Wilkes-Barre is a true toss-up. About 52% of voters here vote Democratic and 48% Republican.
About 59% of adults in Wilkes-Barre typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Wilkes-Barre, ~31% vote Democratic, ~28% Republican, and ~41% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Wilkes-Barre compares
Among cities within 25 miles, Wilkes-Barre leans more Democratic than 157 of 160 neighbors.
Wilkes-Barre runs about 6 points more Democratic than Pennsylvania as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by neighborhood within Wilkes-Barre. The north side runs the most Democratic (D+18) and the southeast side runs the most Republican (R+37), a spread of about 54 points.
Why Wilkes-Barre leans the way it does
Density, race composition, education, and family structure all sit close to their national averages in Wilkes-Barre. The lean here lands roughly where demographic data alone would predict.
Walkability and Democratic lean
Places with a highly walkable street grid tend to lean Democratic; Wilkes-Barre, PA sits in the top tenth nationally on this measure. A walkable street grid does not change how people vote; it mostly reflects how urban a place is.
Why turnout in Wilkes-Barre looks the way it does
Renters vote less often than owners. About 46% of households in Wilkes-Barre rent, about 21 points above the U.S. average of 25%. Low high-school completion lines up with lower turnout, and about 86% of adults in Wilkes-Barre have completed high school, below 77% of cities. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Cities
- Kingston, PA D+3
- Ashley, PA R+13
- Edwardsville, PA Even
- Laurel Run, PA R+40
- Pringle, PA R+3
- Plains, PA R+9
- Larksville, PA R+19
- Forty Fort, PA R+5
- Luzerne, PA R+12
- Courtdale, PA R+19
Cities with Similar Populations
- North Richland Hills, TX R+21
- The Villages, FL R+29
- Blaine, MN D+6
- Joplin, MO R+33
- Hickory, NC R+22
- Arcadia, CA D+14
- Casa Grande, AZ R+14
- Lorain, OH D+14
- San Luis Obispo, CA D+39
- Castro Valley, CA D+33
Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from Pennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Elections, distributed by the Voting and Election Science Team. Demographic inputs come from the U.S. Census Bureau (ACS 5-year estimates and the 2020 Decennial Census). Health and environmental inputs come from the CDC (PLACES and the Environmental Justice Index). Land cover comes from the USGS and EPA. Election-day and lead-up weather come from PRISM 4km daily grids and the NOAA Global Historical Climatology Network. Mail-voting and election-administration patterns come from the MIT Election Lab's Survey of the Performance of American Elections. Block-group crime detail comes from CrimeGrade. Internet data and modeling support provided by ISPreports.org.
Modeling and analysis by the BestNeighborhood data science team. Full methodology and findings: political spectrum map.
Methodology reviewed by the BestNeighborhood data team. Last updated May 2026.