City profile · Pennsylvania · Census ACS 2023

Berwick, PA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Berwick - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

10,291
Residents
$45,338
Median income
$135,000
Median home
$1,140
Median rent (state)

Berwick - the verdict

Berwick ranks in the 13th percentile for household income and the 59th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

13th
percentile, household income
22nd
percentile, home value
31st
percentile, median rent
59th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Berwick, PA

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 10,291 residents in Berwick, a small town within Pennsylvania. Median household income here is $45,338 per year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 18.6%. Home values in Berwick run a median of $135,000, and the median resident age is 41.2 years. About 14.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 55.8% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 0 residential building permits were authorized in Berwick (No Permits), per Census BPS data. Berwick reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR figures show 1113.0 crimes per 100,000 residents, below the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score).

Pennsylvania tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Pennsylvania scores 97.6 (Near Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,140 per month statewide. Monthly utility costs average around $260 across Pennsylvania, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 62.1 out of 100 (Moderate).

Population

10,291 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Pennsylvania

Median Household Income

$45,338 /yr

Poverty 18.6%

Cost of Living Index (state)

97.6 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Pennsylvania average

How does Berwick compare to other US cities?

Here's how Berwick stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 13% higher than other cities
Home value 22% pricier than other cities
Median rent 31% pricier than other cities
Safety 59% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Pennsylvania, Berwick ranks #244 of 402 Pennsylvania cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Berwick against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Pennsylvania only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Pennsylvania-relative analysis

Poverty Rate places Berwick toward the top of Pennsylvania's cities

Among the 1,856 Pennsylvania cities PlainCities tracks with reported poverty rate data, Berwick ranks #196 - the 89th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Berwick only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#1,599 of 1,765
9th percentile in Pennsylvania
Median Gross Rent
#1,139 of 1,865
38th percentile in Pennsylvania
Median Home Value
#1,174 of 1,790
34th percentile in Pennsylvania
Poverty Rate
#196 of 1,856
89th percentile in Pennsylvania
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#1,344 of 1,861
27th percentile in Pennsylvania

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Pennsylvania only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

13thIncome percentile
59thSafety percentile

13th percentile nationally for median household income · 59th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Berwick's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Berwick's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 49 Avg. percentile National median
Berwick's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Berwick's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$135,000 Among the most affordable more affordable than 78% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Berwick $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Berwick, PA Berwick, PA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Berwick, PA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Berwick, PA median $45,338/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Berwick, PA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Berwick, PA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 14.9%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 18.6%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 55.8%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
10,291
Median Income
$45,338
Median Home Value
$135,000
Median Age
41.2
Poverty Rate
18.6%
Labor force participation
55.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
14.9%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1113.0
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
58.6
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1054.4
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
4
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
10,260 residents10,280 residents10,300 residents10,320 residents10,340 residents10,360 residents 202020212022202320242025 10,321 residents 10,297 residents ▼ -0.2%
Berwick's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

Total Permits (2024)
0
housing units authorized
Single-Family
0
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 0
2020 0
2021 2
2022 4
2023 2
2024 0

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
83.6%
Carpool
5.5%
Public Transit
0.5%
Walk
4.2%
Work from Home
6.3%

Based on 4,778 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Pennsylvania - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$120
avg/month
Natural Gas
$88
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$52
avg/month
Total Utilities
$260
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Pennsylvania state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Pennsylvania state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Berwick sits in

Cost of Living Index
97.6
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,140/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
62.1 / 100
Moderate
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Pennsylvania

Woodlyn
10,276 people
Columbia
10,217 people
Northampton
10,366 people
Roslyn
10,150 people
Willow Street
10,010 people
Nanticoke
10,610 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Berwick's 10,291 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Port Townsend, WA
10,290 people
Clay, AL
10,288 people
Flowery Branch, GA
10,286 people
Watervliet, NY
10,285 people
East Franklin, NJ
10,281 people
Exeter, CA
10,280 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Berwick's $45,338 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Nambe, NM
$45,341 median income
Ages, KY
$45,333 median income
Chelsea, VT
$45,333 median income
St. Francis, KS
$45,324 median income
Taylor Springs, IL
$45,323 median income
St. Andrews, SC
$45,321 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Berwick, PA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Berwick, PA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 91.4% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 4.8% White 91.4% Black or African American 4.4% Asian 0.2% American Indian 1.1% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.3% Two or more races 2.7% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Berwick compares to nearby Pennsylvania cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Berwick (this city) 10,291 $45,338
Woodlyn 10,276 $71,978
Columbia 10,217 $52,271
Northampton 10,366 $82,719
Census ACS 5-year FIPS PA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Berwick, PA?

What is the population of Berwick, PA? +

Berwick, PA counts 10,291 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Berwick, PA? +

The median household income in Berwick is $45,338 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Berwick? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Berwick; the closest available measure is the Pennsylvania state average, a cost of living index of 97.6 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Near Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Pennsylvania vary by metro area.

Is Berwick, PA safe? +

Berwick has a total crime rate of 1113.0 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Berwick, PA? +

A typical home in Berwick is worth $135,000, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.