Hazleton is a city in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. It is located in the eastern part of the state. The city and its surrounding area of smaller communities are collectively known as Greater Hazleton. Hazleton was once home to major coal industry, dating back to the early 19th century. Toward the mid 20th century, the coal industry of the city declined due to new energy technologies. Currently, Hazleton is home to several prominent companies in the distribution, manufacturing, logistic operation industries such as The Hershey Company, Office Max, Simmons Bedding Company, Michaels, Network Solutions, AutoZone, and General Mills. Hazleton has its own general aviation airport, the Hazleton Municipal Airport. The Hazleton Area School District serves the Greater Hazleton population with public education. Hazleton is home or close to several higher education facilities such as Penn State Hazleton, Lackawanna College, Luzerne County Community College and McCann School of Business and Technology.

According to the United States Census Bureau of 2000, the city of Hazleton has a population of 23,329 people. The city has a total area of 6.0 square miles, all of it land. Hazleton is home to over 10,250 households. The median income for a household in the city is $28,082, and the median income for a family is $37,093. Hazleton is particularly known for its high elevation, standing at 1700 feet above sea level. The city is at the highest elevation in Pennsylvania and one of the highest in the region east of the Mississippi River.

According to the 2000 Census, the racial makeup of Hazleton was 94.70% White, 0.82% African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.65% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 2.76% from other races, and 0.9 % from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.85% of the population.

Luzerne County is surrounded by seven counties in northeastern Pennsylvania. The county has a population of over 320,000 people living in an area of 907 square miles, of which only 2% is water. Luzerne County has 35 boroughs, 36 townships, 5 census-designated areas, and 4 cities. The county seat is Wilkes-Barre.

Luzerne County is home to several colleges and universities including Luzerne County Community College, King's College, Wilkes University, Penn State Hazleton and Misericordia University. The county is served by more than a dozen public school districts. Luzerne County has plenty of parkland for recreation and enjoying nature. The county is home to four Pennsylvania State Parks; Frances Slocum State Park, Lehigh Gorge State Park, Nescopeck State Park and Ricketts Glen State Park.