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BERKS COUNTY STRATEGIC PLANGeneral Demographic Conditions: Living in Berks County

Berks

Schuylkill

Lebanon

LancasterChester

Montgomery

Lehigh

Berks County Workforce Investment Board Berks County CareerLink

501 Crescent Avenue Reading, PA 19601

(610) 988-1363

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Table of Contents Executive Summary ............................................................................................................. 3

Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 5

Population .......................................................................................................................... 7

Population Growth ......................................................................................................... 7

Population Composition – Age ...................................................................................... 9

Population Composition – Race and Ethnicity ............................................................. 13

Population Composition – Poverty .............................................................................. 16

Population Flows ......................................................................................................... 18

Educational Attainment ................................................................................................ 22

School Enrollments, Graduates, and Drop-Outs ................................................................... 24

Household Income ............................................................................................................. 29

Appendices ....................................................................................................................... 32

Appendix A: Population Estimates and Projections ..................................................... 32

Appendix B: Population Estimates and Projections by Age Group ............................. 33

Appendix C: Population Estimates and Projections by Race and Ethnicity ................. 36

Appendix D: Population Estimates by Poverty Level ................................................... 38

Appendix E: Migration Data ......................................................................................... 40

Appendix F: Population Estimates and Projections by Educational Attainment Level 42

Appendix G: Pre K-12 Schools Statistics .................................................................... 45

Appendix H: Household Income Data ......................................................................... 49

Appendix I: Households below Self-Sufficiency ......................................................... 51

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Executive Summary In planning for its economic future, Berks County must consider the prevailing demographic, workforce and economic development circumstances that may strengthen or impede local growth. In 2005, the population of Berks County was 408,979. The county has and is expected to continue to experience consistent population growth that outpaces trends in surrounding counties and statewide averages. There are definite patterns of movement by residents into and out of Berks County, but the county has benefited from more individuals moving into than leaving the county. Those that are relocating to Berks County tend to come from elsewhere in Pennsylvania, especially neighboring counties or parts of southeastern Pennsylvania. With a growing population, the demographics are changing. Residents are getting older, despite the presence of several postsecondary institutions within the county. In fact, one-quarter of the population are baby boomers; for the working population this means that the county could see a significant shift in labor market availability and knowledge with retirements occurring in the next 5 to 15 years. While individuals ages 20 to 29 continue to show growth, they may be exceeded by those who reach retirement age, meaning there will not be a one-to-one ratio of new entrants to exiters from the labor force. Berks County’s population appears to be limited in terms of demographic diversity by race. However, most racial groups have shown significant growth rates in the past decade. More importantly is the growth of the Hispanic population, which increased 112% between 1990 and 2000. Changing demographics must be considered for numerous reasons. The demand for goods and services is directly driven by demographics. If the needs from emerging populations, such as the Hispanics and the Baby Boomers, are unable to be met within the county of residence, these groups will look for goods and services offered elsewhere, thus potentially taking income out of the county. Expectations of customer service differ based on demographic perceptions so businesses need to know how to respond to the changing demands. Workforce interactions will have to be more conscious of cultural expectations and work ethic and how workplaces may have to adjust traditional employee/employer relationships. The median household in Berks County has an income of about $55,000, which is 10 percent higher than the median statewide income. About 14 percent of all households are earning under $20,000, while 20 percent have incomes in excess of $100,000. Over one-tenth of residents are living below the poverty line for their given family size and composition. While poverty statistics for the county mirror the state, Berks County must consider how these populations (individuals living in poverty and households earning less than $20,000 annually in income) affect the need for and use of human and social services provided by public or non-profit organizations. Educational attainment in Berks County is below state averages, despite the direct presence of a public institution of higher learning within the county limits. Fifty-seven percent of the population has a high school diploma or less, which could become a barrier to economic development. Based on national projections, by 2010, 80 percent of all jobs will require some type of post-secondary training. Residents of Berks County must be prepared to access and earn such credentials as will be required for global competition. Eighteen school districts within the county provided educational services to over 76,000 K-12 students during the 2007-2008 school year. About 4,700 students exited the K-12 system as

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successful graduates. Of those, 70 percent are pursuing some type of post-secondary education. Recent statistics suggest that the number of individuals pursuing higher levels of education beyond high school is decreasing. In summary, the school districts each year are producing 1,400 graduates who are potentially going directly into the workforce so it is crucial that those individuals have skills, both technical and basic, to be work-ready. • Berks County’s population is growing at a faster rate than the 7-County Region and the

State. This is evidenced by the fact that the population in the county grew by 9.5% from 2000 to 2008, while the 7-County Region increased by 6.9% and the State increased by only 1.8%. Because of the apparent and expected increases in population, Berks County may be able to meet its workforce demands from individuals living in the county.

