Berks County, Pennsylvania Population 2026

Updated April 2026 · US Census ACS 2023 5-Year Estimates · 9th-largest in Pennsylvania

The population of Berks County, Pennsylvania is 429,989 as of the 2023 American Community Survey, making it the 9th-largest county in Pennsylvania. The median household income is $77,684, the median home value is $239,700, and the median age is 39.9.

The population of Berks County has grown 6.6% since 2010 (412,041 → 439,117), a +0.46% annualized rate.

Berks County within Pennsylvania · Source: US Census TIGER/Line via us-atlas

429,989

Population

+0.46%

Annual growth

502

People / sq mi

$77,684

Median Income

$239,700

Median Home Value

Berks County covers 856 sq mi of land at 502.1 people per square mile.

About Berks County, PA

Berks County is a county in Pennsylvania with a population of 429,989. It ranks #9 among counties in Pennsylvania by population. The median age is 39.9, in line with the national median. The population is 49.6% male and 50.4% female.

The median household income in Berks County is $77,684, near the US median of $74,580. 8.3% of residents live below the federal poverty level. Home values sit at a median of $239,700, with monthly rent averaging $1,143. The homeownership rate of 71.0% is higher than the national rate of 64.8%.

Educational attainment in Berks County reflects 27.2% of adults 25 and older holding a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national average of 34.3%. Roughly 10.6% of workers primarily work from home, below the national work-from-home rate of 14.2%. The average commute is 25.0 minutes each way.

Berks County Population History (2010-2024)

The county of Berks County had a population of 412,041 in 2010 and 439,117 in 2024, a 6.6% growth over 14 years. The peak was 439,117 in 2024. Average annual growth rate: 0.46%.

439,117

Population (2024)

412,041

Population (2010)

439,117

Peak (2024)

0.46%

Avg Annual Growth

Year	Population	Change	Annual %	Source
2010	412,041	-	-	estimate
2011	413,027	+986	+0.24%	estimate
2012	413,552	+525	+0.13%	estimate
2013	413,975	+423	+0.10%	estimate
2014	414,632	+657	+0.16%	estimate
2015	415,218	+586	+0.14%	estimate
2016	415,911	+693	+0.17%	estimate
2017	417,601	+1,690	+0.41%	estimate
2018	420,407	+2,806	+0.67%	estimate
2019	420,375	-32	-0.01%	estimate
2020	428,693	+8,318	+1.98%	estimate
2021	429,698	+1,005	+0.23%	estimate
2022	432,281	+2,583	+0.60%	estimate
2023	435,284	+3,003	+0.69%	estimate
2024	439,117	+3,833	+0.88%	estimate

Race & Ethnicity

White	72.3%
Black or African American	4.7%
Asian	0.0%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	1.4%
Two or More Races	0.0%

Age & Sex

39.9

Median Age

50.4%

Female

49.6%

Male

17.7%

Age 65+

Age Distribution

Under 5

5.5%

5–9

6.2%

10–14

6.3%

15–19

7.1%

20–24

6.5%

25–34

12.4%

35–44

12.0%

45–54

12.4%

55–59

7.0%

60–64

6.8%

65–74

10.3%

75–84

5.0%

85+

2.4%

Children (under 15): 18.0% · Seniors (65+): 17.7%

Income & Poverty

Median household income	$77,684+$1,603 vs state
Mean household income	$101,044
Per-capita income	$39,012
Poverty rate	8.3%+0.2% vs state
Unemployment rate	3.4%
Employment-to-population	61.0%

Top Industries by Employment

Professional & business services

23.4%

Manufacturing

17.8%

Finance & real estate

9.5%

Education & health care

7.0%

Retail trade

6.4%

Construction

6.3%

Information

5.3%

Arts, entertainment & food

4.3%

The largest employment sector in Berks County is professional & business services, accounting for 23.4% of workers.

How residents commute

1.0%

Drive alone

2.8%

Carpool

75.3%

Public transit

10.6%

Work from home

25.0 min

Avg commute

Housing

$239,700$-800 vs state

Median home value

$1,143

Median rent

71.0%

Homeownership rate

171,147

Total housing units

94.5%

Occupied

5.5%

Vacant

29.0%

Renter-occupied

Social & access

93.3%

With health insurance

92.4%

With broadband internet

15.3%

Foreign-born

5.7%

Veterans (18+)

14.0%

With a disability

79.9%

Speak language other than English at home

Education

88.4%

High School+

27.2%

Bachelor's+

Largest cities in Pennsylvania

Philadelphia (1,582,432)Pittsburgh (303,620)Allentown (125,320)Reading (94,836)Erie (94,156)Bethlehem (77,069)Scranton (76,074)Lancaster (57,683)Levittown (50,930)Harrisburg (50,092)All Pennsylvania cities →

Other counties in Pennsylvania

Philadelphia County (1,582,432)Allegheny County (1,240,476)Montgomery County (861,225)Bucks County (645,993)Delaware County (576,195)Lancaster County (555,151)Chester County (540,896)York County (459,312)Lehigh County (375,408)Westmoreland County (353,345)All Pennsylvania counties →

Part of Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania demographic profile All Pennsylvania data →

Metro areas in Pennsylvania

Philadelphia (6,241,882)Pittsburgh (2,443,921)Allentown (866,764)Harrisburg (597,894)Scranton (567,887)Lancaster (555,151)York (459,312)Reading (429,989)All US metros →

County rankings

US Counties by Population Richest US Counties by Median Household Income Expensive US Counties by Home Value Educated US Counties Counties With Highest Poverty Rates Youngest US Counties by Median Age Oldest US Counties by Median Age Cheapest US Counties by Median Home Value Racially Diverse US Counties Counties With Largest Hispanic Population All rankings →

Common questions about Berks County, PA

What is the population of Berks County, PA?What is the median household income in Berks County, PA?What is the median home value in Berks County, PA?What are the demographics of Berks County, PA?What is the cost of living in Berks County, PA?Is Berks County, PA growing?

Frequently Asked Questions

Berks County, Pennsylvania has a population of 429,989 according to the US Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates, making it the 9th-largest county in Pennsylvania. Population density is 502 people per square mile.

The population of Berks County has grown 6.6% since 2010 (412,041 → 439,117), a +0.46% annualized rate.

The median household income in Berks County, Pennsylvania is $77,684, with mean (average) household income of $101,044 and per-capita income of $39,012. 8.3% of residents live below the federal poverty level.

In Berks County, the largest racial and ethnic groups are White (72.3%), Black or African American (4.7%), Hispanic or Latino (1.4%). Figures are from the US Census Bureau's 2023 ACS 5-year estimates and reflect self-reported responses.

The median age in Berks County, Pennsylvania is 39.9 years. Residents are 50.4% female and 49.6% male.

The median home value in Berks County is $239,700 and median monthly rent is $1,143. 71.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. The county has 171,147 total housing units, 5.5% of which are vacant.

The largest employment sector in Berks County, Pennsylvania is professional, scientific, and management services, employing 23.4% of workers. The unemployment rate is 3.4%.

Philadelphia is among the largest cities associated with Berks County, Pennsylvania, with a population of 1,582,432.