Berks County, Pennsylvania

Berks County, Pennsylvania
Berks County (Pennsylvania German: Barricks Kaundi) is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 428,849. The county seat is Reading.
The Schuylkill River, a tributary of the Delaware River, flows through Berks County. The county is part of the Reading, PA metropolitan statistical area (MSA), which is included in the Delaware Valley or Greater Philadelphia metropolitan area or the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD combined statistical area (CSA).
History
Reading developed during the 1740s when inhabitants of northern Lancaster County sent several petitions requesting that a separate county be established. With the help of German immigrant Conrad Weiser, the county was formed on March 11, 1752, from parts of Chester County, Lancaster County, and Philadelphia County.
It was named after the English county in which William Penn's family home lay, Berkshire, which is often abbreviated to Berks. Berks County began much larger than it is today. The northwestern parts of the county went to the founding of Northumberland County in 1772 and Schuylkill County in 1811, when it reached its current size. In 2005, Berks County was added to the Delaware Valley Planning Area due to a fast-growing population and close proximity to the other communities.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (1.1%) is water. Most of the county is drained by the Schuylkill River, but an area in the northeast is drained by the Lehigh River via the Little Lehigh Creek and areas are drained by the Susquehanna River via the Swatara Creek in the northwest and the Conestoga River, which starts in Berks County between Morgantown and Elverson in the county's extreme south. It has a humid continental climate (Dfa except for some Dfb on Blue Mountain at the northern boundary and on Mount Penn) and the hardiness zone is mostly 6b, with 6a in some higher areas, and 7a along the Schuylkill in the southeastern part of the county.
Adjacent counties
Schuylkill County (north)
Lehigh County (northeast)
Montgomery County (east)
Chester County (southeast)
Lancaster County (southwest)
Lebanon County (west)
National protected area
Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site
State protected area
French Creek State Park
Major roads and highways
Demographics
As of the 2010 census, the county was 76.9% White non-Hispanic, 4.9% Black or African American, 0.3% Native American, 1.3% Asian, and 2.5% were two or more races. 16.4% of the population was of Hispanic or Latino ancestry. Historically there is a large Pennsylvania Dutch population. It is known as part of Pennsylvania Dutch Country. More recently there is a large Puerto Rican population centered in the city of Reading. There were 411,442 people, 154,356 households, and 106,532 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 164,827 housing units at an average density of .
According to Muninet Guide's 2010 analysis, the median household income for Berks County is $54,105.
There were 154,356 households, out of which 33.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.1% were married couples living together, 12.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.0% were non-families. 24.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.08.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.9% under the age of 18, 9.9% from 18 to 24, 24.4% from 25 to 44, 27.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.1 years. For every 100 females there were 95.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.70 males.
Berks County is home to an Old Order Mennonite community consisting of about 160 families, located in the East Penn Valley near Kutztown and Fleetwood. The Old Order Mennonites first bought land in the area in 1949. In 2012, Old Order Mennonites bought two large farms in the Oley Valley. The Old Order Mennonites in the area belong to the Groffdale Conference Mennonite Church and use the horse and buggy as transportation. There are several farms in the area belonging to the Old Order Mennonite community and meetinghouses are located near Kutztown and Fleetwood.
2020 census
Metropolitan and Combined Statistical Area
The U.S. Office of Management and Budget has designated Berks County as the Reading, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). As of the 2010 U.S. census the metropolitan area ranked 10th most populous in Pennsylvania and the 128th most populous in the U.S. with a population of 413,491. Berks County is also a part of the larger Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD Combined Statistical Area (CSA), which combines the populations of Berks County as well as several counties around Philadelphia and in the states of Delaware, Maryland, and New Jersey. The combined statistical area is the largest in Pennsylvania and 8th most populous in the U.S. with a population of 7,067,807.
