Zip code 18656: Sweet Valley, Pennsylvania

Q: What city is zip code 18656?

18656 is assigned to Sweet Valley, Pennsylvania. The city name is the one the Postal Service prefers for mail addressed to this zip code.

Q: What county is 18656 in?

18656 is in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania.

Q: What is the population of 18656?

About 2,066 people live in 18656, according to the Census Bureau's American Community Survey.

Q: What is the median household income in 18656?

The median household income in 18656 is $76,804.

Q: What zip codes are near 18656?

The closest zip codes to 18656 are 18636, 18621, 18654, 18618, 18627.

Residential delivery areaLuzerne CountyEastern Time

Population

2,066

Median household income

$77K

U.S. $81K

Median home value

$233K

U.S. $333K

Median rent

$1,010/mo

U.S. $1,413

Median age

50.2

U.S. 38.9

Land area

60 sq mi

35 people/sq mi

Boundary is the Census Bureau's ZIP Code Tabulation Area, which closely tracks the postal delivery area.

About 18656

18656 is a rural zip code in Sweet Valley, Pennsylvania (Luzerne County), covering 60 sq mi of land. About 2,066 people live here, or 35 per square mile. The median resident is 50.2 years old, compared with 38.9 nationally.

The median household earns $76,804 a year, close to the national median of $80,734. 7.9% of residents live below the poverty line (U.S.: 12.5%). A typical home is valued at $233,000, or 3.0 years of median household income (U.S.: 4.1 years), which makes homes relatively affordable for local earners. 93% of occupied homes are lived in by their owners, and renters pay a median of $1,010 a month.

24% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher (U.S.: 36%). Commuters average 30.9 minutes each way, and 9% of workers work from home. The most common jobs among working residents are in construction and repair; healthcare; and office and administrative support.

How 18656 compares

Sorted from highest to lowest national percentile

Homeownership rate92.8%
98th
StrengthU.S. 65.2% · PA 69.3%189th of 1,698 in PA
Median age50.2
95th
U.S. 38.9 · PA 40.9357th of 1,707 in PA
Veterans11.4%
93rd
U.S. 6.2% · PA 6.1%186th of 1,707 in PA
Housing vacancy16.3%
89th
U.S. 10.1% · PA 9.2%431st of 1,699 in PA
Residents 65 and older23.1%
87th
U.S. 17.2% · PA 19.5%599th of 1,707 in PA
Average commute30.9 min
78th
U.S. 26.4 min · PA 26.3 min354th of 1,596 in PA
Self-employed workers10.5%
64th
U.S. 10% · PA 8.2%476th of 1,704 in PA
Tech workers3.4%
60th
U.S. 3.8% · PA 3.6%384th of 1,704 in PA
Government workers14.8%
58th
U.S. 14.5% · PA 11.5%433rd of 1,704 in PA
Unemployment rate4.8%
49th
U.S. 5.2% · PA 5.3%681st of 1,704 in PA
Median household income$76,804
46th
U.S. $80,734 · PA $77,971643rd of 1,617 in PA
Median earnings per worker$47,028
46th
U.S. $49,666 · PA $50,599799th of 1,693 in PA
Per capita income$38,208
44th
U.S. $44,673 · PA $44,355754th of 1,707 in PA
Healthcare workers9.1%
44th
U.S. 9.7% · PA 11.5%1,080th of 1,704 in PA
Bachelor's degree or higher24.4%
32nd
U.S. 35.7% · PA 35.2%719th of 1,706 in PA
Poverty rate7.9%
31st
U.S. 12.5% · PA 11.7%1,013th of 1,699 in PA
Median home value$233,000
29th
U.S. $332,700 · PA $254,500596th of 1,628 in PA
Work from home9.2%
29th
U.S. 15.1% · PA 15.6%957th of 1,704 in PA
Broadband access88.6%
26th
U.S. 91% · PA 89.7%803rd of 1,698 in PA
Median gross rent$1,010
22nd
U.S. $1,413 · PA $1,209641st of 1,366 in PA
Residents under 1818.4%
21st
U.S. 22% · PA 20.4%1,027th of 1,707 in PA
Rent-burdened renters41.7%
20th
StrengthU.S. 51.1% · PA 48.2%859th of 1,596 in PA
Uninsured rate3.7%
19th
StrengthU.S. 8.4% · PA 5.6%1,006th of 1,705 in PA
Foreign-born residents1.2%
7th
U.S. 14.1% · PA 7.7%936th of 1,707 in PA
Population density35/sq mi
5th
U.S. 95/sq mi · PA 291/sq mi1,531st of 1,707 in PA
Population2,066
3rd
U.S. 334,922,499 · PA 13,018,639940th of 1,707 in PA
Diversity index9.1
3rd
U.S. 61.4 · PA 44.61,188th of 1,707 in PA
Income inequality (Gini)0.341
2nd
StrengthU.S. 0.483 · PA 0.4741,448th of 1,697 in PA

