Demographics
As of the
censusA census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 373,638 people, 141,570 households, and 98,532 families residing in the county. The
population densityPopulation density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 435 people per square mile (168/km²). There were 150,222 housing units at an average density of 175 per square mile (68/km²). The racial makeup of the county in 2004 was 82.5% White, 4.6% Black or
African AmericanRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.2% Native American, 1.2% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 6.3% from
other racesRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race made up 11.8%. 35.1% were of German, 8.6%
ItalianThe Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
, 7.1%
IrishThe Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
, and 5.4% Polish ancestry according to Census 2000. 87.6% spoke
EnglishEnglish is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, 8.1%
SpanishSpanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
and 1.0%
Pennsylvania DutchThe Pennsylvania German language is a variety of West Central German possibly spoken by more than 250,000 people in North America...
as their first language. Historically there was a large
Pennsylvania DutchPennsylvania Dutch refers to immigrants and their descendants from southwestern Germany and Switzerland who settled in Pennsylvania in the 17th and 18th centuries...
(from Pennsylvania
Deutsch or German) population. It is known as part of
Pennsylvania Dutch CountryPennsylvania Dutch Country refers to an area of southeastern Pennsylvania, United States that by the American Revolution had a high percentage of Pennsylvania Dutch inhabitants. Religiously, there was a large portion of Lutherans. There were also German Reformed, Moravian, Amish, Mennonite and...
. Berks County also has large and growing Puerto Rican, Dominican, and Mexican communities.
According to Muninetguide the median household income for Berks County, as of 2010, is $54,105
There were 141,570 households out of which 31.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.50% were
married couplesMarriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 9.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.40% were non-families. 24.60% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.05.
In the county, the population was spread out with 24.60% under the age of 18, 8.80% from 18 to 24, 28.90% from 25 to 44, 22.60% from 45 to 64, and 15.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 95.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.70 males.
Politics
As of January 2010, there are 248,949 registered voters in Berks County.
- Democratic
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
: 121,828 (48.94%)
- Republican
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
: 92,685 (37.23%)
- Other parties: 34,436 (13.83%)
The first time since 1964 that a Democrat carried Berks in a Presidential election occurred in November 2008, with
Barack ObamaBarack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
receiving 53.9% of the vote to
John McCainJohn Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
's 44.7%. The other three statewide winners (Rob McCord for Treasurer,
Jack WagnerJack E. Wagner is the current auditor general of Pennsylvania. The statewide elected office is charged with serving as the commonwealth’s independent fiscal monitor...
for Auditor General, and
Tom CorbettThomas W. Corbett is the 46th and current Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States. He is a former Attorney General of Pennsylvania and was elected to that office in 2004 and reelected in 2008...
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.
Municipalities
Under Pennsylvania law, there are four types of incorporated municipalities:
cities,
boroughs,
townships, and, in at most two cases, towns. The following cities, boroughs and townships are located in Berks County:
Boroughs
- Adamstown
Adamstown is a borough in Berks and Lancaster counties in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The population was 1,789 at the 2010 census. It was initially founded on 4 July 1761 by William Addams on the site of a former village of native Americans, and Addams named the community "Addamsburry"...
(part of Adamstown is in Lancaster CountyLancaster County, known as the Garden Spot of America or Pennsylvania Dutch Country, is a county located in the southeastern part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of 2010 the population was 519,445. Lancaster County forms the Lancaster Metropolitan Statistical Area, the...
)
- Bally
Bally is a borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,062 at the 2000 census, but a 2005 census estimate put the population at 1,102 residents.-History:...
- Bechtelsville
Bechtelsville is a borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. Its population was 931 at the 2000 census. Its population was 942 in the 2010 Census.-Geography:Bechtelsville is located at ....
- Bernville
Bernville is a borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population in year 2000 was 865 according to the U.S. census. Bernville is surrounded by Penn Township to the north, east, and south and by Jefferson Township to the west.-History:...
- Birdsboro
Birdsboro is a borough along the Schuylkill River in Berks County, Pennsylvania, eight miles southeast of Reading. In the past, Birdsboro was noted for its large foundries and machine shops, none of which remain in operation today.-History:...
