Berks County, Pennsylvania
Among the top 15% of US counties for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 18% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade C, better than 39% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade C, better than 48% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A, better than 85% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B+, better than 80% of US counties
- top 16% for walkability
- top 17% for park & nature access
- bottom 5% for property tax rate
Berks County is a county in Pennsylvania with about 428,000 residents. It grades A for getting around and D for affordability. Standout strengths include walkability, park & nature access, and school quality. It rates lower on natural disaster risk and property tax rate.
Official websiteco.berks.pa.us (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Snowy
very cold
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warm
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69%52%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.8 in3.4 in
humid 88%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$75k82nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$46kbetter than 44% of US counties
Home Value$226k74th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 18% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 15% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.86%better than 5% of US counties
Income Tax3.78%better than 75% of US counties
State 3.10% + Local 0.68%
Sales Tax6.34%better than 76% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden11.51%better than 20% of US counties
Unemployment5.4%better than 37% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)31°F40th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)76°F41st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation48.9 in69th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall25.4 inbetter than 33% of US counties
Sunny Days223 daysbetter than 35% of US counties
Summer Humidity63°Fbetter than 61% of US counties
Comfortable Days82 daysbetter than 57% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk92.7better than 7% of US counties
Air Quality48 AQIbetter than 22% of US counties
School Quality78.9better than 82% of US counties
Violent Crime565/100kbetter than 66% of US counties
Property Crime600/100kbetter than 67% of US counties
Community
Population428,48395th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age39.935th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.4168th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9939th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningEven22nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)68.8%33rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)4.0%62nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)23.2%87th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)1.3%75th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)2.7%32nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time25 minbetter than 45% of US counties
Walkability7.7/20better than 84% of US counties
Airport Distance54 mibetter than 78% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access86.3%better than 69% of US counties
Amenities Nearby2.43better than 50% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 83% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Berks County an affordable place to live?
- Berks County is about average in cost. Its cost-of-living index is $46k, better than 44% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Berks County?
- The median home value in Berks County is $226k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Berks County?
- Median household income in Berks County is $75k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Berks County?
- Median gross rent in Berks County is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Berks County safe?
- Berks County is safer than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 565/100k (better than 66%). Property crime is 600/100k.
- What is the weather like in Berks County?
- Berks County averages 76°F in July and 31°F in January, with 48.9 in of annual precipitation and about 223 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Berks County?
- Public-school quality in Berks County is above average, scoring better than 82% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Berks County?
- The average one-way commute in Berks County is 25 min.
Other counties in Pennsylvania
Explore Pennsylvania
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)