Measure	18656	Luzerne	PA	U.S.	National percentile	Rank in PA
Homeownership rateStrength	92.8%	67.8%	69.3%	65.2%	98th	189th of 1,698
Median age	50.2	42	40.9	38.9	95th	357th of 1,707
Veterans	11.4%	6.5%	6.1%	6.2%	93rd	186th of 1,707
Housing vacancy	16.3%	10.7%	9.2%	10.1%	89th	431st of 1,699
Residents 65 and older	23.1%	20.1%	19.5%	17.2%	87th	599th of 1,707
Average commute	30.9 min	23.5 min	26.3 min	26.4 min	78th	354th of 1,596
Self-employed workers	10.5%	7.2%	8.2%	10%	64th	476th of 1,704
Tech workers	3.4%	2%	3.6%	3.8%	60th	384th of 1,704
Government workers	14.8%	13.2%	11.5%	14.5%	58th	433rd of 1,704
Unemployment rate	4.8%	5.8%	5.3%	5.2%	49th	681st of 1,704
Median household income	$76,804	$63,691	$77,971	$80,734	46th	643rd of 1,617
Median earnings per worker	$47,028	$44,017	$50,599	$49,666	46th	799th of 1,693
Per capita income	$38,208	$36,493	$44,355	$44,673	44th	754th of 1,707
Healthcare workers	9.1%	11.7%	11.5%	9.7%	44th	1,080th of 1,704
Bachelor's degree or higher	24.4%	25.3%	35.2%	35.7%	32nd	719th of 1,706
Poverty rate	7.9%	15.3%	11.7%	12.5%	31st	1,013th of 1,699
Median home value	$233,000	$174,100	$254,500	$332,700	29th	596th of 1,628
Work from home	9.2%	10.9%	15.6%	15.1%	29th	957th of 1,704
Broadband access	88.6%	87.8%	89.7%	91%	26th	803rd of 1,698
Median gross rent	$1,010	$1,004	$1,209	$1,413	22nd	641st of 1,366
Residents under 18	18.4%	20.3%	20.4%	22%	21st	1,027th of 1,707
Rent-burdened rentersStrength	41.7%	46.4%	48.2%	51.1%	20th	859th of 1,596
Uninsured rateStrength	3.7%	6.6%	5.6%	8.4%	19th	1,006th of 1,705
Foreign-born residents	1.2%	9.6%	7.7%	14.1%	7th	936th of 1,707
Population density	35/sq mi	368/sq mi	291/sq mi	95/sq mi	5th	1,531st of 1,707
Population	2,066	327,675	13,018,639	334,922,499	3rd	940th of 1,707
Diversity index	9.1	41.7	44.6	61.4	3rd	1,188th of 1,707
Income inequality (Gini)Strength	0.341	0.464	0.474	0.483	2nd	1,448th of 1,697

The percentile is the share of Americans who live in a zip code with a lower value, so the 50th percentile is typical. Rank 1 is the highest value in the state. Both include zip codes with at least 100 residents. Strengths and weaknesses mark measures in the best or worst fifth nationally, where higher or lower is clearly better (income, poverty, education, commute, broadband, insurance and similar). Measures like age or density are left unmarked.

People

Age

Under 5

15%

5–17

18–24

25–34

10%

35–44

14%

45–54

20%

55–64

15%

65–74

75+

Median age

50.2

Under 18

18.4%

65 and over

23.1%

Race and ethnicity

White95%
Black0%
Hispanic0%
Asian1%
Native American0%
Pacific Islander0%
Other0.3%
Multiracial3%

Diversity index

9.1

U.S. 61.4

Foreign-born

1.2%

U.S. 14.1%

Born in state

87.9%

Language spoken at home (households)

English only

97%

Spanish

Other Indo-European

Asian / Pacific

0.7%

Other

Households

Households: 859
Average household size: 2.4
Family households: 73.9%
Married couples: 59.5%
Living alone: 23.1%
Veterans (of adults): 11.4%
Male / female: 48% / 52%

Income and poverty

Household income distribution

<$25k

10%

$25–50k

15%

$50–75k

19%

$75–100k

20%

$100–150k

20%

$150–200k

$200k+

Median household income

18656

$76,804

Luzerne Co.

$63,691

Pennsylvania

$77,971

United States

$80,734

Per capita income

$38,208

U.S. $44,673

Poverty rate

7.9%

U.S. 12.5%

Households earning $150K+

15%

U.S. 23%

Income inequality (Gini)

0.341

U.S. 0.483

Housing

Median home value

18656

$233,000

Luzerne Co.

