Educational data shows disparities in funding and student achievement across Berks County

What makes the quality of life in a community great?

The City of Reading's signs of vitality include growing diversity and youthfulness, and falling crime rates.

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What is the state of hunger in our county?

Food insecurity affects thousands of residents

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Technology transforming education in Berks

School districts investing in new tools, teaching strategies and blending online and in-person learning

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BERKS VITAL SIGNS

A Community Indicator Project for Our County

The Berks Vital Signs Project provides information about our community that can be used to improve the local quality of life and to better understand when things are going well. We invite you to explore the data sets, which include a variety of ways to compare areas within the county, with surrounding counties, and with the state and nation. This site also serves as a repository for community research, making important reports and documents available in one location. Berks Vital Signs is a project of Berks County Community Foundation and Alvernia University.

LEADING COUNTY INDICATORS

Click below to view interactive charts and full data on these featured indicators.

Children & Youth

Children Living in Poverty

21%

in 2013-17

Increasing

View Complete Indicator Data

Education

High School Cohort Graduation Rate

86%

in 2018

Increasing

View Complete Indicator Data

Financial Self-Sufficiency

Median Household Income

$59,580

in 2013-17

Maintaining

View Complete Indicator Data

Health

People Without Health Insurance

in 2017

Decreasing

View Complete Indicator Data

EXPLORE MAP DATA

Get Location-Based Insight

Maps provide us with a different view of data - showing us how social and economic conditions are impacting different parts of our state. Poverty, income, education levels, home values and housing affordability are examples of Berks County visualizations available in our mapping section.

BERKS VITAL SIGNS OVERVIEW

Berks County bright spots include increasing jobs and salaries.
There are growing numbers of younger residents, as well as ethnic and racial minorities.
But median income in the county has fallen more sharply since 2000 than in the state or nation.
Rent is taking up an increasing share of renters’ income

READ OVERVIEW | PDF PRESENTATION | PDF

WHAT'S NEW

11/04

Water, water, everywhere, but is it safe to drink? (11/4/19)

6/14

Technology transforming education in Berks (6/14/19)

6/12

Pockets of low-income residents increasing in suburban Berks County (6/12/19)

4/17

Immigration drives growth in Berks County, new census numbers show (4/17/19)