Map the Block › Places › Pennsylvania › Berks County
Berks County, Pennsylvania in numbers: crime, income, hazards
FBI reports put Berks County at 1.5 violent crimes per 1,000 people a year over 2021-2025, 44% lower than the rate for Pennsylvania (2.6). Households here have a median income of $79,777 and the unemployment rate was 4.3% in August 2026. About 433,015 people live in the county.
Last updated . Crime: FBI 2021-2025. Income and housing: Census ACS 2020-2024. Unemployment: BLS August 2026. Road work: October 11, 2026.
Also on the map: income · hazard risk · Superfund · dams
What is the crime rate in Berks County?
Over 2021-2025, the county's police agencies sent the FBI reports of about 637 violent and 3,981 property crimes per year. Per 1,000 residents, the violent-crime rate works out to 1.5: 44% lower than the Pennsylvania rate (2.6), and 60% lower than the national rate (3.7). Burglary, theft and car theft together come to 9.1 per 1,000 residents, compared with 14.2 across Pennsylvania. Aggravated assaults make up 66% of the violent total. CDC death records show about 18 homicide deaths a year in the county (4.3 per 100,000), a count that includes cases police may classify differently.
| Offense (yearly average, 2021-2025) | Berks County | Per 1,000 | Pennsylvania per 1,000 | U.S. per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crime | 637 | 1.5 | 2.6 | 3.7 |
| Murder | 15 | 0.03 | 0.07 | 0.06 |
| Rape | 70 | 0.16 | 0.29 | 0.40 |
| Robbery | 131 | 0.30 | 0.58 | 0.62 |
| Aggravated assault | 420 | 0.96 | 1.7 | 2.6 |
| Property crime | 3,981 | 9.1 | 14.2 | 18.1 |
| Burglary | 481 | 1.1 | 1.3 | 2.4 |
| Larceny-theft | 3,112 | 7.1 | 11.0 | 13.0 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 389 | 0.89 | 1.9 | 2.6 |
Most crime never reaches the police, so these are reported crimes, a floor rather than the full count. In 2024 about half of violent crimes (48%) and about 3 in 10 property crimes (31%) were reported to police (U.S. Justice Department, National Crime Victimization Survey). Rates also depend on how completely each agency reports to the FBI. County figures add up the city police and sheriff reports in the county (33 agencies; 100% of residents covered).
What is the median household income in Berks County?
The median household in Berks County earns $79,777 a year, close to the Pennsylvania median ($77,971). Owner-occupied homes have a median value of $250,000+, and the median rent is $1,181 a month. 13.9% of households received SNAP benefits in the past year (state: 14.4%). The newest monthly figure from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is 4.3% for August 2026 (preliminary), with 9,630 people out of work and looking.
| Census ACS 2020-2024 | Berks County | Pennsylvania | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 433,015 | 13,018,639 | 334,922,499 |
| Median household income | $79,777 | $77,971 | $80,734 |
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $250,000+ | $250,000+ | $332,700 |
| Median gross rent | $1,181 | $1,209 | $1,413 |
| Unemployment rate (2020-2024 average) | 5.4% | 5.3% | 5.2% |
| People below the poverty line | 12.2% | 11.7% | 12.5% |
| Households receiving SNAP (food stamps) | 13.9% | 14.4% | 12.1% |
| Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher | 27.7% | 35.2% | 35.7% |
| Homeowner households | 71.3% | 69.3% | 65.2% |
| Median age | 39.9 | 40.9 | 38.9 |
| Households with broadband internet | 89.6% | 89.7% | 91.0% |
| People without health insurance | 7.3% | 5.6% | 8.4% |
What natural hazards and environmental sites are in Berks County?
Berks County carries a “Relatively Moderate” overall rating in FEMA's National Risk Index. Of the seven hazards on our map, FEMA rates these highest: tornadoes (Relatively High) and river flooding (Relatively High). The index compares counties with each other and also weighs how vulnerable and resilient a community is, so it is a long-run estimate, not a forecast.
