Mountain Top isn't actually a town. That’s the first thing you realize when you start looking at property or maps in this specific slice of Luzerne County. It’s a plateau. If you tell a local you're headed to "Mountain Top PA," they know exactly what you mean, but technically, you’re drifting through a collection of townships like Wright, Rice, Fairview, and Dorrance. It’s a sprawling, high-elevation suburban enclave that sits about a thousand feet above the Wyoming Valley, and honestly, the temperature drop when you drive up Route 309 is real. You can feel the air get crisp.
People move here for the trees. They move here because they want a yard that doesn't feel like a postage stamp, and they want to be close enough to Wilkes-Barre or Hazleton for work without actually living in the grit of the valley floor.
It’s an interesting place. It’s not quite rural, but it’s definitely not urban. It’s that sweet spot in the middle that has managed to keep a weirdly consistent "small-town" vibe despite the massive housing developments that have popped up over the last twenty years.
The Reality of Living in Mountain Top PA
If you’re looking at Mountain Top PA as a place to live, you have to understand the geography. You are essentially living on a massive rock. This means two things: your basement likely has a sump pump that works overtime, and your winter is going to be about two weeks longer than everyone else’s in Pennsylvania. When it’s raining in Scranton, it’s often sleeting up here.
The community centers around the "Triangle"—the intersection of Route 309 and Kirby Avenue. This is the heartbeat of the area. You’ve got the local Weis Markets, some pizza shops, and the legendary Cavanaugh’s Grille. If you want to know what’s actually happening in town, you go to Cavanaugh’s. It’s where the high school football talk happens and where you’ll see neighbors catching up over burgers.
The Crestwood School District is a huge draw. Seriously. It’s often cited as the primary reason families pay the slightly higher property taxes to be "up the mountain." The schools consistently rank well, and there’s a massive amount of pride in the Crestwood Comets. It’s the kind of place where the bleachers are packed on Friday nights, and the local businesses all have "Go Comets" signs in the windows. It feels like a 90s movie in the best possible way.
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Why the Location Actually Works
You’re twenty minutes from everywhere. That’s the selling point. You can be in downtown Wilkes-Barre in fifteen minutes, Hazleton in twenty, and if you need a real city fix, Philly and New York are both roughly a two-hour drive depending on how heavy your foot is on the I-81.
But you don’t have to leave the mountain for the basics.
The area has seen a surge in "lifestyle" amenities. We aren't just talking about gas stations anymore. There are yoga studios, specialized gyms, and coffee spots like The Grateful Roast that give the area a more modern, sophisticated feel than it had thirty years ago. Back then, it was mostly woods and a few scattered homes. Now, it’s a professional hub. You see a lot of healthcare workers from Geisinger and Lehigh Valley Health Network choosing this area because the commute is easy but the "escape" factor is high.
The Outdoor Life is the Real Draw
You can't talk about Mountain Top PA without mentioning Nescopeck State Park. It’s nearly 3,500 acres of wetlands, forests, and fields. If you like hiking, it’s your backyard. The Nescopeck Creek winds through the park, and it’s a premier spot for trout fishing.
Then there’s the Wright Township Recreation Park. On any given Saturday, it is absolute chaos—in a good way. You’ve got youth soccer, little league, people walking dogs on the paved trails, and kids on the playground. It’s the community's backyard.
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- Nescopeck State Park for the "real" woods.
- The local library (which is surprisingly great and very active).
- The "Ice Cream Stop" for the post-game sugar rush.
- Mountaintop Little League fields.
There’s a nuance to the recreation here. It’s not "resort" recreation like you find in the Poconos. It’s lived-in. It’s for the people who reside here, not tourists. That keeps the crowds down and the "local" feel high. You aren't fighting for a parking spot at the trailhead with people from out of state.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Area
A lot of outsiders think it’s just one big suburb. It’s not. There are distinct "vibes" depending on which side of the mountain you’re on. The Fairview side feels a bit more established, older, and closer to the Wilkes-Barre commute. The Rice Township side gets a bit more "woodsy" as you head toward Nuangola.
