What does this measure?

The change in population of a geographic area broken down by selected age groups since 2000.

Why is this important?

Population measures provide insight on the changing size and face of communities, and an area's needs and assets. For example, areas with large or growing populations of seniors or children may face challenges in providing needed services and generating enough tax revenue to support those services.

How is our county performing?

TThe population of Berks County has been aging. The number of people between the ages of 60 and 84 increased 32% between 2000 and 2014-18. The population 85 and older grew 34% during the same period. By comparison, the population 40 to 59 grew by 13%, while there was only a slight increase of 3% among people 20 to 39 and those under 20 grew by 6%. Since 2000, people between 40 and 59 continue to be the largest single age group in the region followed by those under 20 (113,000 residents compared to 107,000).

One of the most dramatic age shifts in a particular locality has been in Chester, where those aged 85 and older, and those 60 to 84 increased by 83% and 67%, respectively. Schuylkill is one of the few localities to have a decrease in both the under 20 and the 20 to 39 population categories (-8% and -15%, respectively). In addition, Reading, Chester, Lebanon and Lehigh all had a growth of more than 11% in the under 20 category.

Notes about the data

For additional detail as to how the Berks County regions are defined and which boroughs and townships are included in each, see the About Us page.

There may be additional research available on this topic. Click on Reports and Resources to learn more.

The multi-year figures are from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey. The bureau combined multiple years of responses to the survey to provide estimates for smaller geographic areas and increase the precision of its estimates. The survey provides data on characteristics of the population that used to be collected only during the decennial census. Data for this indicator are expected to be released in the fourth quarter.