Erie-Railroad-v-Tompkins-incident-scene-040, 1937
Hughestown’s story
147 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1937.
- 1879Hughestown is settled
HughestownPA
A town of 1,371, settled in 1879.
Population
1,371
2025 Census estimate · +2% since 2020
Median home value
$168K
Census ACS
Household income
$84K
median
Median age
37.4
years
Jobs based here
414
A commuter town
Is Hughestown a good place to live?
The best of Hughestown’s subject grades are an A− for safety and incomes; the weakest is a C− for hazard risk. On hazard risk, just 169 of Pennsylvania’s 1,751 towns do worse. Hughestown’s median age is 37.4 years, below both Pennsylvania’s towns (43.2 years) and U.S. towns (40.5 years). Hughestown's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) trails 82% of U.S. towns. Hughestown has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Hughestown stand out
Where Hughestown beats most towns.
Small town
1,371 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
DuryeaPittston TownshipHughestown
How Hughestown grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Pennsylvania), ordered by how far Hughestown is from typical.
SafetyA−Open →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listC−Open →Jobs & income$84K median household incomeA−Open →SchoolsC+Open →HealthGeisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center 7.2 miles awayC+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7.7 of 20; 5.5% of households have no car; 0.4% of workers walk, bike or ride transitC+Open →Cost of livingTypical home $168K, 2.6 years of the Scranton metro’s $65K median household incomeB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Hughestown: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Hughestown, and how to reach them.
PowerPPL Electric Utilities18.6¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterPaw Watres water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNearest public drop-offWest Pittston Recycling Center, 2 miOpenStreetMap
Register to voteOnlineIn Pennsylvania you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person until 15 days before Election Day, or by mail (received 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereLuzerne County Board of ElectionsLuzerne County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2015
ZIP code1864018640 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Hughestown.
SafetyA−
Less crime per resident in Hughestown than in 84% of U.S. towns
At 3.7 per 1,000 residents, Hughestown’s property crime rate is where Pennsylvania’s towns sit at 5.7 and U.S. towns at 9.9.
84%of U.S. towns report more crimeA−Safety Grade
| Hughestown | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 3.7 per 1,000 residents | 5.7 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 1.5 per 1,000 residents | 0.7 | 1.6 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Hughestown1.5
Pennsylvania2.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Hughestown3.7
Pennsylvania13.6
U.S.15.5
84th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
2
violent crimes reported in 2025
5
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
SchoolsC+
Hughestown’s public schools trail 65% of Pennsylvania districts
Its public schools are run by Pittston Area SD. One of its 2 schools is below, with why it’s listed.
35%of PA districts it outscoresC+School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pittston Area MSLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 761 | C− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within PA on state tests and graduation
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A−
With 0.6 jobs for every working resident, most of Hughestown’s workers commute out
Most working residents leave Hughestown for work: only 3% work in town. Jobs based in Hughestown grew to 414 in 2023, 274 more than in 2013. 5.6% of Hughestown residents live below the poverty line.
3%work in town
| Hughestown | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 5.6% | 7.6% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 3.3% | 6.3% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Hughestown3%
Scranton8%
Wilkes-Barre8%
Plains Township6%
Pittston Township5%
8 mi
median commute distance
414
jobs based in Hughestown
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 38% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C−
Inland flooding leads a high hazard risk in Hughestown
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 74% of U.S. communities. Since 1979, 3 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Hughestown.
74risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold waves
3
paid flood claims since 1979
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Snowy winters and pleasant summers in Hughestown
Hughestown has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 84°, January nights drop to 18° and about 45 inches of snow falls in a winter.
45″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter21–37°
Spring37–59°
Summer58–81°
Fall41–62°
Oct 20
typical first frost
Apr 23
typical last frost
+1.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HealthC+
Hughestown is less healthy than 64% of U.S. towns
Hughestown beats the Pennsylvania average on 1 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 8. 19% of adults smoke cigarettes in Hughestown.