And then there's the wind. Nobody tells you about the wind until you move here. Because you’re on a plateau, there is nothing to block the gusts coming off the valley. Your patio furniture will end up in your neighbor's yard at least once a year. It's just a rite of passage.
Also, the wildlife is no joke. You are living in bear country. It is perfectly normal to see a black bear rummaging through a bird feeder or crossing a residential street. Locals don't panic; they just wait for it to pass and make sure the trash cans are locked up. If you're coming from a city, the first time you see a 300-pound bear in your driveway, it’s a shock. After a year, it’s just Tuesday.
The Economic Shift
The industrial parks at the base of the mountain—like the ones in Hanover and Wright Township—have changed the game. These aren't the coal mines of the 1920s. These are massive distribution centers and manufacturing hubs (think Gatorade/PepsiCo and various tech logistics).
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This industrial backbone provides a lot of the tax base that keeps the schools running. It’s a weird juxtaposition: you have these quiet, leafy neighborhoods up top, and then just down the hill, you have a massive economic engine. It means the area isn't just a "bedroom community." It has its own gravity.
Real estate has stayed competitive. While the rest of the country saw insane spikes, Mountain Top PA saw steady growth. It’s harder to find a "bargain" here than it was in 2015, but compared to the suburbs of Philly or even the Lehigh Valley, you get a lot more house for your money. Most homes are on at least a half-acre, and many sit on an acre or more. That space is a luxury that people are willing to pay for.
The Nuangola Connection
Just a stone’s throw away is Nuangola Borough, which is basically an extension of the Mountain Top lifestyle but centered around a glacial lake. It’s one of the few places where you can find that "lake life" vibe without the commercialization of the larger Pocono lakes. It adds a layer of character to the region. Even if you don't live on the lake, the history of the grove and the theater there influences the local culture.
Actionable Steps for Moving to or Visiting Mountain Top
If you're actually thinking about making the move or just spending a weekend exploring, don't just drive through. You have to get out of the car.
- Visit the Triangle first. Grab a coffee, sit at the park, and just watch the flow. It’ll tell you everything you need to know about the pace of life here.
- Check the elevation. If you're buying a house, look at the topography map. Some parts of the mountain have significant runoff issues during the spring thaw.
- Test the commute. Drive from the mountain down to Wilkes-Barre or Hazleton during "rush hour" (usually 7:30 AM or 4:30 PM). It’s not bad by national standards, but the fog on the mountain can turn a 15-minute drive into a 30-minute crawl.
- Talk to a local about "The Mountain Top Homeowners Association" (MTHA). It’s not a traditional HOA that tells you what color to paint your door, but they are a massive volunteer force that organizes the parades and community events.
- Look into the sewer situation. This is a boring but vital tip: some parts of the mountain are on public sewer, while others rely on septic. In this terrain, a failing septic system is a nightmare and a half to fix. Know what you're getting into before you sign.
Mountain Top is a place that requires you to be okay with a little bit of isolation and a lot of nature. It’s for the person who wants to see the stars at night but still wants a decent grocery store five minutes away. It’s a community built on the ridge, looking down at the rest of the world, and most people who live here wouldn't trade that view for anything. It’s stable, it’s quiet, and it’s got a grit to it that is uniquely Northeastern Pennsylvania. If you can handle the snow and the bears, it’s one of the best spots in the state to settle down.
The "mountain" isn't just a location; it's a specific kind of lifestyle choice. It’s opting for the cool air, the tall pines, and a sense of being slightly removed from the chaos of the valley below. Whether you're hiking the trails at Nescopeck or grabbing a pizza at King's, you're part of a community that knows exactly why they chose to live at 1,500 feet. It's just better up here.