The Town FilesWanamie, Pennsylvania
Community in Luzerne County · population 580 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $147,600
- Household income
- $53,167
- Jan low / Jul high
- 16° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 36 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 7
- Median age
- 52.0
Wanamie is a community of 580 people in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $147,600, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks more of a college town than 98% of Pennsylvania towns, better for first-time buyers than 76% of Pennsylvania towns, more walkable than 73% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Wanamie 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.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Wanamie is worth $147,600, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $53,167, which is more affordable than 53% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $1,271 a month. 79.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Wanamie | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $147,600 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $1,271 | $996 |
| Median household income | $53,167 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.8× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 79.0% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1946 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Wanamie
| People | Wanamie | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 52.0 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.2% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 14.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 11.5% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 29.2% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 6.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 16.8% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 26.6 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.5% | 89.0% |
Weather in Wanamie
July highs average 80.3°F and January lows 16.2°F. About 48.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 35.6 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 4 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 145 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wanamie since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on December 1, 2006 about 5.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 12, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 18 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on June 24, 1985.
Severe weather in Luzerne County since 1996
Luzerne County has been included in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 10, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4618: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| March 30, 2020 | Biological | DR-4506: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3441: Covid-19 |
| October 29, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3356: Hurricane Sandy |
| September 12, 2011 | Flood | DR-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 Wanamie itself the ACS puts it at 5.7%.
Towns near Wanamie
- Newport, PA1.2 mi · 4,433 people · home $96,700
- Sheatown, PA1.8 mi · 766 people · home $124,600
- Slocum, PA2.2 mi · 1,054 people · home $230,300
- Glen Lyon, PA2.3 mi · 1,877 people · home $83,000
- Nanticoke, PA2.8 mi · 10,628 people · home $108,100
- Nuangola, PA3.5 mi · 666 people · home $259,700
- West Nanticoke, PA3.6 mi · 562 people · home $112,000
- Plymouth, PA4.2 mi · 1,717 people · home $131,800
Wanamie questions
Is Wanamie, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Wanamie scores better for retirees than 49% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 24%. 14.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 52.0).
How much does a house cost in Wanamie?
The median owner-occupied home in Wanamie is valued at $147,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $53,167, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is $1,271 a month.
What is the weather like in Wanamie?
July highs average 80.3°F and January lows 16.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.4 inches of precipitation a year and 35.6 inches of snow.
Does Wanamie get tornadoes?
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wanamie since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on December 1, 2006. The typical Pennsylvania town has had 10.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)