Berks County ( Pennsylvania German: ''Barricks Kaundi'') is a

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

in the Commonwealth of

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

. As of the 2020 census, the population was 428,849. The

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...

Reading Reading is the process of taking in the sense or meaning of letters, symbols, etc., especially by sight or touch. For educators and researchers, reading is a multifaceted process involving such areas as word recognition, orthography (spelling ...

. The

Schuylkill River The Schuylkill River ( , ) is a river running northwest to southeast in eastern Pennsylvania. The river was improved by navigations into the Schuylkill Canal, and several of its tributaries drain major parts of Pennsylvania's Coal Region. It f ...

, a tributary of the Delaware River, flows through Berks County. The county is part of the Reading, PA

metropolitan statistical area In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally incorporated as a city or tow ...

(MSA), which is included in the

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, largest city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the List of United States cities by population, sixth-largest city i ...

-Reading- Camden, PA- NJ- DE- MD

combined statistical area Combined statistical area (CSA) is a United States Office of Management and Budget (OMB) term for a combination of adjacent metropolitan (MSA) and micropolitan statistical areas (µSA) across the 50 US states and the territory of Puerto Ric ...

(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 German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

immigrant

Conrad Weiser Conrad Weiser (November 2, 1696 – July 13, 1760), born Johann Conrad Weiser, Jr., was a Pennsylvania Dutch (German) pioneer who served as an interpreter and diplomat between the Pennsylvania Colony and Native American nations. Primarily a f ...

, the county was formed on March 11, 1752, from parts of

Chester County Chester County may refer to: * Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States * Chester County, South Carolina, United States * Chester County, Tennessee Chester County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 census, th ...

, Lancaster County, and

Philadelphia County Philadelphia County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is the most populous county in Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, Philadelphia County had a population of 1,603,797. The county is the second smallest county in Pennsyl ...

. It was named after the English county in which

William Penn William Penn ( – ) was an English writer and religious thinker belonging to the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), and founder of the Province of Pennsylvania, a North American colony of England. He was an early advocate of democracy a ...

'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. In 2016, former Strausstown borough merged with Upper Tulpehocken township. Strausstown is now a village within Upper Tulpehocken Township.

Geography

According to the

U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (1.1%) is water. Most of the county is drained by the

, but an area in the northeast is drained by the Lehigh River via the

Little Lehigh Creek Little Lehigh Creek is approximately long and is located in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania. It is sometimes referred to as the Little Lehigh River. It is the largest tributary of the Lehigh River. The creek flows in a windin ...

and areas are drained by the Susquehanna River via the

Swatara Creek Swatara Creek (nicknamed the Swatty) is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed August 8, 2011 tributary of the Susquehanna River in east-central Pennsylvania in the United Sta ...

in the northwest and the Conestoga River (which starts in Berks County between Morgantown and Elverson) in the extreme south. It has a

humid continental climate A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freezing ...

(''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.

Major roads and highways

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Adjacent counties

* Schuylkill County (north) * Lehigh County (northeast) * Montgomery County (east) *

(southeast) * Lancaster County (southwest) *

Lebanon County Lebanon County ( Pennsylvania Dutch: Lebanon Kaundi) is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the population was 133,568. Its county seat is the city of Lebanon. The county was formed from portions of Dauphi ...

(west)

National protected area

Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site in southeastern Berks County, near Elverson, Pennsylvania, is an example of an American 19th century rural iron plantation, whose operations were based around a charcoal-fired cold-blast iron blast fur ...

State protected area

French Creek State Park French Creek State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in North Coventry and Warwick Townships in Chester County and Robeson and Union Townships in Berks County, Pennsylvania. It straddles northern Chester County and southern Berks County along ...

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 The Pennsylvania Dutch Country ( Pennsylvania Dutch: ''Deitscherei'' Dutchery', also called Pennsylvania Dutchland ( Pennsylvania Dutch: ''Pennsylvania Deitschland'', german: Pennsylvania Deutschland), or simply the Dutch Country or Dutchland ( ...

. 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 Fleetwood is a coastal town in the Borough of Wyre in Lancashire, England, at the northwest corner of the Fylde. It had a population of 25,939 at the 2011 census. Fleetwood acquired its modern character in the 1830s, when the principal lando ...

