Berks County, PA

County

Add Comparison

2021 Population

426,967

1.89% 1-year growth

US Senator

Bob Casey Jr.

Democratic Party

US Senator

John Fetterman

Democratic Party

2021 Median Age

0.498% 1-year decrease

2021 Poverty Rate

11.8%

0.975% 1-year increase

2021 Median Household Income

$69,272

4.71% 1-year growth

2021 Median Property Value

$195,900

4.42% 1-year growth

2021 Employed Population

209,098

1.34% 1-year growth

About

In 2021, Berks County, PA had a population of 427k people with a median age of 40 and a median household income of $69,272. Between 2020 and 2021 the population of Berks County, PA grew from 419,062 to 426,967, a 1.89% increase and its median household income grew from $66,154 to $69,272, a 4.71% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Berks County, PA are White (Non-Hispanic) (69.7%), White (Hispanic) (7.97%), Other (Hispanic) (7.82%), Two+ (Hispanic) (5.22%), and Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (4.06%).

None of the households in Berks County, PA reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

96.4% of the residents in Berks County, PA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Berks County, PA are Kutztown University of Pennsylvania (1,894 degrees awarded in 2021), Alvernia University (700 degrees), and Albright College (478 degrees).

In 2021, the median property value in Berks County, PA was $195,900, and the homeownership rate was 70.9%.

Most people in Berks County, PA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 25.1 minutes. The average car ownership in Berks County, PA was 2 cars per household.

Berks County, PA borders Chester County, PA, Lancaster County, PA, Lebanon County, PA, Lehigh County, PA, Montgomery County, PA, and Schuylkill County, PA.

About the photo: Berks County, PA

Photo by Nicholas A. Tonelli

United States Pennsylvania Reading, PA

Population & Diversity

Berks County, PA is home to a population of 427k people, from which 96.4% are citizens. As of 2021, 7.85% of Berks County, PA residents were born outside of the country (33.5k people).

In 2021, there were 8.74 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (298k people) in Berks County, PA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 34k White (Hispanic) and 33.4k Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

96.4%

2021 Citizenship

96.4%

2020 Citizenship

As of 2021, 96.4% of Berks County, PA residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2020, the percentage of US citizens in Berks County, PA was 96.4%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Berks County, PA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Berks County, PA

White (Non-Hispanic)
298k ± 612
White (Hispanic)
34k ± 2.2k
Other (Hispanic)
33.4k ± 2.2k

22.6%

Hispanic Population

96.5k people

22.6% of the people in Berks County, PA are hispanic (96.5k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Berks County, PA as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Pennsylvania.

Most Common Origin

India
98,153 ± 7,663 people
Dominican Republic
81,192 ± 6,974 people
China
66,978 ± 6,337 people

In 2021, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Pennsylvania was India, the natal country of 98,153 Pennsylvania residents, followed by Dominican Republic with 81,192 and China with 66,978.

Foreign-Born Population

7.85%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

33.5k people

7.54%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

31.6k people

As of 2021, 7.85% of Berks County, PA residents (33.5k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.6%. In 2020, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Berks County, PA was 7.54%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Berks County, PA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
8,116 ± 514
Gulf War (1990s)
2,804 ± 409
Gulf War (2001-)
2,799 ± 371

Berks County, PA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.89 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Berks County, PA employs 209k people. The largest industries in Berks County, PA are Manufacturing (37,838 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (31,108 people), and Retail Trade (24,431 people), and the highest paying industries are Management of Companies & Enterprises ($93,070), Utilities ($78,259), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($63,811).

Males in Pennsylvania have an average income that is 1.33 times higher than the average income of females, which is $57,734. The income inequality in Pennsylvania (measured using the Gini index) is 0.467, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

209k

2021 Value

± 3,724

1.34%

1 Year growth

± 2.45%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Berks County, PA grew at a rate of 1.34%, from 206k employees to 209k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Berks County, PA, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (24,616 people), Production Occupations (20,681 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (18,666 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Berks County, PA.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Pennsylvania (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

209k

2021 Value

± 3,724

1.34%

1 Year growth

± 2.45%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Berks County, PA grew at a rate of 1.34%, from 206k employees to 209k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Berks County, PA, are Manufacturing (37,838 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (31,108 people), and Retail Trade (24,431 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Berks County, PA, though some of these residents may live in Berks County, PA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$49,626

Median earning men ± $865

$33,740

Median earning women ± $716

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2021 are Information ($69,815), Public Administration ($67,268), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($64,250).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2021 are Public Administration ($51,100), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($50,004), and Manufacturing ($42,678).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

Y-Axis

2.75%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 155M people employed in Pennsylvania. This represents a 2.75% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Pennsylvania.

