Berks County, PA

County

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2022 Population
428,483
0.355% 1-year growth
US Senator
Bob Casey Jr.
Democratic Party
US Senator
John Fetterman
Democratic Party
2022 Median Age
39.9
0.25% 1-year decrease
2022 Poverty Rate
11.8%
0.0276% 1-year increase
2022 Median Household Income
$74,617
7.72% 1-year growth
2022 Median Property Value
$225,700
15.2% 1-year growth
2022 Employed Population
211,422
1.11% 1-year growth

About

In 2022, Berks County, PA had a population of 428k people with a median age of 39.9 and a median household income of $74,617. Between 2021 and 2022 the population of Berks County, PA grew from 426,967 to 428,483, a 0.355% increase and its median household income grew from $69,272 to $74,617, a 7.72% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Berks County, PA are White (Non-Hispanic) (68.8%), Other (Hispanic) (8.54%), Two+ (Hispanic) (6.7%), White (Hispanic) (6.59%), and Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (4%).

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.

96.3% of the residents in Berks County, PA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Berks County, PA are Kutztown University of Pennsylvania (1,710 degrees awarded in 2022), Alvernia University (784 degrees), and Reading Area Community College (482 degrees).

In 2022, the median property value in Berks County, PA was $225,700, and the homeownership rate was 70.8%.

Most people in Berks County, PA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 25 minutes. The average car ownership in Berks County, PA was 2 cars per household.

About the photo: Berks County, PA

Population & Diversity

Berks County, PA is home to a population of 428k people, from which 96.3% are citizens. As of 2022, 8.07% of Berks County, PA residents were born outside of the country (34.6k people).

In 2022, there were 8.05 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (295k people) in Berks County, PA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 36.6k Other (Hispanic) and 28.7k Two+ (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Citizenship

96.3%
2022 Citizenship
96.4%
2021 Citizenship

As of 2022, 96.3% of Berks County, PA residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.5%. In 2021, the percentage of US citizens in Berks County, PA was 96.4%, 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.

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Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Berks County, PA
  1. White (Non-Hispanic)
    295k ± 702
  2. Other (Hispanic)
    36.6k ± 2.15k
  3. Two+ (Hispanic)
    28.7k ± 2.19k
23.2%
Hispanic Population
99.5k people

In 2022, there were 8.05 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (295k people) in Berks County, PA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 36.6k Other (Hispanic) and 28.7k Two+ (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

23.2% of the people in Berks County, PA are hispanic (99.5k people).

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

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Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Pennsylvania.
Most Common Origin
  1. India
    99,082 ± 7,698 people
  2. Dominican Republic
    90,229 ± 7,349 people
  3. China
    69,880 ± 6,473 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Pennsylvania was India, the natal country of 99,082 Pennsylvania residents, followed by Dominican Republic with 90,229 and China with 69,880.

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Foreign-Born Population

8.07%
2022 Foreign-Born Population
34.6k people
7.85%
2021 Foreign-Born Population
33.5k people

As of 2022, 8.07% of Berks County, PA residents (34.6k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.6%. In 2021, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Berks County, PA was 7.85%, 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.

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Veterans

Most Common Service Period
  1. Vietnam
    7,764 ± 570
  2. Gulf War (2001-)
    2,876 ± 381
  3. Gulf War (1990s)
    2,776 ± 406

Berks County, PA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.7 times greater than any other conflict.

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Economy

The economy of Berks County, PA employs 211k people. The largest industries in Berks County, PA are Manufacturing (38,402 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (31,106 people), and Retail Trade (25,163 people), and the highest paying industries are Management of Companies & Enterprises ($100,772), Utilities ($88,142), and Information ($70,640).

Males in Pennsylvania have an average income that is 1.32 times higher than the average income of females, which is $62,610. The income inequality in Pennsylvania (measured using the Gini index) is 0.466, which is lower than than the national average.

Occupations

211k
2022 Value
± 3,618
1.11%
1 Year growth
± 2.44%

From 2021 to 2022, employment in Berks County, PA grew at a rate of 1.11%, from 209k employees to 211k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Berks County, PA, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (24,136 people), Production Occupations (20,898 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (19,134 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Berks County, PA.

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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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Employment by Industries

211k
2022 Value
± 3,618
1.11%
1 Year growth
± 2.44%

From 2021 to 2022, employment in Berks County, PA grew at a rate of 1.11%, from 209k employees to 211k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Berks County, PA, are Manufacturing (38,402 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (31,106 people), and Retail Trade (25,163 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.

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Median Earnings by Industry

$53,466
Median earning men ± $827
$36,614
Median earning women ± $707

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2022 are Information ($74,369), Public Administration ($74,178), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($68,317).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2022 are Public Administration ($55,368), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($55,342), and Manufacturing ($45,539).

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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.

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments
  1. 2,888
    Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
  2. 2,057
    Manufacturing
  3. 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.

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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.

US Senators from Pennsylvania

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Pennsylvania.
Bob Casey Jr.
Senator from Pennsylvania1
Assumed office on January 3, 2007
John Fetterman
Senator from Pennsylvania3
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.

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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.

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Education

In 2022, universities in Berks County, PA awarded 4,435 degrees. The student population of Berks County, PA in 2022 is skewed towards women, with 7,637 male students and 11,227 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Berks County, PA are White (2,968 and 67.5%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (711 and 16.2%), Black or African American (386 and 8.78%), and Two or More Races (126 and 2.87%).