. 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 ] A horse and buggy (in American English) or horse and carriage (in British English and American English) refers to a light, simple, two-person carriage of the late 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries, drawn usually by one or sometimes by two h ...

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 United States Office of Management and Budget, U.S. Office of Management and Budget has designated Berks County as the Reading, PA

Metropolitan Statistical Area In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally incorporated as a city or tow ...

(MSA). As of the

2010 U.S. Census The United States census of 2010 was the twenty-third United States national census. National Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2010. The census was taken via mail-in citizen self-reporting, with enumerators serving ...

the metropolitan area ranked 10th most populous in the State of Pennsylvania and the 128th most populous in the United States 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

and in the states of

Delaware Delaware ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Maryland to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. The state takes its name from the adjacent Del ...

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...

and

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...

. The

Combined Statistical Area Combined statistical area (CSA) is a United States Office of Management and Budget (OMB) term for a combination of adjacent metropolitan (MSA) and micropolitan statistical areas (µSA) across the 50 US states and the territory of Puerto Ric ...

is the largest in the State of Pennsylvania and 8th most populous in the United States 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 Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

Pennsylvania Senate, District 11 Pennsylvania State Senate District 11 includes parts of Berks County. It is currently represented by Democrat Judy Schwank. District profile The district includes the following areas: * Adamstown (Berks County portion) * Alsace Township * ...

* Bob Mensch,

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

, Pennsylvania Senate, District 24 *

Dave Argall David G. Argall, Ph.D. (born November 21, 1958) is a member of the Pennsylvania State Senate, elected in a special election on March 3, 2009 following the death of fellow Republican James J. Rhoades. He was elected a member of the Pennsylvania ...

, Pennsylvania Senate, District 29 * Katie Muth,

, Pennsylvania Senate, District 44

State House of Representatives

* Barry Jozwiak,

Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 5 The 5th Pennsylvania House of Representatives District is in southeastern Pennsylvania and has been represented by Barry Jozwiak since 2014. District profile Located in Berks County, the 5th Pennsylvania House of Representatives District include ...

* Jerry Knowles,

Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 124 The 124th Pennsylvania House of Representatives District is located in Berks County and Schuylkill County and includes the following areas: * Berks County ** Albany Township ** Greenwich Township ** Maxatawny Township ** Hamburg (male ...

Mark Rozzi Mark Rozzi (born April 30, 1971) is an American businessman and politician serving as a Democratic member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, serving since January 2, 2013. He represents the 126th district. In addition to serving as a ...

Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 126 The 126th Pennsylvania House of Representatives District is located in Berks County and includes the following areas: * Laureldale * Lower Alsace Township * Mount Penn * Muhlenberg Township * Reading (PART) ** Ward 06 ART, Division 03** Wa ...

* Thomas R. Caltagirone,

, Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 127 *

Mark Gillen Mark M. Gillen (born November 6, 1955) is an American politician and member of the Republican Party. In 2010, he was elected to represent the 128th District in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. The seat had been vacated by Republican Sam ...

Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 128 The 128th Pennsylvania House of Representatives District is located in Berks County and Lancaster County and includes the following areas: *Berks County ** Brecknock Township ** Caernarvon Township ** Cumru Township ** Exeter Township (PA ...

* Jim Cox,

Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 129 The 129th Pennsylvania House of Representatives District is located in Southeastern Pennsylvania and has been represented since 2023 by Johanny Cepeda-Freytiz. District profile The 129th Pennsylvania House of Representatives District is locate ...

David Maloney David John Lee Maloney (14 December 1933 – 18 July 2006) was a British television director and producer, best known for his work on the BBC science-fiction series ''Doctor Who'', ''Blake's 7'' and ''The Day of the Triffids''. ''The Guardi ...

, Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 130 * Ryan Mackenzie,

, Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 134 * Gary Day,

Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 187 The 187th Pennsylvania House of Representatives District is located in Southeast Pennsylvania and has been represented since 2023 by Ryan Mackenzie. District profile The 187th Pennsylvania House of Representatives District is located in Lehig ...

United States House of Representatives

Madeleine Dean Madeleine Dean Cunnane (born June 6, 1959) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the U.S. representative for Pennsylvania's 4th congressional district. The district includes almost all of Montgomery County, a suburban county north of ...