Government
County commissioners
Christian Leinbach, Chair Republican
Kevin Barnhardt, Vice Chair Democrat
Michael S. Rivera, Republican
State senate
Judy Schwank, Democrat, Pennsylvania Senate, District 11
Tracy Pennycuick, Republican, Pennsylvania Senate, District 24
Dave Argall, Republican, Pennsylvania Senate, District 29
Katie Muth, Democrat, Pennsylvania Senate, District 44
State House of Representatives
Barry Jozwiak, Republican, Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 5
David H. Zimmerman, Republican, Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 99
Jamie Barton, Republican, Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 124
Mark Rozzi, Democrat, Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 126
Manny Guzman Jr., Democrat, Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 127
Mark Gillen, Republican, Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 128
Johanny Cepeda-Freytiz, Democrat, Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 129
David Maloney, Republican, Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 130
United States House of Representatives
Madeleine Dean, Democratic, Pennsylvania's 4th congressional district
Chrissy Houlahan, Democratic, Pennsylvania's 6th congressional district
Dan Meuser, Republican, Pennsylvania's 9th congressional district
Politics
As of September 21, 2023 there were 253,186 registered voters in Berks County.
Republican: 107,690 (42.53%)
Democratic: 104,430 (41.24%)
Independent: 30,154 (11.91%)
Minor parties: 10,912 (4.31%)
In late January the Republican Party captured the total registration edge from the Democrats in Berks and already had the active-voter registration edge in 2022. The top of the statewide ticket in November 2022 saw Berks split its votes---Josh Shapiro for Governor and Mehmet Oz for US Senate.
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The first time since 1964 that a Democrat carried Berks in a Presidential election occurred in 2008, with Barack Obama receiving 53.9% of the vote to John McCain's 44.7%. The other three statewide winners (Rob McCord for treasurer, Jack Wagner for auditor general, and Tom Corbett for attorney general) also carried it. While Republicans have controlled the commissioner majority most of the time and continue to control most county row offices, Democrats have become more competitive in Berks in recent years. In the 2012 Presidential election, Mitt Romney carried the county by approximately a one-percent margin, 49.6% to 48.6%, however, in 2016, Donald Trump carried Berks by a much larger margin of 52.9% to 42.7%.
Education
Colleges and universities
Albright College
Alvernia University
Kutztown University of Pennsylvania
Penn State Berks
Reading Area Community College
Public school districts
School districts include:
Antietam School District
Boyertown Area School District
Brandywine Heights Area School District
Conrad Weiser Area School District
Daniel Boone Area School District
Exeter Township School District
Fleetwood Area School District
Governor Mifflin School District
Hamburg Area School District
Kutztown Area School District
Muhlenberg School District
Oley Valley School District
Reading School District
Schuylkill Valley School District
Tulpehocken Area School District
Twin Valley School District
Upper Perkiomen School District
Wilson School District
Wyomissing Area School District
Private high schools
Berks Christian School in Birdsboro
Blue Mountain Academy, a Seventh-day Adventist boarding school in Tilden Township
Conestoga Christian School in Morgantown, Pennsylvania
Fairview Christian School in Reading
Gateway Christian School in Mertztown
The King's Academy in Mohrsville
Berks Catholic High School in Reading
Lighthouse Christian Academy in Lyons
Technical and trade schools
Berks Technical Institute
Pace Institute
Reading Hospital School of Nursing
Berks Career and Technology Center (east campus in Oley, west campus in Leesport)
Arts and culture
The Reading Public Museum is an art, science, and history museum.
The Reading Buccaneers Drum and Bugle Corps are an all-age drum corps based in Berks County. The corps, founded in 1957, is a charter member Drum Corps Associates and an 11-time DCA World Champion.
Reading is home to Berks Opera Company, founded in 2007 as Berks Opera Workshop.
There are two Pennsylvania state parks and a Natural Area in Berks County.
Nolde Forest Environmental Education Center is south of Reading on land once owned by Jacob Nolde, a prominent Reading businessman and Pennsylvania environmentalist.
French Creek State Park, a former Recreational Demonstration Area, straddles the Berks and Chester County line.
Ruth Zimmerman Natural Area, part of the William Penn Forest District in Oley.