• Berks County’s population is aging. The median age value for Berks County residents has risen steadily in recent years, increasing from 35.40 in 1990 to 38.47 in 2008. With the population of older individuals increasing and younger individuals decreasing, businesses in Berks County may confront several issues related to aging population-less available workers, increased competition, and flexible work scheduling.

• Berks County‘s population is becoming more diverse. The majority of the population in

Berks County is “White”. However, it is important to note that, while most of the population falls into this race category, significant increases have been seen for other groups. Additionally, the ethnicity of the population is changing. Despite 85.8% of the population being “Non Hispanic”, the “Hispanic” population is increasing, growing by 237% between 1990 and 2008. Employers should be prepared to accommodate a higher number of applicants who speak English as a second language.

• The majority of residents in Berks County only have a high school diploma. In fact,

56.7% of individuals ages 25 and over have high school education or less. This is a higher proportion than the 7-County Region (46.0%) and the State (51.6%).

• A decreasing number of public high school graduates are attending college. It is vital

to increase retention efforts in attracting individuals who do attend some form of postsecondary education back to Berks County as more and more jobs will require a post-secondary education.

• Berks County’s households earn less than those in the 7-County Region, but more

than across the State. In fact, households in Berks County earn about 12% less than the 7-County Region and 10% more than the State on average.

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Introduction The Central Pennsylvania Workforce Development Corporation (CPWDC) has prepared the following document to provide an overview of the general demographic conditions in Berks County with comparisons to the larger geography of Berks, Chester, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lehigh, Montgomery, and Schuylkill Counties (referred to as the “7-County Region” throughout the report) and the Commonwealth. Various aspects of the population are considered as a portrait is painted for living in Berks County. Furthermore, historical values, current year estimates, future year projections, and comparisons to the 7-County Region comprised of Berks, Chester, Lancaster, Lehigh, Lebanon, Montgomery, and Schuylkill Counties are discussed when analyzing the changes seen in the county and those expected in the coming years. The following points are presented in the document with a brief explanation:

Population This section analyzes the population in Berks County.

Population Growth – This section examines the recent and expected growth of the population in Berks County. Comparisons are made to the 7-County Region and the State for years 1990, 2000, 2008 and 2013. Data is provided by DecisionData. Additional population estimates are provided by Economic Modeling Specialists, Incorporated (EMSI). Population Composition – Three separate sections deconstruct the population according to age, race and ethnicity, and poverty levels.

• Eighteen (18) unique age groups describe the population in 1990, 2000, 2008, and 2013. Data is provided by DecisionData

• Ethnicity is described by DecisionData as “Hispanic” or “Non Hispanic”, while there are seven (7) distinct race categories discussed for 1990, 2000, 2008, and 2013.

• Finally, the population living below the poverty level is presented as 3-year averages for 2005-2007, which is provided by the American Community Survey.

Population Flows – This section looks at the movement of individuals to and from Berks County, the 7-County Region, and State for 2005, 2006, and 2007. Data is provided by Economic Modeling Specialists, Incorporated. Educational Attainment – The education levels of the population are discussed in this section. Educational attainment levels refer to the highest level of education achieved by an individual within seven (7) unique levels. Berks County data is compared to the 7-County Region and the State for 1990, 2000, 2008, and 2013. Information is provided by DecisionData.

School District Data This section discusses the enrollment levels, graduation rates, and post high school activities of students living in Berks County. Historical and current values are compared to 7-County Region and the State. Data is provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Education and the Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children.

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Household Income This section looks at the number of households in Berks County by income levels. Local information is compared to the 7-County Region and the State for 1990, 2000, 2008, and 2013. Data is provided by DecisionData.

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Population

Population Growth See Appendix A for population estimates and projections “How has the population changed and how will it change over time in Berks County…” Key Notes: Population estimates include college students who declare their residency at college as their primary address. Population estimates are provided by DecisionData and EMSI. Analysis: As of 2008, the total population in Berks County is about 409,000, representing 14.7% of the 7-County Region’s population of 2.8 million and 3.3% of Pennsylvania’s population of 12.5 million. About 63% of the 7-County Region’s population is found in Chester (18%), Lancaster (18%), and Montgomery (28%) Counties. The following chart identifies the population in Berks County from 1990 to 2013:

Source: DecisionData, June 2009

Overall, the population in Berks County has seen an increasing trend.