- Boyertown
Boyertown is a borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,940 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of , all of it land.-Demographics:...
- Centerport
Centerport is a borough in north central Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 327 at the 2000 census.It is in the Schuylkill Valley School District.-Geography:...
- Fleetwood
Fleetwood is a borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 4,085 at the 2010 census. It was home to the Fleetwood Metal Body company, an automobile coachbuilder purchased by Fisher Body and integrated into General Motors in 1931...
- Hamburg
Hamburg is a borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 4,114 at the 2000 census. The town is named after Hamburg, Germany.-Geography:Hamburg is located at ....
- Kenhorst
Kenhorst is a borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,679 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Kenhorst is located at ....
- Kutztown
Kutztown is a borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania, southwest of Allentown and northeast of Reading. As of the 2000 census, the borough has a total population of 5,067. It is the site of Kutztown University.- History :...
- Laureldale
Laureldale is a borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania. The population was 3,759 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Laureldale is at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of , all of it land....
- Leesport
Leesport is a borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,805 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Leesport is located at ....
- Lenhartsville
Lenhartsville is a borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 173 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Lenhartsville is located at ....
- Lyons
Lyons is a borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 504 at the 2000 census.Lyons is located 3 miles south of Kutztown...
- Mohnton
Mohnton is a borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,963 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Mohnton is located at ....
- Mount Penn
Mount Penn is the name of a mountain peak and a borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,076 at the 2009 Census. The peak is sometimes recognized as the southern end of the Reading Prong mountains.-Geography:...
- New Morgan
New Morgan is a borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 35 at the 2000 census.-Geography:New Morgan is located at ....
- Robesonia
Robesonia is a borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,061 at the 2010 census. The majority of the area's population resides out of the borough boundaries. Once famous for its iron furnaces , the town was founded in 1855 by Henry P...
- St. Lawrence
St. Lawrence is a borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,812 at the 2000 census.-Geography:St. Lawrence is located at ....
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Shillington Shillington is a borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States with a population of 5,059 at the 2000 census nestled amongst other suburbs outside of Reading...
ShoemakersvilleShoemakersville is a borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,124 at the 2000 census.-Overview:Shoemakersville was named for the first settlers Henry and Charles Shoemaker. It was a thriving apparel manufacturing town. It is home of the "The Shoey Green Sox" the...
Sinking SpringSinking Spring is a borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,639 at the 2000 census. Sinking Spring was given its name for a spring located in the center of town, the water in which would sink into the ground from time to time, giving it the illusion of having...
StrausstownStrausstown is a borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 339 at the 2000 census.-Geography and history:Strausstown is located at ....
ToptonTopton is a borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,948 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Topton is located at ....
WernersvilleWernersville is a borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,494 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Wernersville is located at .-History:...
West ReadingWest Reading is a borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 4,049 at the 2000 census. It contains a vibrant main street and the large Reading Hospital and Medical Center. It is also the site of the VF Outlet Village, one of the largest outlet malls in the United States...
WomelsdorfWomelsdorf, named after John Womelsdorff, is a borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,599 at the 2000 census. The main thoroughfares through Womelsdorf are High Street, which runs east-west, and Route 419, which runs north-south. Route 422 runs along the...
WyomissingWyomissing is a borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States, established on July 2, 1906. The population was 8,587 at the 2000 census, but after the January, 2002 merger with neighboring Wyomissing Hills, the combined 2000 Census estimate was 11,155 making it the most populous borough in...
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Townships
- Albany Township
Albany Township is a township in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,662 at the 2000 census. A 2005 census estimate put the township's population at 1,712. The township hall is located in Kempton.-Geography:...
- Alsace Township
- Amity Township
Amity Township is a township in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 8,867 at the 2000 census. The 2005 census estimate put the population at 11,067...
- Bern Township
- Bethel Township
Bethel Township is a township in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 4,166 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water. It is drained by the Little Swatara...
