The Town Files

Pittston, Pennsylvania

Township in Luzerne County · population 3,186 (2020 Census)

Map: where Pittston is in PennsylvaniaPittston
Median home
$186,500
Household income
$68,702
Jan low / Jul high
20° / 85°
Snow a year
45 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
14
Median age
46.6

Pittston is a township of 3,186 people in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $186,500, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks better for cycling than 99% of Pennsylvania towns, quieter than 73% of Pennsylvania towns.

How Pittston ranks

Percentile among Pennsylvania towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Pennsylvania towns.

Pittston lifestyle rankings vs other Pennsylvania townsRetirement16th pctFamilies18th pctQuiet73rd pctWalkability53rd pctFirst-time buyersbottomYoung professionals52nd pctVibrancy64th pctHip & trendy53rd pctCollege town1st pctUpscale48th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCycling99th pctTransitbottomDriving15th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Pittston is worth $186,500, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 2.7 times the median household income of $68,702, which is more affordable than 59% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $983 a month. 82.7% of households own their home.

Pittston vs Luzerne County vs typical Pennsylvania townPittstonLuzerne CountyTypical Pennsylvania townHome value$186,500$174,100$214,250Household income$68,702$63,691$75,278Monthly rent$983$1,004$996
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Pennsylvania towns with 500+ people.
HousingPittstonTypical Pennsylvania town
Median home value$186,500$214,250
Median rent$983$996
Median household income$68,702$75,278
Home value ÷ income2.7×2.8×
Homeownership82.7%81.5%
Median year built19751971
Seasonal / vacation homes0.0%—

Who lives in Pittston

PeoplePittstonTypical Pennsylvania town
Median age46.644.2
Age 65 and over22.1%21.1%
Under 1818.7%—
Bachelor's degree or higher31.2%23.8%
Below the poverty line6.1%8.5%
Veterans8.6%—
Born outside the U.S.1.6%—
Work from home15.0%10.6%
Average commute26.0 min25.9 min
Homes with broadband85.7%89.0%

Weather in Pittston

July highs average 84.6°F and January lows 20.3°F. About 38.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 45.1 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 12 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 122 nights at or below freezing.

Pittston monthly temperatures and precipitation20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing36°20°Jan39°22°Feb48°29°Mar61°39°Apr72°50°May80°58°Jun85°63°Jul82°61°Aug75°54°Sep63°43°Oct51°34°Nov40°26°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue2.611.72.110.92.810.13.30.83.33.83.63.94.23.70.72.93.22.87.7
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Wilkes-Barre Intl Ap station (2.0 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pittston since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on June 13, 2018 about 7.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 15, 2019.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Pittston by decade01950s11960s01970s01980s61990s12000s62010s02020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 35 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on June 24, 1985.

Severe weather in Luzerne County since 1996

Storm events in Luzerne County since 1996 by typeHail76Flood29Drought5Tornado9High Wind19Lightning17Heavy Snow44Flash Flood125
NOAA Storm Events Database, Luzerne County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 7 deaths recorded.

Luzerne County has been included in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
September 10, 2021HurricaneDR-4618: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida
March 30, 2020BiologicalDR-4506: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3441: Covid-19
October 29, 2012HurricaneEM-3356: Hurricane Sandy
September 12, 2011FloodDR-4030: Tropical Storm Lee

Jobs and pay in Luzerne County

Luzerne County had 145,190 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,901 a year. Unemployment was 4.3% in 2023; in Pittston itself the ACS puts it at 2.1%.

Largest industries in Luzerne CountyHealth care & social assistan…23,720 jobs · $60,843Transportation & warehousing19,236 jobs · $52,955Manufacturing17,873 jobs · $66,010Retail15,873 jobs · $35,150Hotels & restaurants11,073 jobs · $22,247Administrative & support8,993 jobs · $41,064
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Luzerne County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%12%2000200420082012201620202023Luzerne 4.3%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Public schools in Pittston

1 public school with 26 students, about 3.2 students per teacher.

SchoolGradesStudentsPer teacher
Northeast Secure Treatment Unit7-12263.3

Towns near Pittston

Pittston questions

Is Pittston, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Pittston scores better for retirees than 16% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 73%. 22.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 46.6).

How much does a house cost in Pittston?

The median owner-occupied home in Pittston is valued at $186,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $68,702, so homes cost about 2.7 times income. Median rent is $983 a month.

What is the weather like in Pittston?

July highs average 84.6°F and January lows 20.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 38.7 inches of precipitation a year and 45.1 inches of snow.

Does Pittston get tornadoes?

14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pittston since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on June 13, 2018. The typical Pennsylvania town has had 10.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Pittston's Census boundary (GEOID 4207961056). Comparisons use the median of Pennsylvania towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.