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The following chart compares the percent change in population for Berks County, the 7-County Region, and Pennsylvania for the time periods 1990-2000, 2000-2008, and 2008-2013:


In each time period, Berks County experienced (or is projected to experience) a higher rate of growth than both the 7-Coutny Region and the State. For all areas, the increase has been declining over time. Between 1990 and 2000, the population living in Berks County increased by about 11%,

• This growth rate was comparable to the 7-County Region (10%) and much higher than the statewide average (3%).

Between 2000 and 2008, the population in Berks County grew at a faster rate than both the 7-County Region and statewide average.

• Berks County’s population grew by over 9%. • The 7-County Region increased by 7%. • The Commonwealth grew by less than 2%.

Based on available projections for 2013, the population in Berks County may continue to grow at a faster rate than the 7-County Region and statewide averages.

• Berks County’s population may increase by almost 5%, which is a higher rate than both the 7-County Region (3%) and the State (1%).

Workforce demands may be met by individuals living in Berks County because of the steady increases in population seen in recent history and expected in the coming years.

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Population Composition – Age See Appendix B for population estimates and projections by age group “What is the age distribution of Berks County residents…” The concern of an aging population is growing as baby-boomers are getting older and are nearing the typical retirement age of 65. Based on population estimates, about a quarter of the population in Berks County is comprised of baby-boomers who were born between 1945 and 1964, individuals between the ages 45 and 64. Analysis: In comparison to the 7-County Region and the Commonwealth, Berks County is slightly younger when looking at median ages. As of 2008, the median age of Berks County residents is about 38.5, while the 7-County Region’s median age is 39.5 and Pennsylvania’s is 40.0. The following chart compares the median age of Berks County, the 7-County Region, and Pennsylvania from 1990 to 2013:


Overall, Berks County has demonstrated a lower median age than the larger regions.

• In each area, the median age has steadily increased and is expected to increase in the

future.

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The following chart identifies the proportion of the population within 18 unique age groups in Berks County from 2000 to 2013: This chart considers the entire population, not just the workforce.


Several themes arise from this chart:

• The population for younger age groups (5-9 and 10-14) and middle age groups (35-39 and 40-44) is expected to be at their lowest levels by 2013.

• Older ages groups (50-54, 55-59, 60-64, and 65-69) are expected to be at their highest levels.

• Similar trends are expected for the 7-County Region and the State. The above chart helps illustrate the problem with an aging population-the older age groups are reaching new highs and younger age groups are reaching new lows in terms of sheer numbers. It is possible that the number of individuals leaving the workforce for retirement may soon begin to outpace the number of individuals entering the workforce. In essence, there may be too many job openings and too few workers to fill them.

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The following chart looks at the potential number of entrants into the workforce (individuals ages 20-29) and potential exits/retirees from the workforce (ages 65+) in Berks County to determine when this phenomenon may begin to impact the workforce: This chart is based on the total population within each age group to gauge the difference between individuals who may enter the workforce for the first time and individuals who may leave the workforce for retirement.

Source: Economic Modeling Specialists, Inc., June 2009

While Berks County has demonstrated a higher level of potential exits, around 2011 this population may begin to outpace the number of potential entrants. The impacts of an aging population may be felt in the workforce around this time. The issues associated with an aging workforce are dependent on the current recession. With the current state of the economy, older workers may delay retirement to help offset retirement investments that may have been less than stellar. Older workers may seek additional employment or work on a less than full-time basis to help recover lost funds. When the economy stabilizes and workers are able to retire with confidence, there will be a large wave of retirements. It is not a question of if there will be a large wave of retirements that could cause never before seen workforce issues, but when it will happen. In summary, several issues arise from an aging population:

• Employers may struggle to fill all positions because there may be too many job openings and not enough workers to fill them.

• Potential retirees from the workforce may outpace the number of potential entrants to the workforce.

• Businesses may experience higher competition to attract workers due to the lack of available individuals. It will be vital for companies to prepare incumbent workers with the necessary training to fill higher-level positions as individuals begin to retire.

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• Businesses may need to consider hiring retirees to meet their employment demands. Furthermore, such individuals may only seek part-time employment or even flexible work schedules.

The need for younger workers may be filled by growing ethnic groups. The Follow-Up to the Aging Workforce Analysis: Ethnicity of the Younger Population in Berks County report concludes that the most drastic change in relation to ethnicity and population is the 3.5% increase anticipated for the White Hispanic ethnic group for the younger population (individuals under the age of 30). The two Hispanic groups (White and Non-White) may constitute over 20% of the younger population in Berks County by 2015. Clearly, the Hispanic population may be a large source of younger workers for the Berks County WIA as it prepares to encounter the impact of the aging workforce.

