Old Sugar Notch, PA public school, Sept. 2023, 2023
Sugar Notch’s story
159 years in pictures
The archive holds 4 old photos and papers going back to 2023.
- 1867Sugar Notch is settled
Sugar NotchPA
A town of 989, settled in 1867.
1 bordering townMap →
Photo: Jakec · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
989
2025 Census estimate · +0.8% since 2020
Typical home
$181K
+2.8% in a year
Household income
$53K
median
Median age
37.4
years
Jobs based here
209
A commuter town
Is Sugar Notch a good place to live?
27% of residents live below the poverty line in Sugar Notch, above both Pennsylvania’s towns (7.6%) and U.S. towns (9.6%). Only 3 of the 1,036 Pennsylvania towns we compare have a lower share of working residents who work in town than Sugar Notch. 53% of the land in Sugar Notch is conserved, against 8.2% in Pennsylvania’s towns and 4.3% across U.S. towns. Pinchot State Forest, at 169 acres with 2.1 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve. Sugar Notch has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
989 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Warrior RunSugar Notch
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Sugar Notch: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Sugar Notch, and how to reach them.
PowerUGI Utilities19.8¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterPaw Ceasetown water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Sugar Notch’s trash rules yet
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 Sugar Notch.
Outdoors
Compared with most of Pennsylvania and the rest of the country, trail density in Sugar Notch is higher
The trail density in Sugar Notch is 5.0 miles per square mile. 5.0 miles of trail in 2 parks and preserves.
53.2%conserved
53.2%
conserved · 336 of 632 acres
5.0 mi
of trails · 5 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Pinchot State Forest | 2.1 mi | 169 |
| 2. Broadhead Avenue Playground | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Housing
A typical Sugar Notch home is worth about $181K
The typical Sugar Notch home is worth about $181,000, up 2.8% in a year, 37% below the Pennsylvania typical home. 58% of Sugar Notch households own their home.
$181KZillow home value
| Sugar Notch | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 58% | 78% | 73% |
| Median rent | $882 a month | $1,115 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Sugar Notch$181K
Pennsylvania$287K
+2.8%
value change, 1 year
3
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Work & commute
Sugar Notch has 0.4 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
Most working residents leave Sugar Notch for work: only 1% work in town. Sugar Notch’s median household income is $53,000. Jobs based in Sugar Notch grew to 209 in 2023, 191 more than in 2013.
1%work in town
| Sugar Notch | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $53,000 | $81,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 24 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Sugar Notch1%
Hanover Township14%
Wilkes-Barre13%
Plains Township5%
Jenkins Township5%
7 mi
median commute distance
209
jobs based in Sugar Notch
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazards
Inland flooding leads a low hazard risk in Sugar Notch
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 69% of U.S. communities.
31risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
4
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
In Sugar Notch, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
Sugar Notch has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 82°, January nights drop to 18° and about 36 inches of snow falls in a winter.
36″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter20–36°
Spring36–58°
Summer58–80°
Fall41–61°
Oct 20
typical first frost
Apr 23
typical last frost
+1.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Safety
Crime reported in Sugar Notch
Sugar Notch's reported crime rate is well below Pennsylvania's. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts. No violent crimes were reported in 2025.
| Sugar Notch | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0 per 1,000 residents | 0.7 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 3 per 1,000 residents | 5.7 | 9.9 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Sugar Notch0
Pennsylvania2.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Sugar Notch3
Pennsylvania13.6
U.S.15.5
0
violent crimes reported in 2025
3
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Health
How healthy Sugar Notch is
Sugar Notch beats the Pennsylvania average on 0 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 11. 22% of adults smoke cigarettes in Sugar Notch.
| Sugar Notch | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 17% | 14% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 38% | 36% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 35% | 35% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 16% | 17% |
26 measures vs. Pennsylvania
0 better15 too close to call11 worse
| What stands out | Sugar Notch | PA |
|---|---|---|
| More uninsured adults | 8.5% | 5.8% |
| More smokers | 21.8% | 15.8% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 19.2% | 14.5% |
Wilkes-Barre General Hospital
In Wilkes-Barre · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: dental
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Nearby attractions
All 57 attractions →Knoebels Amusement Resort and 20 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Sugar Notch. Close and well known come first.
37 mi Theme parkKnoebels Amusement Resort
20 mi National Historic SiteSteamtown National Historic Site61K visitors a year
39 mi LakeLake Wallenpaupack
20 mi State parkRicketts Glen State Park
17 mi State parkHickory Run State Park
32 mi Ski areaCamelback Mountain Resort37 runs · 804 ft vertical
20 mi National Historic SiteSteamtown National Historic Site61K visitors a year39 mi LakeLake Wallenpaupack20 mi State parkRicketts Glen State Park17 mi State parkHickory Run State Park32 mi Ski areaCamelback Mountain Resort37 runs · 804 ft verticalSources: 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
.jpg){kind=link}
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Sugar Notch
18pages on Sugar Notch
The big questions
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
5 within 15 miles of the center of Sugar Notch
Luzerne County Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Nanticoke3.1 mi$6,600 in-state tuitionWilkes UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Wilkes-Barre4.1 mi$43,496 tuitionPennsylvania State University-Penn State Wilkes-BarreUniversity or college · Public · Dallas8.9 mi$14,280 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 Sugar Notch residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Pennsylvania.
A commuter town
99% of working residents leave Sugar Notch for work
Where Sugar Notch’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
209jobs based in Sugar Notch
1%of working residents work in town
7 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Sugar Notch
Borough in Pennsylvania, US
Sugar Notch is a borough in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States. As of the 2020 census, Sugar Notch had a population of 1,001.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1867
- Area
- 1.1 sq mi
- Elevation
- 705 ft
- Area code
- 570
Questions about Sugar Notch
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Sugar Notch, PA a good place to live?
Sugar Notch has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.