- Brecknock Township
Brecknock Township is a township in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 4,459 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , all of it land....
- Caernarvon Township
Caernarvon Township is a township in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,312 at the 2000 census. It is often referred to as Morgantown, the township's largest village.-History:...
- Centre Township
Centre Township is a township in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,631 at the 2000 census.It is in Schuylkill Valley School District.-Geography:...
- Colebrookdale Township
- Cumru Township
- District Township
- Douglass Township
Douglass Township is a township in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,327 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water.Adjacent townships*Colebrookdale...
- Earl Township
Earl Township is a township in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,050 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water. It is drained by the Schuylkill River...
- Exeter Township
Exeter Township is a township in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 25,550 as of the 2010 Census, making it the third most populous municipality in Berks County after the city of Reading and Spring Township. Daniel Boone Homestead is within its borders. Betsy King, the...
- Greenwich Township
- Heidelberg Township
Heidelberg Township is a township in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,636 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which, of it is land and 0.07% is water.Adjacent townships*Marion Township...
- Hereford Township
- Jefferson Township
Jefferson Township is a township in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,604 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water.Adjacent townships and boroughs*Upper...
- Longswamp Township
- Lower Alsace Township
- Lower Heidelberg Township
- Maidencreek Township
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Marion Township Marion Township is a township in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,573 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 15.3 square miles , of which, 15.3 square miles of it is land and 0.07%...
Maxatawny Township
Muhlenberg Township
North Heidelberg Township
Oley Township
Ontelaunee Township
Penn TownshipPenn Township is a township in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,993 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 19.1 square miles , of which, 18.6 square miles of it is land and...
Perry TownshipPerry Township is a township in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,517 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 18.4 square miles , of which, 18.3 square miles of it is land and...
Pike TownshipPike Township is a township in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,677 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 13.9 square miles , all of it land. It is drained by the Schuylkill River via the...
Richmond TownshipRichmond Township is a township in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,500 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 23.7 square miles , of which, 23.6 square miles of it is land and...
Robeson Township
Rockland TownshipRockland Township is a township in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,765 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 17.1 square miles , all of it land...
Ruscombmanor Township
South Heidelberg Township
Spring TownshipSpring Township is a township in Berks County, Pennsylvania, USA. The population was 27,119 at the 2010 census, making it the most populous municipality in Berks County outside the city of Reading.-Geography:...
Tilden Township
Tulpehocken Township
Union TownshipUnion Township is a township in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,453 at the 2000 census.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 3,453 people, 1,324 households, and 1,035 families residing in the township. The population density was 148.9 people per square...
Upper Bern Township
Upper Tulpehocken Township
Washington TownshipWashington Township is a township in eastern Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,354 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
Windsor TownshipWindsor Township is a township in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population as of the 2000 census was 2,392.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 22.6 square miles .22.5 square miles of it is land and 0.1 square...
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Unincorporated or Census-designated places
Census-designated placeA census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
s are geographical areas designated by the
U.S. Census BureauThe United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
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.
- Amity Gardens
Amity Gardens is a census-designated place in Amity Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. As of the 2000 census, the CDP had a total population of 3,370.The town lends its name to a Fountains of Wayne song.-Geography:...
- Flying Hills
Flying Hills is a census-designated place in Cumru Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,191 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Flying Hills is located at ....
- Lorane
Lorane is a census-designated place in Exeter Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,994 at the 2000 census...
- Plowville
Plowville is an unincorporated area of Robeson Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania. it is located on Pennsylvania Route 10, just east of Interstate 176. Its zip code is 19540 and is served by the Twin Valley School District...
- Reiffton
Reiffton is a census-designated place in Exeter Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,888 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Reiffton is located at ....
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Spring Ridge Spring Ridge is a census-designated place in Spring Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 786 at the 2000 census...
StouchsburgStouchsburg is an unincorporated community located in extreme western Berks County, Pennsylvania. It is just off U.S. Route 422 along Main St. in Marion Township, and is served by the Conrad Weiser Area School District. It is three miles northwest of Womelsdorf and four miles east of Myerstown...