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Population Composition – Race and Ethnicity See Appendix C for population estimates and projections by race and ethnicity “How diverse is the population in Berks County…” Key Notes: The Census Bureau considers "Hispanic" an ethnicity, not a race. Anyone who selected a race on their 2000 Census forms also reported whether they were Hispanic or non-Hispanic. The "Asian" and "Hawaiian or Pacific Islander" race categories were combined in the 1990 Census. The "multirace" race category was not identified in the 1990 Census. Population estimates by race and ethnicity are provided by DecisionData. Analysis: Approximately 1 in 5 residents of Berks County is non-white, as evidenced by the following chart that shows the population proportion by race for 2008:


Similar trends are apparent in the 7-County Region and the State. Besides the white population, most races comprise only a small proportion of the population in Berks County. However, there have been substantial increases within each group.

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The following table compares the percent increase in each race for Berks County, the 7-County Region, and the State for 1990-2000, 2000-2008, and 2008-2013:

Percent Increases in Population by Race

Race Berks County

1990‐2000 2000‐2008 2008‐2013

American Indian or Alaska Native 83.5% 24.8% 7.0%

Asian 38.0% 25.0% 18.1%

Black 37.7% 28.4% 16.1%

Hawaiian or Pacific Islander ‐ 44.2% 26.1%

Multirace ‐ 57.3% 44.8%

Other Race 128.8% 30.7% 20.9%

White 4.7% 3.5% 0.9%

Total 11.0% 8.6% 4.7%

Race 7‐County Region

1990‐2000 2000‐2008 2008‐2013

American Indian or Alaska Native 39.2% ‐26.4% ‐15.1%

Asian 76.9% 36.1% 26.1%

Black 37.3% 17.2% 9.5%


Multirace ‐ 42.4% 25.3%

Other Race 93.3% 28.0% 24.2%

White 5.2% 3.0% 0.8%

Total 10.1% 6.4% 3.3%

Race Pennsylvania

1990‐2000 2000‐2008 2008‐2013

American Indian or Alaska Native 24.7% ‐5.4% ‐3.2%

Asian 60.1% 29.7% 18.6%

Black 12.4% 6.7% 4.2%


Multirace ‐ 30.2% 7.5%

Other Race 57.7% 19.5% 22.1%

White ‐0.3% ‐0.6% ‐0.4%

Total 3.4% 1.8% 1.1%

Source: DecisionData, June 2009 In each region, the population growth has occurred or is projected to occur largely due to the minority populations. In terms of ethnicity, about 86% of the population in Berks County is Non Hispanic.

• This is lower than the 7-County Region (93%) and the State (96%).

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The following chart compares the percent increase by ethnicity for Berks County, the 7- County Region, and the Commonwealth for 1990-2000, 2000-2008, and 2008-2013:

Percent Increases in Population by Ethnicity

Ethnicity Berks County

1990‐2000 2000‐2008 2008‐2013

Non Hispanic 5.6% 3.9% 0.9%

Hispanic 111.7% 37.2% 27.3%

Total 11.0% 8.6% 4.7%

Ethnicity 7‐County Region

1990‐2000 2000‐2008 2008‐2013


Hispanic 96.9% 35.5% 26.1%

Total 10.1% 6.4% 3.3%

Ethnicity Pennsylvania

1990‐2000 2000‐2008 2008‐2013


Hispanic 69.7% 31.0% 19.4%

Total 3.4% 1.8% 1.1%

Source: DecisionData, June 2009 Similar to the increases seen for the various racial groups discussed above, the Hispanic population has experienced significant increases and will likely continue increasing in the future across all areas. Employers in Berks County and surrounding areas will likely experience an influx of applicants who do not speak English as their first language. It will be vital to the success of their businesses to begin preparing now for the changing labor pool.

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Population Composition – Poverty See Appendix D for population estimates by poverty levels and poverty levels by educational attainment “How many people in Berks County are living in poverty…” Key Notes: Following the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB's) Directive 14, the Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to detect who is poor. If the total income for a family or unrelated individual falls below the relevant poverty threshold, then the family or unrelated individual is classified as being "below the poverty level". Poverty level estimates are provided by the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) using three-year estimates for 2005-2007. ACS estimates are based on data collected over this 3-year time period. The estimates represent the average characteristics of population and housing between January 2005 and December 2007 and do not represent a single point in time. The ACS only provides estimates for the population below the poverty level for three age groups: less than 18, 18-64, and 65 plus. Population proportions are based on the population for who poverty status is determined. The total population figures associated with poverty levels is not necessarily for the entire population. The educational attainment level refers to the highest level of education achieved by an individual. Educational attainment levels are identified for individuals ages 25 and over. The ACS identifies five educational attainment levels:

• Less than high school graduate • High school graduate (includes

equivalency) • Some college or associate’s degree

• Bachelor’s degree • Graduate or professional degree

Analysis: Based on 2005-2007 ACS estimates, about 11% of the population in Berks County is below the poverty level.