$174,100

Pennsylvania

$254,500

United States

$332,700

Median gross rent

18656

$1,010

Luzerne Co.

$1,004

Pennsylvania

$1,209

United States

$1,413

Types of housing

Single-family

87%

2–4 units

5–19 units

0.9%

20+ units

Mobile home

10%

Boat, RV, van

Housing units: 1,026
Owner-occupied: 92.8%
Vacant: 16.3%
Median year built: 1983
Median rooms: 6.4
Renters paying 30%+ of income: 41.7%
Renters paying 50%+ of income: 41.7%
Home value to income: 3.0× (U.S. 4.1×)

Work and commute

How people get to work

Drove alone

88%

Carpooled

Transit

Walked

Bicycle

Worked from home

Other

Commute time (one way)

<10 min

10–19

14%

20–29

23%

30–44

36%

45–59

11%

60+

10%

Average commute

30.9 min

U.S. 26.4 min

Unemployment

4.8%

U.S. 5.2%

In labor force

56.8%

U.S. 63.5%

Jobs and careers

What employed residents do, wherever they work

Occupations

Construction and repair

19%

Healthcare

Office and admin

Management

Production

Police and fire

Transportation and moving

Business and finance

Education

Legal and social services

Cleaning and personal care

Sales

Computer and math

Engineering and science

Food service

Farming, fishing and forestry

Arts, media and sports

0.9%

Industries

Construction

24%

Health care and social assistance

17%

Retail

Manufacturing

Public administration

Education

Other services

Professional and technical services

Information

Restaurants and hotels

Admin, support and management

Finance, insurance and real estate

Transportation, warehousing and utilities

Arts and recreation

Agriculture and mining

Wholesale

0.5%

Median earnings per worker

$47,028

U.S. $49,666

Self-employed

10.5%

U.S. 10%

Government workers

14.8%

U.S. 14.5%

Nonprofit workers

7.4%

U.S. 8.8%

Median earnings by type of work

Type of work	18656	U.S.
Management, business, science and arts	$69,821	$74,888
Service	$20,000	$26,804
Sales and office	$29,688	$40,476
Construction and maintenance	$58,317	$49,199
Production and transportation	$45,037	$39,989

Education, internet and health coverage

Highest education (adults 25+)

No diploma

High school

36%

Some college

18%

Associate's

17%

Bachelor's

12%

Graduate

12%

High school graduate or higher: 95.4%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 24.4%
Graduate or professional degree: 12.1%
Households with broadband: 88.6%
Cable, fiber or DSL: 72.4%
No internet access: 5.2%
Without health insurance: 3.7%
Limited-English households: 0%

Geography

City (USPS): Sweet Valley
State: Pennsylvania
County: Luzerne County
Center point: 41.3325° N, 76.1854° W
Land area: 60 sq mi
Water area: 0.6 sq mi
Time zone: Eastern Time (UTC-5, UTC-4 in summer)
Zip type: Residential delivery area

Zip codes near 18656

Search by radius

Zip	City	Distance	Population	IncomeMedian income	Home value
18636	Noxen, PA	7.1 mi	1,610	$57,132	$180,200
18621	Hunlock Creek, PA	7.2 mi	4,744	$71,964	$186,100
18654	Shawanese, PA · PO box	8.1 mi	—	—	—
18618	Harveys Lake, PA	8.3 mi	3,570	$83,500	$244,300
18627	Lehman, PA	8.5 mi	0	—	—
18628	Lopez, PA	9.5 mi	185	$81,667	$118,000
18655	Shickshinny, PA	10 mi	6,018	$72,571	$190,700
18622	Huntington Mills, PA	10 mi	252	$63,750	$196,400
18612	Dallas, PA	11 mi	17,739	$93,750	$259,300
17814	Benton, PA	11 mi	4,669	$65,089	$224,800
18611	Cambra, PA · PO box	11 mi	—	—	—
18690	Dallas, PA · PO box	12 mi	—	—	—

Zip codes like 18656 elsewhere

Matched on income, home values, age, density, education, housing and commuting

Questions about 18656

What city is zip code 18656?

18656 is assigned to Sweet Valley, Pennsylvania. The city name is the one the Postal Service prefers for mail addressed to this zip code.

What county is 18656 in?

18656 is in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania.

What is the population of 18656?

About 2,066 people live in 18656, according to the Census Bureau's American Community Survey.

What time zone is 18656 in?

18656 is in Eastern Time.

What is the median household income in 18656?

The median household income in 18656 is $76,804.

What zip codes are near 18656?

The closest zip codes to 18656 are 18636, 18621, 18654, 18618, 18627.

Demographic figures are 2020–2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates for ZIP Code Tabulation Area 18656, from the U.S. Census Bureau. Small areas have wide margins of error. How we build these numbers.