West LawnWest Lawn is a former borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,597 at the 2000 census. This borough was dissolved and became part of Spring Township on January 1, 2006...
West WyomissingWest Wyomissing is a census-designated place in Spring Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,016 at the 2000 census.-Geography:West Wyomissing is located at ....
WhitfieldWhitfield is a census-designated place in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,952 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Whitfield is located at ....
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Colleges and universities
- Albright College
Albright College is a private, co-ed, liberal arts college affiliated with the United Methodist Church. It was founded in 1856 and is located in Reading, Pennsylvania, United States.-Overview:...
- Alvernia University
- Kutztown University of Pennsylvania
Kutztown University of Pennsylvania , is an American public university located in rural Kutztown, Berks County, Pennsylvania and is one of fourteen schools that comprise the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education and is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary...
- Penn State Berks
Penn State Berks is a commonwealth campus of Pennsylvania State University located in Spring Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania.-History:First known as Wyomissing Polytechnic Institute, Penn State Berks became part of the Penn State system in 1958. The Berks campus has experienced many changes...
- Reading Area Community College
Reading Area Community College is a public community college located in Reading, Pennsylvania, USA. The college was founded in 1971 and serves the greater Reading area and Berks County, Pennsylvania.-History:...
Public school districts
- Antietam School District
The Antietam School District covers the Borough of Mount Penn and Lower Alsace Township in Berks County, Pennsylvania. The district operates Antietam Middle/Sr High School , Mount Penn Elementary Center and Mount Penn Primary Center . It encompasses approximately 5 square miles. According to a...
- Boyertown Area School District
The Boyertown Area School District spans portions of two counties. In Berks County, Pennsylvania it covers the Boroughs of Bally, Bechtelsville and Boyertown and Colebrookdale Township, Douglass Township, Earl Township and Washington Township. In Montgomery County, Pennsylvania it covers Douglass...
- Brandywine Heights Area School District
The Brandywine Heights Area School District covers the Borough of Topton and District Township, Longswamp Township and Rockland Township in Berks County, Pennsylvania. The district operates Brandywine Heights High School , Brandywine Heights Middle School , District-Topton Elementary School and...
- Conrad Weiser Area School District
The Conrad Weiser Area School District is located in western Berks County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. This district serves South Heidelberg Township, Heidelberg Township, North Heidelberg Township and Marion Township and the Boroughs of Wernersville, Robesonia and Womelsdorf. The district...
- Daniel Boone Area School District
The Daniel Boone Area School District covers the Borough of Birdsboro and Amity Township and Union Township in Berks County, Pennsylvania. The district operates Daniel Boone High School , Daniel Boone Middle School , Amity Intermediate Center , Amity Primary Center , Birdsboro Elementary Center ...
- Exeter Township School District
The Exeter Township School District is located in Berks County, Pennsyslvania in the United States. The district serves two municipalities southeast of Reading, the Borough of St. Lawrence, and Exeter Township...
- Fleetwood Area School District
Fleetwood Area School District is a public school district located in north central Berks County in Fleetwood, Pennsylvania. The district serves students in the community of Fleetwood as well as Richmond Township to the north and Maidencreek Township to the south.-...
- Governor Mifflin School District
The Governor Mifflin School District is located in southern Berks County in southeastern Pennsylvania in the United States.The district comprises six schools, located throughout the district....
- Hamburg Area School District
The Hamburg Area School District is a public school district serving parts of Berks County, Pennsylvania. It encompasses the communities of Shoemakersville, Perry Twp, Windsor Twp, Hamburg, Tilden Twp, Upper Bern Twp, Strausstown, and Upper Tulpehocken. The district features two elementary schools,...
- Kutztown Area School District
The Kutztown Area School District is a public school district serving parts of Berks County, Pennsylvania. It encompasses the communities of Kutztown, Lyons, Maxatawny Twp, Greenwich Twp, Lenhartsville, and Albany Twp. It features three elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school....