• This poverty rate is higher compared to the 7-County Region (8%) and slightly lower than the Commonwealth (12%).

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The following chart compares the population proportions by age group who are below the poverty level in Berks County, the 7-County Region, and the Pennsylvania:

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2005-2007 American Community Survey, June 2009

This chart indicates that, of the population under the age of 18 for whom poverty is determined, about 17% is living in poverty. The need for higher education levels cannot be overstated. This is especially true when considering poverty rates as it applies to education. Basically, higher levels of education typically equate to lower levels of poverty. The following chart compares the population in Berks County, the 7-County Region, and Pennsylvania that is below poverty by educational attainment level:

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2005-2007 American Community Survey, June 2009

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Population Flows See Appendix E migration data “Does Berks County tend to attract individuals from outside of the area …” Mobility patterns examine when and how the population was re-distributed within the United States. Mobility, or migration, is defined by the U.S. Census Bureau as a move that crosses jurisdictional boundaries. Mobility patterns do not tell us why people move, but examining mobility patterns can provide some insight into the economic and workforce conditions of an area. Key Notes: In- and out-migration of Berks County residents is provided by EMSI. EMSI has compiled information from the Internal Revenue Service’s Statistics of Income Division using county-to-county migration data. Key Definitions:

In-migration: represents people who moved into the county in a given year Out-migration: people who moved out of the county in a given year

Analysis: Based on the most recently available data, Berks County has shown the tendency to attract more individuals than those who leave the County.

• Similar trends are apparent in the 7-County Region and the State.

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The following table compares the differences between the total number of in-and out-migrants in Berks County, the 7-County Region, and the State for 2005, 2006, and 2007: The count value represents the difference of in-migrants and out-migrants. Positive values indicate a higher level of in-migration. The percent value is the proportion of the total population for that year.

Differences between Total In‐ and Out‐Migration

Berks County 2005 2006 2007

Count Percent Count Percent Count Percent 2,478 0.6% 2,808 0.7% 1,077 0.3%

7‐County Region 2005 2006 2007

Count Percent Count Percent Count Percent

9,489 0.3% 10,472 0.4% 7,515 0.3%

Pennsylvania

2005 2006 2007


3,523 0.0% 7,532 0.1% 5,311 0.0%

Source: Economic Modeling Specialists, Inc., June 2009 In each area and during each year, there was a higher level of in-migration than out-migration, suggesting that individuals tend to be attracted to each area more so than individuals who leave.

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The following table identifies the top origination counties from which individuals migrated into Berks County, the 7-County Region, and Pennsylvania for 2007: The percent value for the total in-migration is based on the total population. The percent values for the individual counties are based on the total in-migration.

Top Origination Counties for In‐Migration

Berks County

Total In‐Migration 12,613 3.1%

Montgomery, PA 1,949 15.5%

Lehigh, PA 847 6.7%

Chester, PA 777 6.2%

Lancaster, PA 639 5.1%

Philadelphia, PA 434 3.4%

Other 7,967 63.2%

Total Population 401,958 100.0%

7‐County Region


Philadelphia, PA 10,411 12.7%

Bucks, PA 6,042 7.4%

Delaware, PA 5,750 7.0%

Northampton, PA 4,483 5.5%

New Castle, DE 2,056 2.5%

Other 53,417 65.0%

Total Population 2,775,422 100.0%

Pennsylvania


Foreign ‐ Other flows 5,642 2.7%

Kings, NY 5,033 2.4%


Queens, NY 3,970 1.9%

Baltimore, MD 3,771 1.8%

Other 186,511 89.2%



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The following table identifies the top destination counties to which individuals relocated from Berks County, the 7-County Region, and the Commonwealth for 2007: The percent value for the total out-migration is based on the total population. The percent values for the individual counties are based on the total out-migration.

