The Town FilesBern, Pennsylvania
Township in Berks County · population 6,706 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $339,500
- Household income
- $117,897
- Jan low / Jul high
- 20° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 27 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 12
- Median age
- 54.5
Bern is a township of 6,706 people in Berks County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $339,500, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks better for retirees than 94% of Pennsylvania towns, easier by car than 88% of Pennsylvania towns, better for young professionals than 84% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Bern ranks
Percentile among Pennsylvania towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Pennsylvania towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Bern is worth $339,500, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 2.9 times the median household income of $117,897, which is more affordable than 48% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $1,620 a month. 86.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Bern | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $339,500 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $1,620 | $996 |
| Median household income | $117,897 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.9× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 86.0% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1970 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Bern
| People | Bern | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 54.5 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 30.4% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 12.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.5% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.1% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 7.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.6% | — |
| Work from home | 12.3% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 23.5 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.1% | 89.0% |
Weather in Bern
July highs average 85.3°F and January lows 19.5°F. About 48.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 27.2 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 16 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 125 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bern since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on May 31, 1998 about 7.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 4, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 46 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on May 22, 2014.
Severe weather in Berks County since 1996
Berks County has been included in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 30, 2020 | Biological | DR-4506: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3441: Covid-19 |
| March 23, 2016 | Snowstorm | DR-4267: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| October 29, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3356: Hurricane Sandy |
| September 12, 2011 | Flood | DR-4030: Tropical Storm Lee |
Jobs and pay in Berks County
Berks County had 173,692 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $63,608 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Bern itself the ACS puts it at 2.2%.
Towns near Bern
- Riverview Park, PA2.5 mi · 3,364 people · home $258,100
- Muhlenberg, PA3.8 mi · 21,915 people · home $233,300
- Hyde Park, PA4.2 mi · 2,806 people · home $173,700
- Whitfield, PA4.3 mi · 4,911 people · home $311,700
- Laureldale, PA4.5 mi · 4,277 people · home $179,500
- Lower Heidelberg, PA4.5 mi · 6,230 people · home $422,100
- Wyomissing, PA4.7 mi · 11,114 people · home $339,900
- Ontelaunee, PA4.9 mi · 2,598 people · home $347,500
Bern questions
Is Bern, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bern scores better for retirees than 94% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 64%. 30.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 54.5).
How much does a house cost in Bern?
The median owner-occupied home in Bern is valued at $339,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $117,897, so homes cost about 2.9 times income. Median rent is $1,620 a month.
What is the weather like in Bern?
July highs average 85.3°F and January lows 19.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.4 inches of precipitation a year and 27.2 inches of snow.
Does Bern get tornadoes?
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bern since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on May 31, 1998. The typical Pennsylvania town has had 10.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)