Berks County, PA

County

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2024 Population

433,015

US Senator

John Fetterman

Democratic Party

US Senator

Dave McCormick

Republican Party

2024 Poverty Rate

12.2%

4.59% 1-year increase

2024 Median Household Income

$79,777

2.69% 1-year growth

2024 Median Property Value

$257,300

7.34% 1-year growth

2024 Employed Population

212,537

0.482% 1-year growth

About

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.

95.3% of the residents in Berks County, PA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Berks County, PA are Kutztown University of Pennsylvania (1,736 degrees awarded in 2023), Alvernia University (696 degrees), and Reading Area Community College (496 degrees).

In 2024, the median property value in Berks County, PA was $257,300, and the homeownership rate was 71.3%.

Most people in Berks County, PA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 25.4 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 433k people, from which 95.3% are citizens. As of 2024, 9.69% of Berks County, PA residents were born outside of the country (41.9k people).

In 2024, there were 7.88 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (288k people) in Berks County, PA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 36.6k Two Races Including Other (Hispanic) and 35.9k Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

95.3%

2024 Citizenship

96%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 95.3% of Berks County, PA residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Berks County, PA was 96%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

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)
288k ± 831
Two Races Including Other (Hispanic)
36.6k ± 2.52k
Other (Hispanic)
35.9k ± 2.58k

24.8%

Hispanic Population

108k people

24.8% of the people in Berks County, PA are hispanic (108k people).

The following chart shows the 8 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
99,504 ± 7,715 people
Dominican Republic
93,569 ± 7,483 people
China
70,789 ± 6,514 people

In 2023, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Pennsylvania was India, the natal country of 99,504 Pennsylvania residents, followed by Dominican Republic with 93,569 and China with 70,789.

Foreign-Born Population

9.69%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

41.9k people

8.7%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

37.4k people

As of 2024, 9.69% of Berks County, PA residents (41.9k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Berks County, PA was 8.7%, 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
6,572 ± 455
Gulf War (2001-)
3,610 ± 442
Gulf War (1990s)
2,953 ± 383

Berks County, PA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.82 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Berks County, PA.

Economy

The economy of Berks County, PA employs 213k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Berks County, PA were Manufacturing (37,728 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (32,752 people), and Retail Trade (25,451 people), and the highest paying industries were Management of Companies & Enterprises ($108,797), Utilities ($96,833), and Public Administration ($74,220).

Employment

Occupations

213k

2024 Value

± 3,699

0.482%

1 Year growth

± 2.42%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Berks County, PA grew at a rate of 0.482%, from 212k employees to 213k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Berks County, PA, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (23,419 people), Production Occupations (20,973 people), and Management Occupations (19,987 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 Pennsylvania.

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.

Industries

Employment by Industries

213k

2024 Value

± 3,699

0.482%

1 Year growth

± 2.42%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Berks County, PA grew at a rate of 0.482%, from 212k employees to 213k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Berks County, PA, are Manufacturing (37,728 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (32,752 people), and Retail Trade (25,451 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

$55,949

Median earning men ± $1,196

$40,949

Median earning women ± $783

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Public Administration ($80,662), Information ($78,116), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($74,167).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($60,501), Public Administration ($58,904), and Manufacturing ($48,146).

Employment by Industry Sector

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

Y-Axis

2.78%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 6.03M people employed in Pennsylvania. This represents a 2.78% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 18.1%.

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

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

679
Other Services (except Public Administration)
544
Construction
432
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

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

The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$1.97M
Manufacturing
$1.87M
Health Care and Social Assistance
$676k
Retail Trade

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

Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Pennsylvania went to Donald J. Trump with 50.4% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (48.7%), followed by Jill Stein (0.491%).

John Fetterman and Dave McCormick 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

Voting results are not available for Berks County, PA. Showing the available data for Pennsylvania.

2024 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (50.4%)
Republican Party
Kamala Harris (48.7%)
Democratic Party
Jill Stein (0.491%)
Green Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Pennsylvania went to Donald J. Trump with 50.4% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (48.7%), followed by Jill Stein (0.491%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Pennsylvania for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Pennsylvania

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

John Fetterman

Senator from Pennsylvania

Assumed office on January 3, 2023

Dave McCormick

Senator from Pennsylvania

Assumed office on January 3, 2025

John Fetterman and Dave McCormick 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.