Top Destination Counties for Out‐Migration

Berks County

Total Out‐Migration 11,536 2.9%

Montgomery, PA 1,233 10.7%

Lancaster, PA 815 7.1%

Chester, PA 623 5.4%

Lebanon, PA 575 5.0%

Lehigh, PA 547 4.7%

Other 7,743 67.1%

Total Population 401,958 100.0%

7‐County Region


Philadelphia, PA 6,711 9.0%

Bucks, PA 5,196 7.0%

Northampton, PA 4,524 6.1%

Delaware, PA 3,903 5.2%

Dauphin, PA 2,200 2.9%

Other 52,110 69.8%


Pennsylvania



Camden, NJ 3,458 1.7%

New York, NY 3,079 1.5%

Foreign ‐ Other flows 2,853 1.4%

Maricopa, AZ 2,300 1.1%

Other 187,136 91.8%



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Educational Attainment See Appendix F for population estimates and projections by educational attainment and race and ethnicity “How educated is Berks County…” According to the US Department of Labor and Industry, by 2010, 80% of jobs will require some type of training beyond high school. As of 2008, about 23% of all Berks County residents ages 25 and over have earned a bachelor’s degree or higher. Key Definitions: The educational attainment level refers to the highest level of education achieved by an individual. Educational attainment levels are identified for individuals ages 25 and over. There are seven (7) unique educational attainment levels according to DecisionData:

• less than 9th grade • 9th to 12th grade no diploma • high school graduate • college, no diploma

• associate degree • bachelor’s degree • graduate or professional degree

Educational attainment data for the entire population is provided by DecisionData. Educational attainment levels by race and ethnicity are provided by the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) using three-year estimates for 2005-2007. ACS estimates are based on data collected over this 3-year time period. The estimates represent the average characteristics of population and housing between January 2005 and December 2007 and do not represent a single point in time. Analysis: As of 2008 in Berks County, about 57% of the population ages 25 and over has a high school diploma or less.

• A smaller proportion is seen in the 7-County Region (46%) and the State (52%). Berks County demonstrates a lower proportion of individuals ages 25 and over with a bachelor’s degree or higher (23%) compared to the 7-County Region (33%) and the State (26%).

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The following chart compares the population proportions of individuals ages 25 and over within in Berks County, the 7-County Region, and Pennsylvania as of 2008:


High school graduates make up the largest proportion of individuals ages 25 and over in all three areas. Overall, the population in Berks County tends to have lower levels of education compared to the 7-County Region and the Commonwealth. The lower educational attainment levels in Berks County are spread across all ethnicities and races. Based on 2005-2007 estimates from the American Community Survey, the non-Hispanic population in Berks County has lower educational attainment levels than the 7-County Region and the Commonwealth. About 55% of the non-Hispanic population in Berks County has a high school education or less, compared to 46% for the 7-County Region and 51% for the State. The Hispanic population follows a similar trend. A higher proportion of Hispanic residents in Berks County (79%) has a high school education or less compared to the 7-County Region (71%) and the Commonwealth (68%). Compared to statewide estimates, the only racial group to exhibit a higher proportion of some college or higher in Berks County is the Black/African American group. This proportion is lower when compared to the 7-County Region.

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School Enrollments, Graduates, and Drop-Outs See Appendix G for enrollment and graduate data “How many individuals are enrolled in schools and how many are graduating in Berks County…” Key Notes: Pre K-12 schools statistics are provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Comparisons are made to total population estimates provided by EMSI. School year 2007-2008 is compared to the population in 2008. Graduation gap information is provided by the Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children. County-level information represents the average graduation gap percentage for all school districts in each county, and the 7-County Region average is the average of all inclusive school districts. Key Definitions:

Elementary enrollments: include grades pre-kindergarten through 6 and elementary ungraded Secondary enrollments: include grades 7 through 12 and secondary ungraded Dropout: a student who, for any reason other than death, leaves school before graduation without transferring to another school/institution. Graduation Gap: the percent of students who began in 9th grade and did not graduate from the same district four years later. Students may have dropped out, moved to a different school district, or repeated a school year. Values above zero suggest that more students graduated than those who started with that cohort for whatever reason. College Bound: represents students pursuing any post secondary education after high school, including public 2- or 4-year colleges and universities and specialized associate degree-granting institutions. Postsecondary Bound: represents all college bound students plus those attending non-degree–granting postsecondary institutions.

Analysis: During the 2007-2008, school year, over 76,000 students or about 19% of the population in Berks County were enrolled in public, private, and nonpublic elementary and secondary schools.

• A similar proportion was apparent in the 7-County Region and the State. • Of the nearly 494,000 students enrolled in the 7-County Region, the largest proportions

came from Chester (18%), Lancaster (18%), and Montgomery (28%) Counties, which combined enrolled 318,000 students (64%).