Superfund sites
EPA lists 9 active Superfund sites (final or proposed) in Berks County: Cryochem, Inc., Douglassville Disposal, Bally Ground Water Contamination, Berks Sand Pit, Brown'S Battery Breaking, Ryeland Road Arsenic Site, plus 3 more. 1 other site has finished cleanup and been taken off the list. A listing means EPA is managing a long-term cleanup; it does not by itself mean anyone is exposed today.
High-hazard dams
The National Inventory of Dams lists 23 high-hazard dams in Berks County. 4 are rated Poor or Unsatisfactory in condition, 16 Satisfactory or Fair. The two tallest are Grace Mine Tailings (145 ft) and Trout Run (104 ft). “High hazard” describes what lies downstream (people would probably die if the dam failed), not how likely the dam is to fail.
Industrial chemical releases
43 facilities in the county filed Toxics Release Inventory reports for 2024, together reporting 4,057,212 pounds of listed chemicals released on site. Reported releases are legal permitted amounts in most cases.
Disasters, air and water
Berks County was covered by 1 federal major disaster declaration from 2016 through 2025 (Snowstorm 1), not counting COVID-19. In 2024, 2 of 366 monitored days had an air quality index of “unhealthy for sensitive groups” or worse (EPA). Of 77 community water systems, 2 had an open health-based drinking-water violation in EPA's records (September 2026). EPA puts the county in radon zone 1 (highest). NHTSA counted 47 traffic deaths in the county in 2024, including 5 pedestrians.
Is there road construction in Berks County?
Pennsylvania does not publish an open highway work-zone feed that we can read yet, so road construction in Berks County is not on our map. Check the state's 511 traveler site for current closures.
See today's work zones on the map →
How many schools, nursing homes and parks are in Berks County?
Federal school lists show 95 public and 34 private schools in the county. 15 nursing homes are certified by Medicare or Medicaid here; star ratings for each are on the map and on Medicare's Care Compare. USGS mapping shows 70 fire or EMS stations and 36 police or sheriff stations. Park Service units in the area: Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site. 1 state park or recreation area: French Creek State Park.
What tribal lands and sacred sites are in Berks County?
1 ancient or sacred site is on the map here: Sacred Oak. Many are sacred to living communities, so visit respectfully and follow posted rules.
See them on the map: sacred sites →
Gun shops, liquor stores and Planned Parenthood in Berks County
Gun shops
8 gun shops with a public storefront are on the map in Berks County, plus 70 more licensed dealers without a public storefront (not shown). On the ATF list: Bridmar INC (Fleetwood), Cabela's 409 (Hamburg), Cedar Top Firearms (Mohnton), Cro-Arms LLC (Oley), M4 Gun Works (Hamburg), Smith's Guns & Ammo LLC (Reading), Walmart #5239 (Bechtelsville) and Weaknecht Archery & Sporting Goods INC (Kutztown).
Liquor stores
19 liquor stores are on the map in Berks County: Fine Wine & Good Spirits (2 locations), Fine Wine & Good Spirits (Birdsboro), Fine Wine & Good Spirits (2 in Douglassville), Fine Wine & Good Spirits (Hamburg), Fine Wine & Good Spirits (3 in Reading), Fine Wine & Good Spirits (2 in Sinking Spring), Fine Wine & Good Spirits (Temple), Fine Wine & Good Spirits (Womelsdorf) and 6 more. Pennsylvania has no complete public liquor licence list we can use, so this count also draws on OpenStreetMap and Overture Maps and may miss some stores or include closed ones.
Planned Parenthood
One Planned Parenthood health center is on the map in Berks County: Planned Parenthood Reading Medical Center (Reading).
See them on the map: gun shops · liquor stores · Planned Parenthood →
Sources: ATF licensee list (Sept 2026); state liquor licence lists, OpenStreetMap and Overture Maps (non-official; partial in some states); HHS Title X directory and CMS NPPES.
Common questions
What is the crime rate in Berks County?