, Democratic,

Pennsylvania's 4th congressional district Pennsylvania's fourth congressional district, effective January 3, 2019, encompasses the majority of Montgomery County and a small sliver of Berks County in southeastern Pennsylvania. In the 2020 redistricting cycle, the Pennsylvania district ...

* Chrissy Houlahan, Democratic,

Pennsylvania's 6th congressional district Pennsylvania's 6th congressional district is a district in the state of Pennsylvania. It includes all of Chester County, the city of Reading, and Reading's southeastern suburbs in Berks County. The district is represented by Democrat Chrissy Ho ...

Dan Meuser Daniel Philip Meuser ( ; born February 10, 1964) is an American businessman, politician, and philanthropist who is the U.S. representative for Pennsylvania's 9th congressional district. A Republican, he previously served as the secretary of re ...

Pennsylvania's 9th congressional district Pennsylvania's 9th congressional district is located in the east central part of the state and encompasses all of Carbon County, Columbia County, Lebanon County, Montour County, and Schuylkill County, as well as parts of Berks County, Luzern ...

Politics

As of November 7, 2022, there are 267,274 registered voters in Berks County. * Democratic: 112,712 (42.17%) *

: 110,695 (41.42%) *

Independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s * Independ ...

: 31,960 (11.96%) * Minor parties: 11,907 (4.45%) The first time since 1964 that a Democrat carried Berks in a Presidential election occurred in November 2008, with

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the ...

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 Thomas Wingett Corbett Jr. (born June 17, 1949) is an American politician and attorney who served as the 46th governor of Pennsylvania from 2011 to 2015. A member of the Republican Party, he served as Attorney General of Pennsylvania from 1995 t ...

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 Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of P ...

carried Berks by a much larger margin of 52.9% to 42.7%.

Education

Map of Berks County Pennsylvania School Districts

Colleges and universities

Albright College Albright College is a private liberal arts college in Reading, Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1856. History Albright College traces its founding to 1856 when Union Seminary opened. Present-day Albright was formed by the mergers of several ins ...

* Alvernia University *

Kutztown University of Pennsylvania Kutztown University of Pennsylvania (Kutztown University or KU) is a public university in Kutztown, Pennsylvania. It is part of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) and is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Highe ...

Penn State Berks Penn State Berks is a commonwealth campus of Pennsylvania State University located in Spring Township in Berks County, Pennsylvania. History First known as Wyomissing Polytechnic Institute, Penn State Berks became part of the Penn State syste ...

Reading Area Community College Reading Area Community College (RACC) is a public community college in Reading, Pennsylvania. The college was founded in 1971 and serves the greater Reading area and Berks County, Pennsylvania. The institution is an Hispanic-serving institution ...

Public school districts

School districts include: * Antietam School District *

Boyertown Area School District The Boyertown Area School District is a large public school district which covers portions of Berks and Montgomery Counties in southeastern Pennsylvania. When the Boyertown Area School District was formed in 1953 it was one of the largest in the ...

Brandywine Heights Area School District The Brandywine Heights Area School District is a small, rural public school district located in Berks County, Pennsylvania. It serves the Borough of Topton and District Township, Longswamp Township and Rockland Township in Berks County, Penns ...

* Conrad Weiser Area School District *

Daniel Boone Area School District The Daniel Boone Area School District covers the Borough of Birdsboro, Amity Township, and Union Township in Berks County, Pennsylvania. The district encompasses approximately . According to 2000 federal census data, it served a resident popula ...

* 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 Twin Valley School District (TVSD) is a school district headquartered in Caernarvon Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania, with an Elverson postal address. Profile page- Compare to the addressThe zoning map published by the township Within Berks C ...

Upper Perkiomen School District Upper Perkiomen School District is located in the northern corner of Montgomery County and the eastern corner of Berks County in Pennsylvania. The district comprises the townships of Upper Hanover and Marlborough and the boroughs of East Gr ...

Wilson School District The Wilson School District serves students from the communities of Spring, West Lawn, Sinking Spring, Lower Heidelberg, and the Berkshire Heights section of Wyomissing, and is located in West Lawn, Pennsylvania West Lawn is a former borough an ...

Wyomissing Area School District Wyomissing Area School District is a diminutive, suburban, public school district located in Berks County, Pennsylvania. The Wyomissing Area School District encompasses approximately . The district is the smallest one operating in Berks County. ...