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

2,888
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
2,057
Manufacturing
2,016
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$6.03M
Manufacturing
$3.1M
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
$1.58M
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from Pennsylvania to other states, or from other states to Pennsylvania.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

In 2020, the top outbound Pennsylvania product (by dollars) was Pharmaceuticals with $110B, followed by Mixed freight ($76.1B) and Electronics ($43.9B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound Pennsylvania products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Pennsylvania.

$722B

2020 Value in Pennsylvania

$1.46T

Projected 2050 Value in Pennsylvania

103% growth

In 2020, total outbound Pennsylvania trade was $722B. This is expected to increase 103% to $1.46T by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound Pennsylvania trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from Pennsylvania to other states, or from other states to Pennsylvania.

Most Common Trade Partners

New Jersey
$73.7B
New York
$72.6B
Ohio
$36B

In 2020, the top outbound Pennsylvania domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was New Jersey with $73.7B, followed by New York with $72.6B and Ohio and $36B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that Pennsylvania shares with each state (excluding itself).

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Berks County, PA went to Donald J. Trump with 53.4% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (45.2%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.42%).

Bob Casey Jr. and John Fetterman are the senators currently representing the state of Pennsylvania. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Pennsylvania is currently represented by 17 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

2020 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (53.4%)
Republican Party
Joseph R Biden Jr. (45.2%)
Democratic Party
Jo Jorgensen (1.42%)
Libertarian Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Berks County, PA went to Donald J. Trump with 53.4% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (45.2%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.42%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Berks County, PA for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Pennsylvania

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Pennsylvania.

Bob Casey Jr.

Senator from Pennsylvania

Assumed office on January 3, 2007

John Fetterman

Senator from Pennsylvania

Assumed office on January 3, 2023

Bob Casey Jr. and John Fetterman are the senators currently representing Pennsylvania.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Pennsylvania over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania is currently represented by 17 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Pennsylvania have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2021, universities in Berks County, PA awarded 4,082 degrees. The student population of Berks County, PA in 2021 is skewed towards women, with 6,449 male students and 10,856 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Berks County, PA are White (2,744 and 67.6%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (633 and 15.6%), Black or African American (354 and 8.72%), and Two or More Races (133 and 3.28%).

The largest universities in Berks County, PA by number of degrees awarded are Kutztown University of Pennsylvania (1,894 and 46.4%), Alvernia University (700 and 17.1%), and Albright College (478 and 11.7%).

The most popular majors in Berks County, PA are General Business Administration & Management (482 and 11.8%), Registered Nursing (178 and 4.36%), and General Psychology (169 and 4.14%).

The median tuition costs in Berks County, PA are $32,135 for private four year colleges, and $7,716 and $11,574 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2021 in Berks County, PA, the percentage of applicants admitted was 78.3%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 16.1%. The number of students enrolled in 2021 was 17,305 (37.3% men and 62.7% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2021 there were 17,305 students enrolled in Berks County, PA, 37.3% men and 62.7% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 10,734 records, of which 62.7% were women and 37.3% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Psychology
147 degree-majors awarded
Criminal Justice - Safety Studies
103 degree-majors awarded
General Business Administration & Management
392 degree-majors awarded

In 2021, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Berks County, PA was General Psychology with 147 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Berks County, PA according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Kutztown University of Pennsylvania
1,894 degrees awarded
Alvernia University
700 degrees awarded
Albright College
478 degrees awarded

In 2021, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Kutztown University of Pennsylvania with 1,894 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2021, 1,447 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Berks County, PA, which is 0.549 times less than the 2,635 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2021 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 2,744 degrees mean that there were 4.33 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 633 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($32,135) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2021.

