Berks County

Berks County, Pennsylvania

633 Court St 4th Fl
Reading, PA 19601
Phone: (610) 478-6550
Fax: (610) 478-6570
www.co.berks.pa.us

In southeastern PA, southwest of Allentown; established Mar 11, 1752 from Chester, Lancaster, and Philadelphia counties. Name Origin: The shortened form for Berkshire, England, which also has a Reading as its county seat; site of large land holdings of the Penn family

Area (sq mi):: 865.67 (land 858.88; water 6.79) Population per square mile: 461.40
Population 2005: 396,314 State rank: 9 Population change: 2000-20005 6.10%; 1990-2000 11.00% Population 2000: 373,638 (White 84.80%; Black or African American 3.70%; Hispanic or Latino 9.70%; Asian 1.00%; Other 7.10%). Foreign born: 4.30%. Median age: 37.40
Income 2000: per capita $21,232; median household $44,714; Population below poverty level: 9.40% Personal per capita income (2000-2003): $28,776-$29,790
Unemployment (2004): 5.30% Unemployment change (from 2000): 0.40% Median travel time to work: 22.30 minutes Working outside county of residence: 20.80% Cities with population over 10,000:
  • Reading County seat (80,727)
  • Wyomissing (11,142)
    • See other counties in Pennsylvania.