37%healthier than U.S. townsC+Health Grade
| Hughestown | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 17% | 14% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 14% | 14% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 24% | 25% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 19% | 19% |
26 measures vs. Pennsylvania
1 better17 too close to call8 worse
| What stands out | Hughestown | PA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 10.7% | 14.5% |
| More adults with COPD | 10% | 7.7% |
Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center
7.2 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: dental
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Who lives here
Fewer middle-aged adults than Pennsylvania overall
Adults 35 to 64 are 34% of residents (38% statewide). Hughestown has grown 2% since 2020, to 1,371 residents in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. 26% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 35% across Pennsylvania.
37.4median age · PA 40.9
| Hughestown | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 26% | 29% | 29% |
| Aged 65 or older | 19% | 21% | 18% |
HughestownPennsylvaniaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
18%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma5%
High school39%
Some college16%
Associate’s14%
Bachelor’s21%
Graduate6%
Women and men · all residents
Somewhere between 36% and 57% women
The Census survey reached too few of Hughestown’s residents to say more: its margin here is ±10.5 points. Across Pennsylvania, 50.7% of residents are women.
| Hughestown | PA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 12.6% | 10.8% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 11.4% | 9.7% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 4.4% | 9% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 18.3% | 13% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 15.6% | 12.6% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 7.3% | 11.9% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 11.2% | 13.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 10.6% | 11.4% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 8.6% | 8.1% | 7% |
| No diploma | 4.9% | 7.9% | 10.4% |
| High school | 39.1% | 32.9% | 26% |
| Some college | 16% | 15.1% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 13.5% | 8.9% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 20.6% | 20.9% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 5.8% | 14.3% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,400, single groups can be off by several points
2%conserved
2%
conserved · 11 of 554 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Robert Yaple Memorial Park | — | 12 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
HousingCost of living grade B−
Homes in Hughestown sell for about $270K
$270Kmedian sale price
1
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Nearby attractions
All 56 attractions →Steamtown National Historic Site and 20 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Hughestown. Close and well known come first.
7 mi National Historic SiteSteamtown National Historic Site61K visitors a year
28 mi LakeLake Wallenpaupack
25 mi State parkRicketts Glen State Park4 mi Theme parkRocky Glen Park
6 mi Ski areaMontage Mountain Ski Area25 runs · 998 ft vertical
21 mi State parkHickory Run State ParkSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Steamtown National Historic Site: National Park Service, Public domain · Lake Wallenpaupack: Doug Kerr from Albany, NY, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Ricketts Glen State Park: en:User:Msitler, Public domain · Montage Mountain Ski Area: Montage Mountain Resorts, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Hickory Run State Park: Mtruch, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Keep exploring
Everything we know about Hughestown
19pages on Hughestown
The big questions
SchoolsC+Behind 65% of PA districts · 2 schoolsSafetyA−1.5 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthC+Better than PA on 1 of 26 CDC measuresCost of livingB−Work & commuteA−$84K median household income · 414 jobs hereNatural hazardsC−FEMA risk higher than 74% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
12 within 15 miles of the center of Hughestown
Yeshivath Beth MosheUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Scranton7.5 mi$10,600 tuitionPennsylvania State University-Penn State ScrantonUniversity or college · Public · Dunmore10.9 mi$15,208 in-state tuitionLuzerne County Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Nanticoke14.8 mi$6,600 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 Hughestown residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Pennsylvania.
A commuter town
97% of working residents leave Hughestown for work
Where Hughestown’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
414jobs based in Hughestown
3%of working residents work in town
8 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Hughestown
Borough in Pennsylvania, US
Hughestown is a borough in the Greater Pittston area of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,326 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1879
- Area
- 0.9 sq mi
- Elevation
- 774 ft
- Area code
- 570
Questions about Hughestown
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Hughestown, PA expensive?
The typical home is worth about $168,000, 42% below the Pennsylvania typical home. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B−.