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The following chart compares student enrollment levels as a percent of the total population in Berks County, the 7-County Region, and Pennsylvania for school years 2005-2006, 2006-2007, and 2007-2008:

Source: Pennsylvania Department of Education, June 2009

Despite increasing populations seen across all areas, the number of enrollments has not had similar increases, suggesting that population increases are a result of migration into the area. The following chart identifies the percent change in the number of total enrollments in Berks County, the 7-County Region, and Pennsylvania for school years 2005-2006 to 2006-2007 (years 1-2), and 2006-2007 to 2007-2008 (years 2-3):


The number of enrollments in each area has experienced minimal to negative growth in the past few years.

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In Berks County, about 92% of all enrollments were in public schools, compared to 8% in private/nonpublic schools.

• Over 17,000 students were enrolled in the Reading school district, representing a quarter of the public enrollments in Berks County.

• A lower percentage of public school enrollments was evident for the 7-County Region (84%) and the State (87%).

The ratio of elementary to secondary school enrollments is nearly 1:1 in each area, with a slightly higher number of elementary enrollments. During the 2007-2008 school year, there were about 4,700 public high school graduates in Berks County, representing about 1% of the total county population.

• About 700 public high school graduates came from the Reading school district, representing 15% of the total in Berks County.

• Similar proportions were apparent in the 7-County Region and the State. • The most recent data for private/nonpublic graduates was for school year 2004-2005. • Of the 30,000 public high school graduates in the 7-County Region, the largest

proportions were found in Chester (19%), Lancaster, (17%), and Montgomery (27%). The following chart compares the total number of public high school graduates as a percent of the total population in Berks County, the 7-County Region, and Pennsylvania for school years 2005-2006, 2006-2007, and 2007-2008:


Overall, the rate of enrollments has remained fairly constant across all regions. Over the past three school years, the number of public high school graduates has increased steadily in each region. In fact, the number of high school graduates increased by over 4% in Berks County, compared to about 5% in the 7-County Region and less than 3% across the State. Based on data for the 2007-2008 school year in Berks County, about 71% of public high school graduates are going on to college or some other postsecondary institution.

• This is lower than the 78% for the 7-County Region and 75% for the Commonwealth. • Values within the 7-County Region range from a high of 88% in Montgomery County to a

low of 66% in Lebanon County.

27

Research indicates that the number of students pursuing education beyond high school is decreasing in Berks County. The following chart compares the proportion of public high school graduates who were college-bound in Berks County, the 7-County Region, and the Commonwealth for school years 2005-2006, 2006-2007, and 2007-2008:


The following chart looks at postsecondary bound graduates:


Over the last two school years in Berks County, the number of public high school graduates who were college bound decreased by 5%, and those who were postsecondary bound decreased by 6%.

• The State saw only a marginal decrease in postsecondary bound graduates. • The number of postsecondary bound graduates in the 7-County Region increased by

0.9%. The only counties to see a slight decrease in the number of students who pursued education beyond high school were Lancaster (-0.3%) and Schuylkill (-0.5%) Counties.

28

Seeking education beyond high school differs by racial and ethnic groups. The following chart compares the percentage of public high school graduates by race and ethnicity that were postsecondary bound for the 2007-2008 school year in Berks County, the 7-County Region, and Pennsylvania:


It has already been revealed through educational attainment levels that a majority of individuals in Berks County have a high school diploma or less, and the number of students pursuing education beyond high school is decreasing. This may indicate that, since the number of public high school graduates is increasing, higher numbers of students are entering the workforce rather than pursuing postsecondary education for whatever reason, which may include the rising costs of college. From the economics section of the Berks County scan, it is determined that a majority of the jobs in Berks County typically require either on-the-job training or work experience (i.e., no postsecondary education). It may simply be that the job market does not demand higher levels of education in Berks County. Based on 2008 graduation gap information, of the students who began 9th grade at a particular school district about -14% did not graduate from the same school district 4 years later in Berks County. This value is based on an average of all graduation gaps for all school districts in the county, and ranges from a low of 8% in the Antietam School District to a high of -44% in the Reading School District. Graduation gaps in Berks County have been fairly consistent in the past few years.

• The graduation gap in the Reading School District is one of the highest values seen across the 7-County Region. Only Lancaster School District, Lancaster County (-48%) and Pottsgrove School District, Montgomery County (-48%) have higher graduation gaps.

• Overall, the 7-County Region has a graduation gap of -13%, and the State has a value of -20%.

