Northeastern Pennsylvania (NEPA) offers ample opportunity to enjoy nature, sports, culture and other activities.

Overview

With 320,000 residents, Luzerne County is the most populous county in Northeastern Pennsylvania (NEPA). Greater Hazleton area, which includes areas in southern Luzerne County, northern Schuylkill County, and northern Carbon County represents a population of about 77,000 residents. Luzerne County is home to Lehigh Valley Hospital–Hazleton.

Family and community values are woven throughout the fabric of our daily life. Those values, combined with an affordable housing stock, excellent schools and stimulating arts and cultural opportunities, give our region an excellent quality of life. NEPA is attractive to people and businesses from around the world, which help make our economy strong.

Industry

Hazleton has a rich history as a center of manufacturing and commerce. In the 1800s, immigrants flowed into the area from Eastern Europe to gain employment in the bustling coal mines. Later, Hazleton was home to the world’s largest silk mill. Today, Hazleton has emerged as a diverse home for manufacturing and industry.

The leading economic developer in NEPA, CAN DO, Inc., has brought jobs and development to the Greater Hazleton area, building three industrial parks in the region. Opens in new tab Humboldt Station, Opens in new tab Valmont Industrial Park and Opens in new tab McAdoo Industrial Park are home to new and expanding businesses.

Education

Colleges and universities

Opens in new tab Bloomsburg University

Opens in new tab Misericordia University

Opens in new tab King’s College

Opens in new tab Marywood University

Opens in new tab Penn State Hazleton

Opens in new tab Penn State Wilkes-Barre

Opens in new tab Scranton University

Opens in new tab Luzerne County Community College, Hazleton

Opens in new tab Lackawanna College Hazleton Center

Primary and secondary education

Opens in new tab Crestwood School District

Opens in new tab Dallas School District

Opens in new tab Greater Nanticoke Area School District

Opens in new tab Hanover Area School District

Opens in new tab Hazleton Area School District (also in Carbon and Schuylkill Counties)

Opens in new tab Lake-Lehman School District (also in Wyoming County)

Opens in new tab Northwest Area School District

Opens in new tab MMI Preparatory School

Opens in new tab Pittston Area School District

Opens in new tab Scranton Preparatory School

Opens in new tab Wilkes-Barre Area School District

Opens in new tab Wyoming Area School District (also in Wyoming County)

Opens in new tab Wyoming Seminary

Opens in new tab Wyoming Valley West School District

Entertainment

NEPA is within comfortable driving distance to professional sports, world-class museums and performances, and other cultural opportunities in New York (approximately 2 hours away), Philadelphia (approximately 2 hours away) and other major cities.

NEPA is home to exciting minor league sports teams such as the Opens in new tab Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Railriders, the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Yankees.  The region also boasts exciting professional ice hockey with the Opens in new tab Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, an affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Pittsburgh Penguins.

Opens in new tab Mohegan Sun Arena is the site of many live concerts and other events throughout the year. Thousands of visitors annually enjoy gaming, restaurants and entertainment at Opens in new tab Mohegan Sun Casino and other casinos in the region.

The Opens in new tab Pavilion at Montage Mountain is one of the premier music venues in Pennsylvania offering spectacular mountain views and hosting some of the biggest music artists and festivals in the world.

Opens in new tab Hazleton is home to a popular First Fridays celebration that features art, live performances, historic walking tours and other activities. The Opens in new tab Hazleton Art League offers programs for artists of all ages, including drawing, jewelry-making, painting, sculpture, ceramics and more. A new City Arts Center is currently in the planning stages for the downtown area.

Each year, Downtown Hazleton hosts Opens in new tab Funfest, a weekend festival with activities for the entire family.

Penn’s Peak, the Lehigh Valley and Pocono Mountains premier entertainment venue, is located nearby in historic Jim Thorpe. The Opens in new tab entertainment venue overlooks Beltzville Lake and hosts weddings, special events and concerts throughout the year.

Attractions and Recreation

Residents enjoy Opens in new tab year-round activities throughout Opens in new tab Luzerne County and the nearby Opens in new tab Pocono Mountains including Opens in new tab professional NASCAR racing, indoor family water parks, resorts, wineries, breweries and Opens in new tab spas

Luzerne County is home to four beautiful Opens in new tab state parks where you can enjoy hiking, waterfalls, fishing, camping, and other recreational activities. Opens in new tab Bushkill Falls, otherwise known as the Niagara of Pennsylvania, is another popular hiking destination in nearby Pike County.

Opens in new tab Greater Hazleton Rails to Trails totals 5.6 miles with plans to expand to 16.4 miles and connect to the Opens in new tab Delaware Lehigh National Heritage Corridor Trail System at the Rockport Trailhead.

For those looking to hit the links, Opens in new tab Luzerne County offers a variety of scenic golf courses for novices and experts alike.

During the winter months, the Opens in new tab Pocono Mountains boasts ski slopes and trails for any level of expertise at  Opens in new tab Blue Mountain Ski ResortOpens in new tab Camelback Mountains ResortOpens in new tab Jack Frost Opens in new tab Big BoulderOpens in new tab Shawnee MountainOpens in new tab Ski Big Bear, and Opens in new tab Eagle Rock Resort.

Luzerne County Links

Opens in new tab Luzerne County Community Health Needs Assessment 

Opens in new tab Visit Luzerne County

Opens in new tab Greater Hazleton Chamber of Commerce

Opens in new tab Luzerne County Historical Society

Opens in new tab Greater Hazleton Historical Society

Opens in new tab Standard Speaker

Opens in new tab SSPTV

Opens in new tab WYLN TV 35

Opens in new tab Newswatch 16, WNEP-TV

Opens in new tab 69 News, WFMZ-TV

Opens in new tab Eye Witness News, WBRE-TV