Berks County averaged 637 reported violent crimes a year in 2021-2025, or 1.5 per 1,000 residents, 44% lower than the Pennsylvania rate (2.6). The property-crime rate was 9.1 per 1,000 (FBI Uniform Crime Reporting).
What is the median household income in Berks County?
$79,777 (Census American Community Survey, 2020-2024 average), compared with $77,971 for Pennsylvania and $80,734 nationally.
What is the unemployment rate in Berks County?
The newest monthly figure from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is 4.3% for August 2026 (preliminary), with 9,630 people out of work and looking.
What natural hazards affect Berks County?
Berks County carries a “Relatively Moderate” overall rating in FEMA's National Risk Index. Of the seven hazards on our map, FEMA rates these highest: tornadoes (Relatively High) and river flooding (Relatively High).
Are there Superfund sites in Berks County?
EPA lists 9 active Superfund sites (final or proposed) in Berks County: Cryochem, Inc., Douglassville Disposal, Bally Ground Water Contamination, Berks Sand Pit, Brown'S Battery Breaking, Ryeland Road Arsenic Site, plus 3 more. 1 other site has finished cleanup and been taken off the list.
How many nursing homes are in Berks County?
15 Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing homes (CMS provider data, September 2026).
How does Berks County compare with neighboring counties?
| County | Population | Violent crimes per 1,000 (2021-25) | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chester County | 547,840 | 0.97 | $127,208 |
| Lancaster County | 557,931 | 1.00 | $86,959 |
| Lebanon County | 144,186 | 0.74 | $78,425 |
| Lehigh County | 378,792 | 1.5 | $80,079 |
| Montgomery County | 867,573 | 1.1 | $113,915 |
| Schuylkill County | 143,558 | 1.4 | $68,313 |
Cities in Berks County with their own page: Reading.
More: Pennsylvania statewide numbers · Sex-offender registry search (U.S. Justice Department, NSOPW)
Where do these numbers come from?
- Crime: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting 2021-2025 (agency level, Return A), averaged and summed by county by Map the Block; Census population; state and national rates: FBI estimated crimes 2021-2025.
- Income, housing, education: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year, table B19013 (median household income) and related tables.
- Monthly unemployment: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS), county data, not seasonally adjusted. Public domain.
- Hazards: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), county scores; disasters: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
- Superfund: U.S. EPA, Superfund site boundaries and NPL status (October 2026). Dams: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National Inventory of Dams (public map service, October 2026). Chemical releases: U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory, reporting year 2024 (basic data file).
- Air and water: U.S. EPA AirData, annual AQI by county 2024; EPA Air Quality Design Values 2023-2025 (June 2026); U.S. EPA SDWIS via ECHO drinking-water download (September 30, 2026). Traffic deaths: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2024; Census population.
- Work zones: State departments of transportation, via the U.S. DOT Work Zone Data Exchange (WZDx) and state 511 feeds; refreshed every morning (snapshot October 11, 2026).
- Schools: National Center for Education Statistics, EDGE public school locations 2024-25; budgets: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances, fiscal year 2024; National Center for Education Statistics, EDGE Private School geocodes (Private School Survey 2023-24). Nursing homes: U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Nursing Home Provider Information and Penalties (September 2026). Stations: U.S. Geological Survey, National Structures Dataset (Fire Stations/EMS Stations), October 2026 pull.
- Parks: USGS Protected Areas Database of the U.S. (PAD-US 4.1); state park agencies' open data (CA, NY, PA, TN, TX, FL, NJ, KY, HI, UT, MT and others); OpenStreetMap contributors for some hours, phones, fees and camping; U.S. National Park Service: unit boundaries (Land Resources Division), Acreage Report (Sept 30, 2026), park pages on nps.gov (hours, fees), Visitor Use Statistics (2025).
Map the Block shows public statistics about places, not people, and does not rate or rank neighborhoods as places to live. Figures are as published by each source; check the source before relying on a number.
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