Private high schools

* Berks Christian School in Birdsboro * Blue Mountain Academy, a

Seventh-day Adventist The Seventh-day Adventist Church is an Adventist Protestant Christian denomination which is distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the seventh day of the week in the Christian (Gregorian) and the Hebrew calendar, as the Sabbath, and ...

boarding school in Tilden Township * Conestoga Christian School in

Morgantown, Pennsylvania Morgantown is a census-designated place in Caernarvon Township, located in southern Berks County, Pennsylvania. It is located partially in Caernarvon Township in Lancaster County. As of the 2010 census, the population was 826 residents. H ...

* 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 The Reading Hospital is a 738-bed non-profit teaching hospital located in the borough of West Reading, in the US state of Pennsylvania. The hospital was established in 1867 and is a part of Tower Health System. The hospital is a certified stroke c ...

School of Nursing * Berks Career and Technology Center (east campus in Oley, west campus in Leesport)

Arts and culture

The

Reading Public Museum The Reading Public Museum is a museum in West Reading, Pennsylvania. The museum's permanent collection mainly focuses on art, science, and civilization. It also has a planetarium and a arboretum. Collection The museum's art collection cont ...

is an art, science, and history museum. The

Reading Buccaneers Drum and Bugle Corps The Reading Buccaneers Drum and Bugle Corps is an all-age drum and bugle corps based in Reading, Pennsylvania. This ensemble is a charter member of Drum Corps Associates. History Pre-DCA (VFW/American Legion) The Reading Buccaneers drum and bugle ...

are an all-age drum corps based in Berks County. The corps, founded in 1957, is a charter member

Drum Corps Associates Drum Corps Associates (DCA) is a governing body for modern all-age and senior drum and bugle corps in North America. DCA's responsibilities include sanctioning competitions, certifying adjudicators, maintaining and enforcing rules of competition, ...

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 Nolde Forest Environmental Educational Center is a Pennsylvania state park in Cumru Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. Programs are offered for youth and adult groups, school groups, and individuals. The center grounds ...

is south of

on land once owned by Jacob Nolde, a prominent Reading businessman and Pennsylvania environmentalist. *

, a former

Recreational Demonstration Area The Recreational Demonstration Area program (also known as the Recreation Demonstration Area program) was a National Park Service program during the 1930s and early 1940s that built forty-six public parks in twenty-four states on , chiefly near urba ...

, 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 The Conrad Weiser Homestead was the home of Johann Conrad Weiser, who enlisted the Iroquois on the British side in the French and Indian War. The home is located near Womelsdorf, Berks County, Pennsylvania in the United States. A designated Na ...

near Womelsdorf *

Daniel Boone Homestead The Daniel Boone Homestead, the birthplace of American frontiersman Daniel Boone, is a museum and historic house that is administered by the Friends of the Daniel Boone Homestead near Birdsboro in Berks County, Pennsylvania. It is located o ...

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 WEEU (830 AM) is a commercial station in Reading, Pennsylvania. It has a news/talk radio format and is owned by Twilight Broadcasting, Inc. WEEU is powered at 20,000 watts by day. Because AM 830 is a clear channel frequency reserved for Cl ...

, 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

Map of Berks County Pennsylvania With Municipal and Township Labels

Under Pennsylvania law, there are four types of incorporated municipalities:

cities A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...

boroughs A borough is an administrative division in various English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-governing walled town, although in practice, official use of the term varies widely. History In the Middle A ...

townships A township is a kind of human settlement or administrative subdivision, with its meaning varying in different countries. Although the term is occasionally associated with an urban area, that tends to be an exception to the rule. In Australia, C ...

, and

towns A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world. Origin and use The word "town" shares an ori ...

. The following cities, boroughs and townships are located in Berks County:

City

(county seat)

Boroughs

* Adamstown (mostly in Lancaster County) * Bally *

Bechtelsville Bechtelsville is a borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania. The population was 942 at the 2010 census. Geography Bechtelsville is located at (40.370078, -75.628590). According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of , all lan ...

* Bernville * Birdsboro *

Boyertown Boyertown ( Pennsylvania Dutch: ''Boyerschteddel'') is a borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania. The population was 4,055 at the 2010 census. Boyertown is known for the many painted fiberglass bears that can be found throughout the town and boro ...