Public, 4-year or above ($3,346) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2021.

Public, 2-year ($1,800) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Pennsylvania.

Measure

In 2021, 0.711% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.725% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Pennsylvania.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2021 were High School or Equivalent (3.52M), Bachelors Degree (1.95M), and Some college (1.84M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Berks County, PA was $195,900 in 2021, which is 0.8 times smaller than the national average of $244,900. Between 2020 and 2021 the median property value increased from $187,600 to $195,900, a 4.42% increase. The homeownership rate in Berks County, PA is 70.9%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.6%.

People in Berks County, PA have an average commute time of 25.1 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Berks County, PA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Berks County, PA is $69,272. In 2021, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Berks County, PA was Census Tract 111.02 with a value of $135,000, followed by Census Tract 119.03 and Census Tract 117.02, with respective values of $131,682 and $112,813.

In 2022, 14.6% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Berks County, PA. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 0.0591%.

Housing

Property

$195,900

Median Property Value 2021

±$2,568

$113,562

Median Property Taxes

±$2,190

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Berks County, PA the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Berks County, PA compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

70.9%

Homeownership

2021

61.4%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2021

In 2021, 70.9% of the housing units in Berks County, PA were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 71%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Berks County, PA compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 111.02
Census Tract 119.03
Census Tract 117.02

In 2021, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Berks County, PA was Census Tract 111.02 with a value of $135,000, followed by Census Tract 119.03 and Census Tract 117.02, with respective values of $131,682 and $112,813.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Berks County, PA colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$69,272

Median Household Income

± $1,108

160k

Number of Households

± 2,974

In 2021, the median household income of the 160k households in Berks County, PA grew to $69,272 from the previous year's value of $66,154.

The following chart displays the households in Berks County, PA distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Berks County, PA is from Pennsylvania.

0.467

2021 Wage GINI in Pennsylvania

0.466

2020 Wage GINI in Pennsylvania

In 2021, the income inequality in Pennsylvania was 0.467 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.147% growth from 2020 to 2021, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for Pennsylvania was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Pennsylvania in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Pennsylvania across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2021

Drove Alone (77.3%)
Carpooled (8.12%)
Worked At Home (7.76%)

In 2021, 77.3% of workers in Berks County, PA drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (8.12%) and those who worked at home (7.76%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

25.1 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Berks County, PA have a shorter commute time (25.1 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.8 minutes). Additionally, 2.43% of the workforce in Berks County, PA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Berks County, PA compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Berks County, PA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Berks County, PA have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2022, 14.6% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Berks County, PA. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 0.0591%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

11.8% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Berks County, PA (48.9k out of 414k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.6%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 35 - 44 and then Males 6 - 11.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Berks County, PA is White, followed by Hispanic and Other.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2022, 14% of the children was living in poverty in Berks County, PA. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 8%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 300 in Berks County, PA. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 20.5 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

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Health

93.7% of the population of Berks County, PA has health coverage, with 50.7% on employee plans, 17.6% on Medicaid, 13.2% on Medicare, 11.3% on non-group plans, and 0.824% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Berks County, PA see 1589 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.935% decrease from the previous year (1604 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1769 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 636 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.9% were men and 51.1% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,589 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Berks County, PA

Primary care physicians in Berks County, PA see an average of 1,589 patients per year. This represents a 0.935% decrease from the previous year (1,604 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Berks County, PA in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2021, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 24.2% under 18 years, 20.2% between 18 and 34 years, 38.7% between 35 and 64 years, and 16.8% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.9% were men and 51.1% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

6.34%

Uninsured

50.7%

Employer Coverage

17.6%

Medicaid

13.2%

Medicare

11.3%

Non-Group

0.824%

Military or VA

Between 2020 and 2021, the percent of uninsured citizens in Berks County, PA grew by 2.45% from 6.19% to 6.34%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Berks County, PA changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2022, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 47.3 in Berks County, PA.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Berks County, PA.

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Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2022, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 34.4% in Berks County, PA.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Berks County, PA.

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