Education

In 2023, universities in Berks County, PA awarded 4,212 degrees. The student population of Berks County, PA in 2023 is skewed towards women, with 7,693 male students and 11,578 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Berks County, PA are White (2,692 and 64.2%), Hispanic or Latino (736 and 17.5%), Black or African American (391 and 9.32%), and Two or More Races (155 and 3.7%).

The largest universities in Berks County, PA by number of degrees awarded are Kutztown University of Pennsylvania (1,736 and 41.2%), Alvernia University (696 and 16.5%), and Reading Area Community College (496 and 11.8%).

The most popular majors in Berks County, PA are General Business Administration & Management (433 and 10.3%), General Psychology (198 and 4.7%), and Social Work (158 and 3.75%).

The median tuition costs in Berks County, PA are $34,310 for private four year colleges, and $11,552 and $19,166 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2023 in Berks County, PA, the percentage of applicants admitted was 86.1%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 13.8%. The number of students enrolled in 2023 was 19,271 (39.9% men and 60.1% 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 2023 there were 19,271 students enrolled in Berks County, PA, 39.9% men and 60.1% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 11,299 records, of which 59.8% were women and 40.2% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Business Administration & Management
314 degrees awarded
General Psychology
177 degrees awarded
Early Childhood Education & Teaching
100 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Berks County, PA was General Business Administration & Management with 314 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
1,736 degrees awarded
Alvernia University
696 degrees awarded
Reading Area Community College
496 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Kutztown University of Pennsylvania with 1,736 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2023, 1,592 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Berks County, PA, which is 0.608 times less than the 2,620 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2023, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 2,692 degrees mean that there were 3.66 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 736 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 ($34,310) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2023.

Private not-for-profit, 2-year ($2,628) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2023.

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.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Berks County, PA was $257,300 in 2024, which is 0.773 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $239,700 to $257,300, a 7.34% increase. The homeownership rate in Berks County, PA is 71.3%, which is higher than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Berks County, PA have an average commute time of 25.4 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.

In 2025, 13% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Berks County, PA. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 1.69%.

Housing

Property

$257,300

Median Property Value 2024

±$3,633

$116,334

Median Property Taxes

±$2,201

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

71.3%

Homeownership

2024

60.9%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 71.3% of the housing units in Berks County, PA were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew 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

Household Income

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

$79,777

Median Household Income

± $1,206

163k

Number of Households

± 3,058

In 2024, the median household income of the 163k households in Berks County, PA grew to $79,777 from the previous year's value of $77,684.

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.

0.463

2023 Wage GINI in Pennsylvania

0.466

2022 Wage GINI in Pennsylvania

In 2023, the income inequality in Pennsylvania was 0.463 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.564% decline from 2022 to 2023, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Pennsylvania was lower than than the national average of 0.476. 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 2024

Drove Alone (73.5%)
Worked At Home (11.9%)
Carpooled (9.04%)

In 2024, 73.5% of workers in Berks County, PA drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (11.9%) and those who carpooled to work (9.04%).

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

25.4 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Berks County, PA have a shorter commute time (25.4 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 2.46% 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 2025, 13% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Berks County, PA. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 1.69%.

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

Poverty & Diversity

12.2% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Berks County, PA (51.4k out of 420k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 35 - 44, followed by Females 25 - 34 and then Males 6 - 11.

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

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 2025, 17.9% of the children was living in poverty in Berks County, PA. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 4.1%.

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.

Health

92.7% of the population of Berks County, PA has health coverage, with 48.6% on employee plans, 18% on Medicaid, 13.8% on Medicare, 11.7% on non-group plans, and 0.659% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Berks County, PA see 1,590 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,590 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1786 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 525 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.6% were men and 50.4% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,590 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Berks County, PA

Primary care physicians in Berks County, PA see an average of 1,590 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,590 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 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 23.7% under 18 years, 20.4% between 18 and 34 years, 38.1% between 35 and 64 years, and 17.7% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.6% were men and 50.4% were women.

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

Uninsured People

7.25%

Uninsured

48.6%

Employer Coverage

18%

Medicaid

13.8%

Medicare

11.7%

Non-Group

0.659%

Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Berks County, PA grew by 8.8% from 6.67% to 7.25%.

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 2025, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 50.6 in Berks County, PA.

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

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2025, 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 35% in Berks County, PA.

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