Kings College Campus, 2008
Laurel Run’s story
158 years in pictures
The archive holds 5 old photos and papers going back to 2008.
- 1868Laurel Run is settled
Laurel RunPA
A town of 572, settled in 1868.
3 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Vasiliy Meshko · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
572
2025 Census estimate · +3.4% since 2020
Median home value
$58K
Census ACS
Household income
$59K
median
Median age
56.4
years
Jobs based here
130
A commuter town
Is Laurel Run a good place to live?
33% of residents live below the poverty line in Laurel Run, above both Pennsylvania’s towns (7.6%) and U.S. towns (9.6%). Only 1 of the 1,036 Pennsylvania towns we compare have a lower share of working residents who work in town than Laurel Run. The biggest place to walk is Pinchot State Forest, 509 acres with 1.4 miles of trail. Laurel Run has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
572 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Wilkes-Barre TownshipGeorgetownBear Creek TownshipLaurel Run
Nearby attractions
All 55 attractions →Steamtown National Historic Site and 19 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Laurel Run. Close and well known come first.
16 mi National Historic SiteSteamtown National Historic Site61K visitors a year
34 mi LakeLake Wallenpaupack
23 mi State parkRicketts Glen State Park
15 mi State parkHickory Run State Park
28 mi Ski areaCamelback Mountain Resort37 runs · 804 ft vertical12 mi Theme parkRocky Glen 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 · Hickory Run State Park: Mtruch, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Camelback Mountain Resort: Calzarette at en.wikipedia, Public domain
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Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Laurel Run: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Laurel Run, and how to reach them.
PowerPPL Electric Utilities18.6¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterLaurel Run Estates water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers74% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNearest public drop-offBielecki Scrap & 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 code1870618706 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 Laurel Run.
Natural hazards
Laurel Run faces a low natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 79% of U.S. communities. One flood insurance claim has been paid in Laurel Run since 1996.
21risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
1
paid flood claims since 1996
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commute
With 0.6 jobs for every working resident, most of Laurel Run’s workers commute out
Most working residents leave Laurel Run for work: only 0% work in town. Since 2013, Laurel Run has lost 79 jobs, to 130 in 2023. Laurel Run’s median household income is $59,000.
0%work in town
| Laurel Run | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $59,000 | $81,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 22 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Laurel Run0%
Wilkes-Barre15%
Plains Township12%
Kingston5%
Wilkes-Barre Township4%
8 mi
median commute distance
130
jobs based in Laurel Run
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
23.9%conserved
23.9%
conserved · 776 of 3,246 acres
4.4 mi
of trails · 0.9 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Pinchot State Forest | 1.4 mi | 509 |
| 2. State Game Lands Number 292 | 0.6 mi | 151 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Climate
Snowy winters and pleasant summers in Laurel Run
Laurel Run has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. The July high in Laurel Run is 83°F.
45″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter20–37°
Spring36–59°
Summer58–81°
Fall41–62°
Oct 20
typical first frost
Apr 23
typical last frost
+1.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
More of Laurel Run’s adults had a checkup this year than in the typical Pennsylvania or U.S. town
82% of Laurel Run adults had a checkup this year. Laurel Run beats the Pennsylvania average on 6 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 3. 5.1% of Laurel Run adults 18 to 64 have no health insurance.
| Laurel Run | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 16% | 17% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 82% | 79% | 79% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 17% | 14% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 19% | 19% |
26 measures vs. Pennsylvania
6 better17 too close to call3 worse
| What stands out | Laurel Run | PA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 10.3% | 14.5% |
| Fewer smokers | 13.1% | 15.8% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 12.1% | 8.8% |
Wilkes-Barre General Hospital
In Wilkes-Barre · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: dental
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Laurel Run
17pages on Laurel Run
The big questions
Out and about
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
5 within 15 miles of the center of Laurel Run
King's CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Wilkes-Barre2.8 mi$44,100 tuitionLuzerne County Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Nanticoke7.8 mi$6,600 in-state tuitionPennsylvania State University-Penn State Wilkes-BarreUniversity or college · Public · Dallas10.7 mi$14,280 in-state tuition
About 4 of every 100 Laurel Run residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Pennsylvania.
A commuter town
100% of working residents leave Laurel Run for work
Where Laurel Run’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
130jobs based in Laurel Run
0%of working residents work in town
8 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Laurel Run
Borough in Pennsylvania, US
Laurel Run is a borough that is located in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 560 at the time of the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1881
- Area
- 5.2 sq mi
- Elevation
- 892 ft
- Area code
- 570
Questions about Laurel Run
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Laurel Run, PA a good place to live?
Laurel Run has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.