* Centerport *

Hamburg (male), (female) en, Hamburger(s), Hamburgian(s) , timezone1 = Central (CET) , utc_offset1 = +1 , timezone1_DST = Central (CEST) , utc_offset1_DST = +2 , postal ...

* Kenhorst * Kutztown * Laureldale * Leesport * Lenhartsville * Lyons * Mohnton * Mount Penn * New Morgan * Robesonia *

St. Lawrence Saint Lawrence or Laurence ( la, Laurentius, lit. " laurelled"; 31 December AD 225 – 10 August 258) was one of the seven deacons of the city of Rome under Pope Sixtus II who were martyred in the persecution of the Christians that the Roma ...

* Shillington * Shoemakersville * Sinking Spring * Topton * Wernersville * West Reading * Womelsdorf *

Wyomissing Wyomissing is a borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The borough was established on July 2, 1906. As of the 2020 census, the population was 11,114, compared to 10,461 at the 2010 census. The growth was significantly larger betwe ...

Townships

* Albany *

Alsace Alsace (, ; ; Low Alemannic German/ gsw-FR, Elsàss ; german: Elsass ; la, Alsatia) is a cultural region and a territorial collectivity in eastern France, on the west bank of the upper Rhine next to Germany and Switzerland. In 2020, it had ...

* Amity * Bern * Bethel * Brecknock * Caernarvon *

Centre Center or centre may refer to: Mathematics * Center (geometry), the middle of an object * Center (algebra), used in various contexts ** Center (group theory) ** Center (ring theory) * Graph center, the set of all vertices of minimum eccentri ...

* Colebrookdale * Cumru *

District A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or county, counties, several municipality, municipa ...

* Douglass *

Earl Earl () is a rank of the nobility in the United Kingdom. The title originates in the Old English word ''eorl'', meaning "a man of noble birth or rank". The word is cognate with the Scandinavian form '' jarl'', and meant "chieftain", particula ...

* Exeter *

Greenwich Greenwich ( , ,) is a town in south-east London, England, within the ceremonial county of Greater London. It is situated east-southeast of Charing Cross. Greenwich is notable for its maritime history and for giving its name to the Greenwich ...

Heidelberg Heidelberg (; Palatine German language, Palatine German: ''Heidlberg'') is a city in the States of Germany, German state of Baden-Württemberg, situated on the river Neckar in south-west Germany. As of the 2016 census, its population was 159,914 ...

* Hereford * Jefferson * Longswamp * Lower Alsace * Lower Heidelberg * Maidencreek *

Marion Marion may refer to: People *Marion (given name) *Marion (surname) *Marion Silva Fernandes, Brazilian footballer known simply as "Marion" *Marion (singer), Filipino singer-songwriter and pianist Marion Aunor (born 1992) Places Antarctica * Mario ...

* Maxatawny * Muhlenberg * North Heidelberg *

Oley Oley may refer to: ;People * Barnabas Oley (1602–1686), English churchman and academic * Johann Christoph Oley (1738–1789), German organist and composer ;Places * Oley Valley, Pennsylvania * Oley Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania * Oley, Pe ...

* Ontelaunee * Penn *

Perry Perry, also known as pear cider, is an alcoholic beverage made from fermented pears, traditionally the perry pear. It has been common for centuries in England, particularly in Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, and Worcestershire. It is also mad ...

Pike Pike, Pikes or The Pike may refer to: Fish * Blue pike or blue walleye, an extinct color morph of the yellow walleye ''Sander vitreus'' * Ctenoluciidae, the "pike characins", some species of which are commonly known as pikes * ''Esox'', genus of ...

* Richmond * Robeson * Rockland * Ruscombmanor * South Heidelberg *

Spring Spring(s) may refer to: Common uses * Spring (season) Spring, also known as springtime, is one of the four temperate seasons, succeeding winter and preceding summer. There are various technical definitions of spring, but local usage of ...

* Tilden * Tulpehocken *

Union Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''Un ...

* Upper Bern * Upper Tulpehocken *

Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...

Windsor Windsor may refer to: Places Australia * Windsor, New South Wales ** Municipality of Windsor, a former local government area * Windsor, Queensland, a suburb of Brisbane, Queensland **Shire of Windsor, a former local government authority around Wi ...

