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Living in
Berwick.
About
Life in Berwick
Berwick is a community of 10,291 people in Pennsylvania. The median household income is $49,800, median rent runs about $797 per month, and median home values are around $157,000. The unemployment rate is 5.0%.
Berwick at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
40.5 yrs
Poverty Rate
16.5%
Foreign-Born
3.2%
Broadband Internet
88.0%
of households
Population Growth
-0.4%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics3.2% foreign-born, most often from Ukraine
Who lives in Berwick: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Berwick, the largest foreign-born group is from Ukraine (63.5%), and 1.4% of residents speak Russian/Slavic at home.
Under 18
19.2%
of residents
65 and Older
18.3%
of residents
Households with Kids
27.4%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
33.2%
of households
Married Couples
36.5%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.20
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 34% below PA average
Rent, home values, and income in Berwick
In Berwick, rent runs 34% below the PA average, and home values are 39% below the PA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
37.8%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
15.7%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$1,813
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
60.3%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1954
median year built
Vacant Homes
5.8%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $212,105 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.7 pts above PA average
Unemployment in Berwick
Unemployment in Columbia County, which includes Berwick, is 0.7 percentage points higher than the PA average.
Unemployment rate
Berwick: Columbia County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Columbia County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Berwick Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute20 min avg
How Berwick residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Berwick, most residents drive alone to work (80%), and 71% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 33 mi
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport (AVP)
Regional airport · few flights222k passengers boarded in 2025
- 97 mi
Philadelphia International Airport (PHL)
Major hub14.8M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 56% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Berwick runs 56% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
145.2
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
929.2
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Berwick Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 15 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
62.1 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Columbia County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Columbia County, which includes Berwick, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 15 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 15 | Drought | $72,500 |
| 2024 | 9 | Thunderstorm Wind | $116,000 |
| 2023 | 6 | Thunderstorm Wind | $15,000 |
| 2022 | 7 | Thunderstorm Wind | $44,000 |
| 2021 | 15 | Thunderstorm Wind | $96,000 |
| 2020 | 5 | Thunderstorm Wind | $32,000 |
| 2019 | 6 | Thunderstorm Wind | $19,000 |
| 2018 | 7 | Flash Flood | $46,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Columbia County, county-wide
Air Quality24 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Wyoming County, PA (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 35 miles from Berwick) is typically good — 308 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
24
Good Days
308
per year
Moderate Days
46
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Wyoming County, PA (35 mi away)
Climate78°F summers, 19°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Berwick has mild summers (avg high 78°F) and very cold winters (avg low 19°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
57°/35°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
78°/57°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
60°/40°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
35°/19°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
47.5"
Annual Snowfall
35.6"
Hot Days/Year
4
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
145
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
116
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 33°F | 16°F | 3.19" |
| Feb | 36°F | 18°F | 2.55" |
| Mar | 44°F | 25°F | 3.40" |
| Apr | 58°F | 35°F | 4.36" |
| May | 69°F | 46°F | 4.70" |
| Jun | 76°F | 55°F | 4.55" |
| Jul | 80°F | 58°F | 4.48" |
| Aug | 78°F | 57°F | 4.54" |
| Sep | 72°F | 50°F | 4.89" |
| Oct | 60°F | 39°F | 4.77" |
| Nov | 48°F | 31°F | 3.41" |
| Dec | 38°F | 22°F | 3.58" |
Healthcare1 hospital
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Berwick
Berwick has 1 hospital.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
5.2%
of residents
Berwick Hospital Center
Psychiatric
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Geisinger-bloomsburg Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 11.1 mi away · Bloomsburg
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education14.4:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Berwick
Berwick's student/teacher ratio is 14.4:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 21.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
2
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
21.3%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.4:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Berwick (within 15 miles)
Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania
10.9 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 9,210 students · in-state tuition $11,610 · 55% graduate · median earnings $56,416 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Steamtown National Historic Site, 39 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Berwick
Berwick has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Steamtown National Historic Site (39 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Steamtown National Historic Site
National Historic Site
39 mi awayAppalachian National Scenic Trail
National Scenic Trail
46 mi awayHopewell Furnace National Historic Site
National Historic Site
64 mi awayDelaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
68 mi awayUpper Delaware Scenic & Recreational River
Scenic & Recreational River
75 mi awayCarlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National Monument
National Monument
76 mi awayValley Forge National Historical Park
National Historical Park
78 mi awayLower Delaware National Wild and Scenic River
National Wild and Scenic River
80 mi awayPublic Libraries in Berwick
Mcbride Memorial Library
500 Market Street, Berwick
Cities Near Berwick
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Berwick?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Berwick FAQ
Is Berwick, Pennsylvania affordable?⌄
Berwick's median rent is $797/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $49,800/year. Median home value is $156,500.
Is Berwick, Pennsylvania safe?⌄
Berwick's violent crime rate was 145 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 929 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Berwick, Pennsylvania?⌄
Columbia County, which includes Berwick, has an unemployment rate of 5.0%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Berwick, Pennsylvania?⌄
The cost of living in Berwick is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $797/month and median household income is $49,800/year. The median home value is $156,500. About 38% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Berwick, Pennsylvania?⌄
The average commute in Berwick is 20 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from