- Muhlenberg School District
The Muhlenberg Area School District is a public school district serving parts of Berks County, Pennsylvania, USA. It encompasses the borough of Laureldale and the Muhlenberg Township. The district encompasses approximately 13 square miles. Per the 2000 federal census data it serves a resident...
- Oley Valley School District
Oley Valley School District is a school district located in Berks County, Pennsylvania. It serves the townships of Alsace, Oley, Pike, and Ruscombmanor....
- Reading School District
Reading School District is the school district that operates in Reading, Pennsylvania.-Elementary schools:Students in Pre-kindergarten through Grade 5 attend the following schools:* Amanda E...
- Schuylkill Valley School District
Schuylkill Valley is a school district located in Berks County. The name derives from the Schuylkill River, which flows through the valley where the district is located.-Geography:...
- Tulpehocken Area School District
The Tulpehocken Area School District is a school district located in northwestern Berks County, Pennsylvania. The district serves three different schools. Penn-Bernville Elementary and Bethel Elementary are the two elementary schools that enroll students in Kindergarten through 6th Grade...
- Twin Valley School District
Twin Valley School District is centered in Elverson, Pennsylvania. It comprises Five schools, all within half an hour's driving distance of each other.-Schools:Twin Valley School District comprises:* Twin Valley Elementary Center...
- Upper Perkiomen School District
The Upper Perkiomen School District is located in Pennsylvania in the northern corner of Montgomery County, and the eastern corner of Berks County...
- Wilson School District
The Wilson School District is home to over 5700 students from several communities and 1099 faculty/staff members...
- Wyomissing Area School District
Private high schools
- Berks Christian School http://www.berkschristian.org
- Blue Mountain Academy
Blue Mountain Academy is a Seventh-day Adventist Christian boarding high school located in Tilden Township, PA. It is located at the foot of the Blue Mountain Range.-History:...
- Fairview Christian School
- Kings Academy
- Berks Catholic High School
Technical or trade schools
- Berks Technical Institute
- Pace Institute
- Reading Hospital School of Nursing
Notable people
- Gus Yatron
Constantine "Gus" Yatron was an American politician who was a member of the United States House of Representatives. A member of the Democratic Party, Yatron represented the 6th congressional district of Pennsylvania for twelve terms, from 1969 until his retirement in 1993...
, Former United States Congressman from Pennsylvania
- William Addams
William Addams was a Pennsylvania State Representative and United States Congressman. He was born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania in 1777....
, United States Congressman from Pennsylvania
- Daniel Boone
Daniel Boone was an American pioneer, explorer, and frontiersman whose frontier exploits mad']'e him one of the first folk heroes of the United States. Boone is most famous for his exploration and settlement of what is now the Commonwealth of Kentucky, which was then beyond the western borders of...
, American pioneer, explorer, and frontiersman (b. 1734 - d. 1820)
- Bodo Otto
Dr. Bodo Otto was a Senior Surgeon of the Continental Army during the American Revolution. He was one of the early settlers of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, emigrating from Germany in 1755....
, Senior Surgeon of the Continental Army during the American Revolution (b. 1711 - d. 1787)
- Priscilla Ahn
Priscilla Ahn is an American singer-songwriter.-Early life and education:Ahn was born Priscilla Natalie Hartranft in Fort Stewart, Georgia to Kay and Harry Hartranft and spent her childhood living in the USA and South Korea. She lived in Berks County, Pennsylvania for several years and attended...
, folk musician and singer-songwriter.
- Chad Billingsley
Chad Ryan Billingsley is a Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher with the Los Angeles Dodgers.-Biography:...
, pitcher for the LA Dodgers
- Steve Burns
Steven Michael "Steve" Burns is an American entertainer. He is best known as the original host of the long-running children's television program Blue's Clues.-Early career:...
, musician and former Blue's CluesBlue's Clues is an American children's television show airing on the Nickelodeon family of channels. The show premiered on September 8, 1996 and airs on Nick Jr. and other channels, although production of new episodes ceased by 2006. Versions of the show have been produced in other countries,...
host
- Bob Cesca
Bob Cesca is an American director, producer, writer, actor, blogger and political commentator.Cesca writes weekly columns in The Huffington Post, which he has written since August 2005. He has also contributed to AOL's WalletPop blog and Manhattan Magazine.He began his career in media working as...