Census-designated places

Census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a Place (United States Census Bureau), concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the count ...

s are geographical areas designated by the

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 Edenburg is a town situated about south of Bloemfontein in the Free State province of South Africa. , it had a population of 14,566. Background Edenburg was proclaimed a town in 1863 and received municipal government in 1891. The town is 85 ...

* Flying Hills * Fox Chase * Frystown *

Gibraltar ) , anthem = " God Save the King" , song = " Gibraltar Anthem" , image_map = Gibraltar location in Europe.svg , map_alt = Location of Gibraltar in Europe , map_caption = United Kingdom shown in pale green , mapsize = , image_map2 = Gib ...

* Gouglersville * Greenfields * Grill * Hereford * Hyde Park * Jacksonwald * Kempton *

Kutztown University Kutztown University of Pennsylvania (Kutztown University or KU) is a public university in Kutztown, Pennsylvania. It is part of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) and is accredited by the Middle States Commission on High ...

* Lincoln Park * Lorane * Mertztown * Mohrsville * Montrose Manor * Morgantown * Mount Aetna * Muhlenberg Park * New Berlinville * New Jerusalem * New Schaefferstown *

* Pennside * Pennwyn * Rehrersburg * Reiffton * Riverview Park *

Schubert Franz Peter Schubert (; 31 January 179719 November 1828) was an Austrian composer of the late Classical and early Romantic eras. Despite his short lifetime, Schubert left behind a vast ''oeuvre'', including more than 600 secular vocal wor ...

* Shartlesville * South Temple * Springmont * Spring Ridge * Stony Creek Mills * Stouchsburg *

Temple A temple (from the Latin ) is a building reserved for spiritual rituals and activities such as prayer and sacrifice. Religions which erect temples include Christianity (whose temples are typically called churches), Hinduism (whose temples ...

* 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 Priscilla Ahn (born Priscilla Natalie Hartranft; March 9, 1984) is an American singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. She released her single "Dream" from her debut album, '' A Good Day'', produced by Joey Waronker for EMI's Blue Note Reco ...

, folk musician, singer, and songwriter *

John Barrasso John Anthony Barrasso III ( ; born July 21, 1952) is an American physician and politician serving as the senior United States senator from Wyoming, a seat he has held since 2007. A member of the Republican Party, he served in the Wyoming State ...

, U.S. Senator *

Douglas Carter Beane Douglas Carter Beane is an American playwright and screenwriter. Born in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania and raised in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, Beane now lives in New York. His works include the screenplay of ''To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! J ...

, playwright * Chad Billingsley, former professional baseball player,

Los Angeles Dodgers The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brooklyn ...

and Philadelphia Phillies *

Daniel Boone Daniel Boone (September 26, 1820) was an American pioneer and frontiersman whose exploits made him one of the first folk heroes of the United States. He became famous for his exploration and settlement of Kentucky, which was then beyond the we ...

, American pioneer, explorer, and frontiersman *

Kenny Brightbill Kenny Brightbill (born January 20, 1948), nicknamed the " Shillington Slingshot" and "Mr. Excitement" is a former NASCAR and professional dirt modified driver from Sinking Spring, Pennsylvania. He has won 441 career professional races and is a mem ...

, professional race car driver *

Steve Burns ''yes'Steve is a masculine given name, usually a short form (hypocorism) of Steven or Stephen Notable people with the name include: steve jops * Steve Abbott (disambiguation), several people * Steve Adams (disambiguation), several people * Steve ...

, musician and former ''

Blue's Clues ''Blue's Clues'' is an American live-action/animated children's television series, created by Angela C. Santomero, Todd Kessler, and Traci Paige Johnson, that premiered on Nickelodeon as part of its Nick Jr. block on September 8, 1996, and ...

'' host * James Henry Carpenter,

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

sailor, officer, founder of Carpenter Technology Corporation *

Jack Coggins Jack Banham Coggins (July 10, 1911 – January 30, 2006) was an artist, author, and illustrator. He is known in the United States for his oil paintings, which focused predominantly on marine subjects. He is also known for his books on space tr ...

, illustrator, author and artist, lived in Boyertown from 1948 to 2006 *

Rocky Colavito Rocco Domenico "Rocky" Colavito Jr. (born August 10, 1933) is an American former professional baseball player, coach and television sports commentator. He played in Major League Baseball as an outfielder from 1955 to 1968, most prominently as a m ...

