The Town FilesLower Alsace, Pennsylvania
Township in Berks County · population 4,716 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $213,800
- Household income
- $76,250
- Jan low / Jul high
- 23° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 27 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 10
- Median age
- 42.2
Lower Alsace is a township of 4,716 people in Berks County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $213,800, close to the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 84% of Pennsylvania towns, more walkable than 80% of Pennsylvania towns, hipper than 79% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Lower Alsace 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 Lower Alsace is worth $213,800, close to the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $76,250, which is more affordable than 53% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $1,289 a month. 75.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lower Alsace | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $213,800 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $1,289 | $996 |
| Median household income | $76,250 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.8× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 75.8% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1954 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Lower Alsace
| People | Lower Alsace | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.2 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.4% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 19.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.5% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.8% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 5.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.8% | — |
| Work from home | 11.0% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 27.4 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.3% | 89.0% |
Weather in Lower Alsace
July highs average 86.5°F and January lows 23.0°F. About 45.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 27.2 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 24 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 107 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lower Alsace since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on May 31, 1998 about 9.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 1, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 52 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 Lower Alsace itself the ACS puts it at 2.2%.
Towns near Lower Alsace
- Pennside, PA1.0 mi · 5,190 people · home $207,600
- Mount Penn, PA1.4 mi · 3,240 people · home $176,300
- Reading, PA2.2 mi · 95,112 people · home $121,300
- Hyde Park, PA2.7 mi · 2,806 people · home $173,700
- Jacksonwald, PA3.0 mi · 3,246 people · home $328,700
- Reiffton, PA3.0 mi · 4,274 people · home $318,500
- Alsace, PA3.1 mi · 3,834 people · home $227,800
- Laureldale, PA3.1 mi · 4,277 people · home $179,500
Lower Alsace questions
Is Lower Alsace, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lower Alsace scores better for retirees than 6% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 17%. 19.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.2).
How much does a house cost in Lower Alsace?
The median owner-occupied home in Lower Alsace is valued at $213,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $76,250, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is $1,289 a month.
What is the weather like in Lower Alsace?
July highs average 86.5°F and January lows 23.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 45.2 inches of precipitation a year and 27.2 inches of snow.
Does Lower Alsace get tornadoes?
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lower Alsace 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)