, animator, political author and columnist/blogger for The Huffington PostThe Huffington Post is an American news website and content-aggregating blog founded by Arianna Huffington, Kenneth Lerer, and Jonah Peretti, featuring liberal minded columnists and various news sources. The site offers coverage of politics, theology, media, business, entertainment, living, style,...
- Jack Coggins
Jack Banham Coggins 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 travel, which were both authored and illustrated by Coggins...
, illustrator, author and artist, lived in Boyertown from 1948–2006
- Rocky Colavito
Rocco Domenico "Rocky" Colavito, Jr. is a former right fielder in Major League Baseball best known for his years with the Cleveland Indians. He wore a #6, #7 or #21 jersey during his MLB career...
, former Major League Baseball player
- Kerry Collins
Kerry Michael Collins is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Carolina Panthers with the fifth overall pick of the 1995 NFL Draft, the first choice in the franchise's history...
, professional football player (Panthers, Saints, Giants, Raiders, Titans, and Colts)
- Michael Constantine
Michael Constantine is a Greek American actor.He is probably now best known for his portrayal of Gus Portokalos, the Windex bottle-toting Greek father of Toula Portokalos , in the 2002 surprise hit film My Big Fat Greek Wedding.Prior to that, he was well-known for his extensive TV work, especially...
, actor, star of Room 222Room 222 is an American comedy-drama television series produced by 20th Century Fox Television. The series aired on ABC from September 17, 1969, to January 11, 1974, for 112 episodes...
and My Big Fat Greek WeddingMy Big Fat Greek Wedding is a 2002 Canadian and American romantic comedy film written by and starring Nia Vardalos and directed by Joel Zwick. The film is centered on Fotoula "Toula" Portokalos , a middle class Greek American woman who falls in love with a non-Greek upper middle class "White...
.
- John Henry Gilmore, Jr., professional football player (Saints, Bears, and Buccaneers)
- Kate Gosselin
Katie Irene "Kate" Gosselin is an American television personality. Gosselin achieved national recognition on the reality show Jon & Kate Plus 8, in which she and her then-husband Jon Gosselin are profiled as they raise their atypical family of sextuplets and twins.-Early life:Kate Gosselin was...
, Gosselin Family, Reality TV stars of Jon & Kate Plus 8Jon & Kate Plus 8, named Kate Plus 8 from the sixth season on, is an American reality television series airing on TLC. It is produced by Figure 8 Films about the Gosselin family, consisting of parents Jon and Kate and their eight children: fraternal twins and sextuplets...
- Chad Henne
Chad Steven Henne is an American football quarterback for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League.He graduated from Wilson Senior High School and attended the University of Michigan...
, professional football player (Miami Dolphins) and Graduate of the University of Michigan (4 Year Starter at Quarterback)
- Chris Hero
Chris Spradlin is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Chris Hero. He is a mainstay of many independent wrestling promotions, including Ring of Honor, and Pro Wrestling Guerrilla as well as Pro Wrestling Noah in Japan...
, professional wrestler
- Joseph Hiester
Joseph Hiester was the fifth Governor of Pennsylvania from 1820 to 1823. He was a member of the Hiester family political dynasty.-Biography:...
, governor of PennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
1820-1823
- Tommy Hinnershitz
Thomas Paul Hinnershitz was an American race car driver.Hinnershitz was active through the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s on dirt, asphalt and boards, driving Sprint Cars, at that time slightly smaller versions of Indianapolis cars that could be raced on half mile dirt race tracks.-Career...
1912-1999. Auto racing pioneer. Member Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame.
- Chad Hurley
Chad Meredith Hurley is an American co-founder and former Chief Executive Officer of the popular video sharing website YouTube. In June 2006, he was voted 28th on Business 2.0's "50 People Who Matter Now" list...