, former Major League Baseball player *

Kerry Collins Kerry Michael Collins (born December 30, 1972) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons. Collins was a member of six NFL teams, most notably the Carolina Panthers, New York Giants, ...

, professional football player (Panthers, Saints, Giants, Raiders, Titans, and Colts) *

Michael Constantine Michael Constantine (born Gus Efstratiou (Ευστρατίου); May 22, 1927 – August 31, 2021) was an American actor. He is most widely recognized for his portrayal of Kostas "Gus" Portokalos, the Windex bottle-toting Greek father of Toula ...

, actor, star of ''

Room 222 ''Room 222'' is an American comedy-drama television series produced by 20th Century Fox Television that aired on ABC for 112 episodes, from September 17, 1969 until January 11, 1974. The show was broadcast on Wednesday evenings at 8:30 ( EST) fo ...

'' and ''

My Big Fat Greek Wedding ''My Big Fat Greek Wedding'' is a 2002 romantic comedy film directed by Joel Zwick and written by Nia Vardalos, who also stars in the film as Fotoula "Toula" Portokalos, a middle class Greek American woman who falls in love with White Anglo-Sax ...

'' * Amy Cuddy, Harvard psychologist and TED Talks speaker *

Lisa Eichhorn Lisa Eichhorn (born February 4, 1952) is an American actress, writer and producer. She made her film debut in 1979 in the John Schlesinger film '' Yanks'', for which she received two Golden Globe nominations. Her international career has includ ...

, actress *

Wayne Ellington Wayne Robert Ellington Jr. (born November 29, 1987) is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played for the University of North Carolina from 2006 to ...

, NBA Basketball Player *

Carl Furillo Carl Anthony Furillo (March 8, 1922 – January 21, 1989), nicknamed "The Reading Rifle" and "Skoonj", was an American professional baseball right fielder who played in Major League Baseball (MLB), spending his entire career with the Brooklyn / ...

, former professional baseball player,

Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

* John Henry Gilmore, Jr., former professional football player, Chicago Bears,

New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. Since 1975, the te ...

, and

Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. The cl ...

Jon Gosselin Jonathan Keith Gosselin (born April 1, 1977) is an American former television personality, previously known for his appearances with former wife Kate Gosselin and their eight children on the American reality TV show '' Jon & Kate Plus 8''. Ear ...

, reality television personality, ''

Jon & Kate Plus 8 ''Jon & Kate Plus 8'', later known as ''Kate Plus 8'', is an American reality television series starring Kate Gosselin, Jon Gosselin, and their eight children, which ran from April 4, 2007 to July 24, 2017. History After the success of two on ...

'' * Kate Gosselin, reality television personality, ''

'' *

Keith Haring Keith Allen Haring (May 4, 1958 – February 16, 1990) was an American artist whose pop art emerged from the New York City graffiti subculture of the 1980s. His animated imagery has "become a widely recognized visual language". Much of his wor ...

, former artist *

Chad Henne Chad Steven Henne (; born July 2, 1985) is an American football quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Michigan. While there, Henne became only the second true freshman st ...

, football professional football player,

Miami Dolphins The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member team of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team p ...

* Chris Hero, professional wrestler *

Joseph Hiester Joseph Hiester (November 18, 1752June 10, 1832) was an American politician, who served as the fifth governor of Pennsylvania from 1820 to 1823. He was a member of the Hiester family political dynasty, and was a member of the Democratic-Republ ...

, governor of

1820–1823 *

Tommy Hinnershitz Thomas Paul Hinnershitz (April 6, 1912 – August 1, 1999) was an American race car driver. Hinnershitz was active through the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s on dirt, asphalt and boards, driving "Big Cars" (later Sprint Cars), at that time slightly ...

(1912–1999), auto racing pioneer * Chad Hurley, co-founder of YouTube * Mildred Jordan (1901–1982), novelist *

Chip Kidd Charles Kidd (born 1964) is an American graphic designer known for book covers. Early childhood Born in Shillington in Berks County, Pennsylvania, Kidd grew up being fascinated and heavily inspired by American popular culture. Comic books ...

(born 1964), book jacket designer at Knopf Publishing Group *

Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation thro ...

