Rural charm, growing subdivisions & industry thrive in Luzerne County
About 10 miles south of Wilkes-Barre, Wright Township is a rural-suburban part of Luzerne County. Wright stretches just over 13 square miles with a population exceeding 5,500 that’s poised to keep growing due to the homes under construction across several subdivisions. The residential part of the community lies west of state Route 309 and a swath of forest comprises Wright’s southeast quadrant. Crestwood Industrial Park makes up the northeast part of the township: It spans over 1,000 acres and employs over 3,000. Another regional employer is about 20 miles away — Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, a nuclear power station. This station will power a new data center for A.I. and cloud-based storage, which will keep drawing construction and tech workers to the area over the coming years. “I call the folks doing construction here ‘temporarily permanent’—they work here over a several-year span,” says Geraldine Wozniak, a real estate agent at Realty World Masich & Dell who sells in Luzerne County. “You see [the workers] for so long, you just become their friends. [But] there are not enough hotel rooms in the quarter-mile vicinity of the Susquehanna Steam Electric Station. The hotel rooms get booked from Buckhorn to Bloomsburg up to Wilkes-Barre, Hazleton, and along Interstates 80 and 81. So with this project, companies are renting rooms, Airbnbs, single-family homes — anything that they can get the folks into. It’s a new kind of market and a new experience for all of us.”
New builds and established homes in Wright
Wright Township is characterized by gently sloping streets and lots. Properties typically feature grassy lawns and mature trees, and some lots are over an acre. Ranch-style, split-level and colonial-style New Traditional homes line enclosed, residential streets. New construction is also under development. Three homes have been sold in recent years, with prices ranging from about $210,000 to $330,000. However, asking prices for single-family homes typically fall between $230,000 and $560,000. The average home value is about $355,000, which is lower than the national average of $550,000. Asking prices for the several lots on the market range from about $40,000 to $220,000.
Public school pipeline in Wright Township
The Crestwood School District, rated B-minus on Niche, serves the township. Students may attend Rice or Fairview Elementary, both rated B. Fairview Elementary has a new $500,000 playground as of the 2023-2024 school year. Designed with inclusivity in mind, it includes two merry-go-rounds that can accommodate wheelchairs. Middle and high schoolers may attend Crestwood Secondary Campus, rated B-minus.
Exercising at Wright Township Recreation Park and hiking the D&L Trail
Wright Township Recreation Park is the go-to place for athletic facilities and a public dog park. Spanning about 35 acres, it includes courts for basketball, tennis and sand volleyball in addition to fields for baseball and soccer. Locals can use the ice hockey rink in the winter, the splash pad in the summer, and the playground year-round. A paved walking trail encircles the park.
Hikers, bikers, birdwatchers and cross-country skiers can access the Black Diamond trailhead for the D&L Trail from Wright. This multi-use trail stretches about 9 miles south to White Haven. It passes trees and bodies of water and includes some steep sections and shaded areas. Wright borders 3,550-acre Nescopeck State Park, which offers fishing in Nescopeck Creek and more hiking trails.
Groceries and casual dining in Wright Township
Restaurants and retailers can be found along Route 309, which bisects the township. La Napoli is a laid-back spot best known for its pizza, but it also serves Italian fare, cheesesteaks and burgers. Abe’s Hot Dogs and Malacari’s Ice Cream, two locally owned eateries, are located at the entrance to Wright Township Dog Park. Groceries are available at Weis Markets. Wilkes-Barre has a variety of chain retailers like T.J. Maxx, Target and The Home Depot.
Major highways connect to Wilkes-Barre and beyond
Residents in Wright have quick access to several of northeastern Pennsylvania’s major roadways. Interstate 81 and Route 309 both lead north to Wilkes-Barre, where Wilkes-Barre Scranton International Airport is located, about 20 miles northeast. The Mountain Top campus for Wilkes-Barre General Hospital sits within the township along State Route 309. Meanwhile, State Route 437 stretches southeast to White Haven, and Interstate 80, which leads east-west across the state, is accessible a few miles south. The township is generally car-dependent; however, the Hazleton Public Transit bus system offers a route between Hazelton, Wright and Wilkes-Barre on the weekends.