There are two Pennsylvania Historic Sites in Berks County.
Conrad Weiser Homestead near Womelsdorf
Daniel Boone Homestead near Birdsboro
The Old Morlatton Village in Douglassville is maintained by the Historic Preservation Trust of Berks County. The village is composed of four historic structures: White Horse Inn, George Douglass Mansion, Bridge keeper's House, and the Mouns Jones House, constructed in 1716, which is the oldest recorded building in the county.
West Reading in home to the annual Art on the Avenue, which reached its 25th year in 2019.
Media
Berks County has been home to several media sources, including:
Berks Community Television (BCTV)
Reading Eagle, a daily printed newspaper based in Reading, Pennsylvania
WEEU, a local AM radio station
WFMZ, a Local news channel that has offices in Berks County and covers South Eastern Pennsylvania
WRFY-FM - (102.5 FM "Y102"), a commercial FM radio station licensed to serve Reading, Pennsylvania
Communities
Under Pennsylvania law, there are four types of incorporated municipalities: cities, boroughs, townships, and towns. The following cities, boroughs and townships are located in Berks County:
City
Reading (county seat)
Boroughs
Adamstown (mostly in Lancaster County)
Bally
Bechtelsville
Bernville
Birdsboro
Boyertown
Centerport
Fleetwood
Hamburg
Kenhorst
Kutztown
Laureldale
Leesport
Lenhartsville
Lyons
Mohnton
Mount Penn
New Morgan
Robesonia
St. Lawrence
Shillington
Shoemakersville
Sinking Spring
Topton
Wernersville
West Reading
Womelsdorf
Wyomissing
Townships
Albany
Alsace
Amity
Bern
Bethel
Brecknock
Caernarvon
Centre
Colebrookdale
Cumru
District
Douglass
Earl
Exeter
Greenwich
Heidelberg
Hereford
Jefferson
Longswamp
Lower Alsace
Lower Heidelberg
Maidencreek
Marion
Maxatawny
Muhlenberg
North Heidelberg
Oley
Ontelaunee
Penn
Perry
Pike
Richmond
Robeson
Rockland
Ruscombmanor
South Heidelberg
Spring
Tilden
Tulpehocken
Union
Upper Bern
Upper Tulpehocken
Washington
Windsor
Census-designated places
Census-designated places are geographical areas designated by the U.S. Census Bureau for the purposes of compiling demographic data. They are not actual jurisdictions under Pennsylvania law. Other unincorporated communities, such as villages, may be listed here as well.
Alleghenyville
Alsace Manor
Amity Gardens
Baumstown
Bethel
Blandon
Bowers
Colony Park
Dauberville
Douglassville
Dryville
Edenburg
Flying Hills
Fox Chase
Frystown
Gibraltar
Gouglersville
Greenfields
Grill
Hereford
Hyde Park
Jacksonwald
Kempton
Kutztown University
Lincoln Park
Lorane
Mertztown
Mohrsville
Montrose Manor
Morgantown
Mount Aetna
Muhlenberg Park
New Berlinville
New Jerusalem
New Schaefferstown
Oley
Pennside
Pennwyn
Rehrersburg
Reiffton
Riverview Park
Schubert
Shartlesville
South Temple
Springmont
Spring Ridge
Stony Creek Mills
Stouchsburg
Temple
Virginville
Walnuttown
West Hamburg
West Lawn
West Wyomissing
Whitfield
Unincorporated communities
Brownsville
Blue Marsh
Cacoosing
Geigertown
Leinbachs
North Heidelberg
Pine Swamp
Plowville
Pricetown
Scarlets Mill
State Hill
Strausstown
Wooltown
Population ranking
The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census of Berks County.
