parcel-level flood or fire determination.

Climate normals for Penn Lake Park borough, PA show little to no average snow and around 48.8 inches of annual precipitation.

IRS migration statistics show a net inflow of about 252 for ZIP 18661 (Penn Lake Park borough, PA) on US5’s published series — a signal of people/tax filers moving in relative to those leaving. Inflows often track job growth, housing demand, or lifestyle migration; treat the figure as a directional indicator rather than a precise headcount.