(1744-1786), grandfather of 16th U.S. president

* Matt Lytle (born 1975), professional football player *

Donyell Marshall Donyell Lamar Marshall (born May 18, 1973) is an American basketball coach and former professional player. He's currently an assistant coach for the Greensboro Swarm of the NBA G League. During his National Basketball Association (NBA) career, ...

, former NBA player *

James H. Maurer James Hudson Maurer (April 15, 1864 – March 16, 1944) was a prominent American trade unionist who twice ran for the office of Vice President of the United States on the ticket of the Socialist Party of America. Biography Early years James H. ...

(1864-1944), Labor leader and two-time Vice Presidential nominee *

Kelly McGillis Kelly Ann McGillis (born July 9, 1957) is an American stage actress. She is known for her film roles such as Rachel Lapp in ''Witness'' (1985), for which she received Golden Globe and BAFTA nominations; Charlie in '' Top Gun'' (1986); ''Made i ...

, actress, '' op Gun/Witness/The Accused' * Gordon McKellen, Jr., former U.S. figure skating champion and Hall of Fame member *

Morton L. Montgomery Morton Luther Montgomery (1846–1933) was a native-born Pennsylvanian and Harvard-trained lawyer who became a respected military and public historian and author of more than a dozen books, lecture-related content and other materials documenting t ...

(1846–1933), Reading attorney and author of multiple history books about Berks County *

Lenny Moore Leonard Edward Moore (born November 25, 1933) is an American former professional football player who played both halfback and flanker in the National Football League (NFL) for the Baltimore Colts from 1956 to 1967. He played college football f ...

, NFL Hall of Fame * Thomas Morris, Democratic politician, served in the

United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and pow ...

Jillian Murray Jillian Murray is an American actress. She is known for her roles as Portlyn on ''Sonny with a Chance'', Olivia on MTV's '' Awkward'', Gwen Adams in '' American High School'', Lex Mitchell in ''Forget Me Not'', Brandi Cox in '' Wild Things: Fou ...

(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 Dr. Bodo Otto (17111787) was a Senior Surgeon of the Continental Army during the American Revolution. He was one of the early settlers of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, having emigrated from the Electorate of Hanover in what is now Germany in 175 ...

, Senior Surgeon of the Continental Army during the American Revolution (1711–1787) * William Sands, U.S. Medal of Honor winner (Civil War)"Sands, William", in
Medal of Honor Recipients: Civil War (S-Z)
. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Army Center of Military History, retrieved online October 6, 2018. *

Martin Cruz Smith Martin Cruz Smith (born November 3, 1942) is an American mystery novelist. He is best known for his nine-novel series (to date) on Russian investigator Arkady Renko, who was first introduced in 1981 with '' Gorky Park''. Early life and educ ...

, novelist * Carl Spaatz,

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

general *

Wallace Stevens Wallace Stevens (October 2, 1879 – August 2, 1955) was an American modernist poet. He was born in Reading, Pennsylvania, educated at Harvard and then New York Law School, and spent most of his life working as an executive for an insurance compa ...

, major American Modernist poet, October 2, 1879 – August 2, 1955 *

Taylor Swift Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. Her discography spans multiple genres, and her vivid songwriting—often inspired by her personal life—has received critical praise and wide media coverage. Bor ...

(born 1989),

Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pr ...

-winning country/pop singer-songwriter *

Ross Tucker Ross Finch Tucker (born March 2, 1979) is a former American football offensive lineman and current sports broadcaster. Tucker was an All-Ivy League offensive lineman at Princeton University, then played seven seasons in the National Football L ...

, professional football player * John Updike, writer, 1932–2009 *

Lonnie Walker Lonnie Walker IV (born December 14, 1998) is an American professional basketball player for the Brooklyn Nets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). In high school, he was named Mr. Pennsylvania Basketball and earned McDonald's All-Ameri ...

, NBA player *

Gus Yatron Constantine "Gus" Yatron (October 16, 1927 – March 13, 2003) was an American businessman, boxer, and politician who served as a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives for Pennsylvania's 6th congressional district from ...

, former congressman from Pennsylvania

Footnotes

External links

* {{coord, 40.42, -75.93, display=title, type:adm2nd_region:US-PA_source:UScensus1990 1752 establishments in Pennsylvania Populated places established in 1752