† county seat
CDP=census designated population
Notable people
William Addams, former U.S. Congressman
Priscilla Ahn, folk musician, singer, and songwriter
John Barrasso, U.S. Senator
Douglas Carter Beane, playwright
Chad Billingsley, former professional baseball player, Los Angeles Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies
Daniel Boone, American pioneer, explorer, and frontiersman
Kenny Brightbill, professional race car driver
Steve Burns, musician and former Blue's Clues host
James Henry Carpenter, Civil War sailor, officer, founder of Carpenter Technology Corporation
Jack Coggins, illustrator, author and artist, lived in Boyertown from 1948 to 2006
Rocky Colavito, former Major League Baseball player
Kerry Collins, professional football player (Panthers, Saints, Giants, Raiders, Titans, and Colts)
Michael Constantine, actor, star of Room 222 and My Big Fat Greek Wedding
Amy Cuddy, Harvard psychologist and TED Talks speaker
Lisa Eichhorn, actress
Wayne Ellington, NBA Basketball Player
Carl Furillo, former professional baseball player, Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers
John Henry Gilmore, Jr., former professional football player, Chicago Bears, New Orleans Saints, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Jon Gosselin, reality television personality, Jon & Kate Plus 8
Kate Gosselin, reality television personality, Jon & Kate Plus 8
Keith Haring, former artist
Chad Henne, football professional football player, Miami Dolphins
Chris Hero, professional wrestler
Joseph Hiester, governor of Pennsylvania 1820–1823
Tommy Hinnershitz (1912–1999), auto racing pioneer
Chad Hurley, co-founder of YouTube
Mildred Jordan (1901–1982), novelist
Chip Kidd (born 1964), book jacket designer at Knopf Publishing Group
Abraham Lincoln (1744–1786), grandfather of 16th U.S. president Abraham Lincoln
Matt Lytle (born 1975), professional football player
Donyell Marshall, former NBA player
James H. Maurer (1864-1944), Labor leader and two-time Vice Presidential nominee
Kelly McGillis, actress, [Top Gun/Witness/The Accused]
Gordon McKellen, Jr., former U.S. figure skating champion and Hall of Fame member
Morton L. Montgomery (1846–1933), Reading attorney and author of multiple history books about Berks County
Lenny Moore, NFL Hall of Fame
Thomas Morris, Democratic politician, served in the United States Senate
Jillian Murray (b. June 4, 1989), model and actress
Frederick Augustus Muhlenberg, architect, founder of Muhlenberg Greene Architects, American military and political leader 1887–1980
Jacob Nolde, conservationist
Bodo Otto, Senior Surgeon of the Continental Army during the American Revolution (1711–1787)
William Sands, U.S. Medal of Honor winner (Civil War)
Martin Cruz Smith, novelist
Carl Spaatz, World War II general
Wallace Stevens, major American Modernist poet (1879–1955)
Taylor Swift (born 1989), Grammy Award-winning country/pop singer-songwriter
Ross Tucker, professional football player
John Updike, writer, 1932–2009
Lonnie Walker, NBA player
Alex Anzalone (born 1994), Detroit Lions lineman
Gus Yatron, former congressman from Pennsylvania
See also
National Register of Historic Places listings in Berks County, Pennsylvania
Footnotes
Further reading
F.W. Balthaser, The Story of Berks County, Pennsylvania. Reading, PA: Reading Eagle Press, 1925.
D.B. Brunner, The Indians of Berks County, Pa., Being a Summary of all the Tangible Records of the Aborigines of Berks County, with Cuts and Descriptions of the Varieties of Relics Found within the County. Reading, PA: Eagle Book Print, 1897.
Morton L. Montgomery, History of Berks County in Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: Everts, Peck & Richards, 1886.
Morton L. Montgomery, History of Berks County, Pennsylvania, in the Revolution, from 1774 to 1783. Reading, PA: C.F. Haage, printer, 1894.
Morton L. Montgomery, Political Hand-Book of Berks County, Pennsylvania, 1752–1883. Reading, PA: B.F. Owen, 1883.
Morton L. Montgomery, School history of Berks County in Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: J.B. Rodgers Printing Co., 1889.
Kathy M. Scogna, "The Birth of a County — 1752,". Historical Review of Berks County, Winter 2001–02.
External links
1752 establishments in Pennsylvania
Populated places established in 1752