, Co-Founder of YouTube (attended Twin Valley)
- Kelly McGillis
Kelly Ann McGillis is an American actress. Her films include Top Gun, The Accused, and Witness, for which she received a Golden Globe nomination.-Career:...
, actress, [Top Gun]
- Jillian Murray
Jillian Leigh Murray is an American Actress. She perhaps best known for her role as Portlyn on Sonny With a Chance and as Heather in An American Carol .-Life and career:...
, model/actress (b. June 4, 1989)
- Jacob Nolde
Jacob Nolde was an American industrialist and environmentalist who was largely responsible for the creation of Nolde Forest Environmental Education Center, a Pennsylvania state park in Berks County, Pennsylvania in the United States....
, conservationist
- Wallace Stevens
Wallace Stevens 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 a lawyer for the Hartford insurance company in Connecticut.His best-known poems include "Anecdote of the Jar",...
, major American Modernist poet, October 2, 1879 – August 2, 1955.
- Taylor Swift
Taylor Alison Swift is an American country pop singer-songwriter, musician and actress.In 2006, she released her debut single "Tim McGraw", then her self-titled debut album, which was subsequently certified multi-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America...
, Grammy Award winning country singer
- Nicole Tranquillo, semi-finalist on American Idol
American Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
.
- Ross Tucker
Ross Finch Tucker is a former American football offensive lineman, and currently an online journalist for ESPN....
, professional football player
- John Updike
John Hoyer Updike was an American novelist, poet, short story writer, art critic, and literary critic....
, American writer, 1932-2009.
- Carl Furillo
Carl Anthony Furillo , nicknamed "The Reading Rifle" and "Skoonj," was a right fielder in Major League Baseball who played his entire career for the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers...
, Brooklyn-Los Angeles Dodgers right-fielder.
Recreation
The
Reading Public MuseumThe Reading Public Museum, in West Reading, Pennsylvania, has displays featuring science and civilizations, a planetarium and a arboretum. It also offers educational programs for families, adults and children, and a yearly cultural festival....
is an art, science, and history museum.
There are two
Pennsylvania state parks 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 provide opportunities for hiking, birdwatching, and...
is south of ReadingReading is a city in southeastern Pennsylvania, USA, and seat of Berks County. Reading is the principal city of the Greater Reading Area and had a population of 88,082 as of the 2010 census, making it the fifth most populated city in the state after Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown and Erie,...
on land once owned by Jacob NoldeJacob Nolde was an American industrialist and environmentalist who was largely responsible for the creation of Nolde Forest Environmental Education Center, a Pennsylvania state park in Berks County, Pennsylvania in the United States....
, a prominent Reading businessman and Pennsylvania environmentalist.
- 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 in the United States. It straddles northern Chester County and southern Berks County along French Creek. The park is the...
, a former Recreational Demonstration AreaThe Recreational 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 urban areas in the United States...
, straddles the Berks and Chester County line.
There are two
Pennsylvania Historic SitesThe Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission is the governmental agency of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania responsible for the collection, conservation and interpretation of Pennsylvania's historic heritage...
in Berks County.
- Conrad Weiser Homestead
Conrad Weiser Homestead is the historic home of Johann Conrad Weiser, who enlisted the Iroquois on the British side in the French and Indian War. The home, a designated National Historic Landmark, is administered as a historic house museum by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission near...
near WomelsdorfWomelsdorf, named after John Womelsdorff, is a borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,599 at the 2000 census. The main thoroughfares through Womelsdorf are High Street, which runs east-west, and Route 419, which runs north-south. Route 422 runs along the...
.
- Daniel Boone Homestead
The Daniel Boone Homestead, the birthplace of American frontiersman Daniel Boone, is a museum that is administered by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission near Birdsboro, Berks County, Pennsylvania in the United States. It is located on nearly and is the largest site administered by...
near BirdsboroBirdsboro is a borough along the Schuylkill River in Berks County, Pennsylvania, eight miles southeast of Reading. In the past, Birdsboro was noted for its large foundries and machine shops, none of which remain in operation today.-History:...
.
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.
http://www.historicpreservationtrust.org/
See also
External links