Can An Electrician Afford Rent in Wilkes-Barre, PA?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 23.5% of gross income.

Wilkes-Barre rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Pennsylvania state estimate).

Wilkes-Barre median rent
$1,358/mo
Electrician salary (Pennsylvania)
$69,201/yr
Rent as % of income
23.5%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,767, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,730/mo in rent. Wilkes-Barre's median rent of $1,358 leaves roughly $372/mo of headroom under that threshold. An electrician works roughly 40.8 hours a month to cover that rent.

About rent and an electrician salary

Electrician pay is competitive with many four-year-degree occupations and covers comfortable rent across most US metros. Union journeymen in high-cost cities often earn well above the BLS mean once overtime and benefits are counted, which expands affordability further. At the national-average electrician salary, the 30% rule supports about $1,748 a month in rent. The per-city pages show where rent stays in range and where it begins to pinch.

Cheaper rent nearby

These Pennsylvania cities have lower median rent than Wilkes-Barre, which improves the affordability math on an electrician salary:

Hanover, PA
$1,356/mo (23.5% of income)
Harrisburg, PA
$1,355/mo (23.5% of income)
Munhall, PA
$1,353/mo (23.5% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Wilkes-Barre

View full rent data for Wilkes-Barre, PA

Frequently asked questions

Can an electrician afford rent in Wilkes-Barre, PA?

Median rent in Wilkes-Barre is $1,358 a month. A typical electrician in Pennsylvania earns about $69,201 a year, which makes that rent 23.5% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can an electrician afford in Wilkes-Barre?

Using the 30% rule, an electrician salary in Pennsylvania (~$69,201/yr) supports up to $1,730 a month in rent. Wilkes-Barre's current median rent is $1,358/mo, which leaves a $372/mo buffer.

How many hours does an electrician work to cover rent in Wilkes-Barre?

At an hourly equivalent of about $33 an hour, an electrician in Pennsylvania works roughly 40.8 hours a month to cover Wilkes-Barre's median rent of $1,358.

Where is rent cheaper than Wilkes-Barre for an electrician?

Nearby Pennsylvania cities with lower median rent include Hanover ($1,356/mo), Harrisburg ($1,355/mo), Munhall ($1,353/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on an electrician salary.

Methodology: Salary uses the BLS-derived Pennsylvania state estimate from OEWS May 2024. Rent is the most recent ZORI monthly value for Wilkes-Barre, PA. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.