The largest universities in Berks County, PA by number of degrees awarded are Kutztown University of Pennsylvania (1,710 and 38.6%), Alvernia University (784 and 17.7%), and Reading Area Community College (482 and 10.9%).

The most popular majors in Berks County, PA are General Business Administration & Management (398 and 8.97%), General Psychology (215 and 4.85%), and Registered Nursing (168 and 3.79%).

The median tuition costs in Berks County, PA are $33,060 for private four year colleges, and $11,552 and $18,859 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University
Measure

In 2022 in Berks County, PA, the percentage of applicants admitted was 84.7%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 15.3%. The number of students enrolled in 2022 was 18,864 (40.5% men and 59.5% 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.

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Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2022 there were 18,864 students enrolled in Berks County, PA, 40.5% men and 59.5% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 11,489 records, of which 59.1% were women and 40.9% men.

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Concentrations

Most Common
  1. 98 degrees awarded
  2. 309 degrees awarded
  3. 179 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Berks County, PA was Criminal Justice - Safety Studies with 98 degrees awarded.

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

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Universities

Gender
Race
Largest Universities by degrees awarded
  1. 1,710 degrees awarded
  2. 784 degrees awarded
  3. 482 degrees awarded

In 2022, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Kutztown University of Pennsylvania with 1,710 degrees awarded.

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Student Diversity

University

In 2022, 1,600 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Berks County, PA, which is 0.564 times less than the 2,835 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2022 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 2,968 degrees mean that there were 4.17 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 711 degrees awarded.

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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.

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Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($33,060) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2022.

Private not-for-profit, 2-year ($2,266) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2022.

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.

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Educational Pyramid

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

In 2022, 0.733% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.743% of women were in the same situation.

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

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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 2022 were High School or Equivalent (3.5M), Bachelors Degree (1.98M), and Some college (1.83M).

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.

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Housing & Living

The median property value in Berks County, PA was $225,700 in 2022, which is 0.801 times smaller than the national average of $281,900. Between 2021 and 2022 the median property value increased from $195,900 to $225,700, a 15.2% increase. The homeownership rate in Berks County, PA is 70.8%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.8%.

People in Berks County, PA have an average commute time of 25 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 $74,617. In 2022, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Berks County, PA was Census Tract 119.03 with a value of $142,143, followed by Census Tract 111.02 and Census Tract 117.02, with respective values of $136,652 and $123,393.

In 2023, 13.8% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Berks County, PA. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 0.9%.

Property

$225,700
Median Property Value 2022
±$2,869
$114,165
Median Property Taxes
±$2,085

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.

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Rent vs Own

70.8%
Homeownership
2022
61.5%
Homeowners with Mortgage
2022

In 2022, 70.8% of the housing units in Berks County, PA were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 70.9%.

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

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Income by Location

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Race/Ethnicity
Highest Median Household Income (Total)
  1. Census Tract 119.03
  2. Census Tract 111.02
  3. Census Tract 117.02

In 2022, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Berks County, PA was Census Tract 119.03 with a value of $142,143, followed by Census Tract 111.02 and Census Tract 117.02, with respective values of $136,652 and $123,393.

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

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Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.
$74,617
Median Household Income
± $1,191
161k
Number of Households
± 3,167

In 2022, the median household income of the 161k households in Berks County, PA grew to $74,617 from the previous year's value of $69,272.

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.

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Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Berks County, PA is from Pennsylvania.
0.466
2022 Wage GINI in Pennsylvania
0.467
2021 Wage GINI in Pennsylvania

In 2022, the income inequality in Pennsylvania was 0.466 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.123% decline from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more 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.

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Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2022
  1. Drove Alone (76.4%)
  2. Worked At Home (9.26%)
  3. Carpooled (8.04%)

In 2022, 76.4% of workers in Berks County, PA drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (9.26%) and those who carpooled to work (8.04%).

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.

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Commute Time

25 minutes
Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Berks County, PA have a shorter commute time (25 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.7 minutes). Additionally, 2.27% 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.

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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.

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Severe Housing Problems

In 2023, 13.8% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Berks County, PA. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 0.9%.

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

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Poverty & Diversity

11.8% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Berks County, PA (49.1k out of 416k 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 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.

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Children in Poverty

In 2023, 18.1% of the children was living in poverty in Berks County, PA. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 3.9%.

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

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Health

93.7% of the population of Berks County, PA has health coverage, with 50.1% on employee plans, 17.7% on Medicaid, 13.5% on Medicare, 11.5% on non-group plans, and 0.748% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Berks County, PA see 1565 patients per year on average, which represents a 1.51% decrease from the previous year (1589 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1782 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 603 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.8% were men and 51.2% were women.

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,565 to 1
Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Berks County, PA

Primary care physicians in Berks County, PA see an average of 1,565 patients per year. This represents a 1.51% decrease from the previous year (1,589 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.

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Health Care Diversity

In 2022, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 23.8% under 18 years, 20.6% between 18 and 34 years, 38.4% between 35 and 64 years, and 17.2% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.8% were men and 51.2% were women.

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

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Uninsured People

6.35%
Uninsured
50.1%
Employer Coverage
17.7%
Medicaid
13.5%
Medicare
11.5%
Non-Group
0.748%
Military or VA

Between 2021 and 2022, the percent of uninsured citizens in Berks County, PA grew by 0.169% from 6.34% to 6.35%.

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.

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Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2023, 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 2023, 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 37.3% in Berks County, PA.

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

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Clinical Care

Indicator

In 2023, the percentage of population under age 65 without health insurance was 9.34% in Berks County, PA.

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

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