29

Household Income See Appendix H for household income data “How much income do households earn in Berks County…” Key Definitions:

Households: A household consists of all the people occupying a single housing unit under the 2000 Census rules. A housing unit is defined as a house, apartment, mobile home, group of rooms, or a single room that is occupied. In addition, the members of a household need not be related, and a single person living alone in a housing unit is also considered a household. Median Household Income: An income level for which approximately half of all households earn more and half earn less. All household income data is provided by DecisionData. Consumer Price Index: The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is a measure of the average change over time in the prices paid by urban consumers for a market basket of consumer goods and services; values are based on the Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City, PA-NJ-DE-MD area. CPI data is provided by Bureau of Labor Statistics. Self-Sufficiency Wage: A self-sufficiency wage measures how much income a family of a certain composition in a given place needs to adequately meet its basic needs without public or private assistance. Wages are based on a family of one parent and one pre-school aged child. This income adequacy measure incorporates housing, child care, food, transportation, health insurance, taxes, and other miscellaneous items. Current estimates for 2008 are provided by PathWays PA.

Analysis: As of 2008 in Berks County, the median household income is about $55,000.

• This is 12% lower than the 7-County Region value, but 10% higher than the Commonwealth.

30

The following chart compares the change in median household income from 1990-2000, 2000-2008,, and 2008-2013 compared to changes in the Consumer Price Index during the same available time periods for Berks County, the 7-County Region, and Pennsylvania:

Source: DecisionData (household income), Bureau of Labor Statistics (CPI), June 2009

The percent change in median household income values has been fairly similar in each region. They have increased during each time period, but at decreasing values. The median household income increased less than the CPI between 2000 and 2008, and may continue to increase at a lower rate, suggesting that the amount of income held by households will not keep pace with the general increase in prices seen for all goods and services. It is important to understand the distribution of income across households. As of 2008 in Berks County, about 45% of all households have an income of less than $50,000, and 55% have $50,000 or more.

• The 7-County Region has a higher percentage of households with an income of $50,000 (61%), but the State has less (50%).

To put it in another perspective, about 14% of all Berks County households have an income of less than $20,000, and 20% have $100,000 or more.

• For the 7-County Region, 12% have less than $20,000 and 27% have $100,000 or more, while the State sees about 18% in both categories.

31

The following chart compares the number of households within nine (9) unique household income values for 2008 in Berks County, the 7-County Region, and Pennsylvania:

Source: DecisionData (household income), June 2009

In 1990, about 76% of all households earned under $50,000 in Berks County. By 2008, this percentage decreased to 45% and is projected to drop to 40% by 2013.

• Similar decreases are expected for the 7-County Region and the State. The self-sufficiency wage for Berks County is $33,969, about 13% lower than the $38,994-value for the 7-County Region.

• Self-sufficiency values range from a high of $44,488 in Montgomery County to a low of $25,009 in Schuylkill County. The 7-County Region self-sufficiency wage is a weighted average based on employment.

Based on additional research provided by PathWays PA, about 9% of all households in Berks County have income levels below self-sufficiency and poverty, and 12% are above the federal poverty level but continue to live at a level below self-sufficiency. Overall, 21% of households have income levels below self-sufficiency. This analysis considers the appropriate self-sufficiency wage for each family type by household. About 17% of all households in the 7-County Region have income levels below self-sufficiency, and 21% across the State.

32

Appendices

Appendix A: Population Estimates and Projections Data provided by DecisionData

Area Year

1990 2000 2008 2013

Berks County 336,524 373,638 408,979 428,017

7‐County Region 2,371,312 2,610,647 2,789,936 2,881,956

Pennsylvania 11,881,633 12,281,054 12,506,284 12,644,234

33

Appendix B: Population Estimates and Projections by Age Group Data provided by DecisionData

Berks County Population by Age Group

Age Group Population

1990 2000 2008 2013 0‐4 22,508 23,032 24,041 26,170

5‐9 22,538 26,574 25,472 24,587

10‐14 20,857 26,874 26,368 26,258

15‐19 22,726 26,494 29,499 27,195

20‐24 23,437 21,972 28,595 30,380

25‐29 26,360 21,712 26,494 29,400

30‐34 27,778 25,742 25,124 27,224

35‐39 25,651 30,345 27,600 25,782

40‐44 24,016 30,144 29,863 28,262

45‐49 18,668 26,895 30,969 30,444

50‐54 15,985 24,410 29,072 31,391

55‐59 16,196 18,388 25,757 29,234

60‐64 17,275 14,866 21,342 25,618

65‐69 16,211 14,478 15,759 20,780

70‐74 13,492 14,288 12,944 14,883

75‐79 10,578 11,878 11,707 11,601

80‐84 6,995 8,286 9,090 9,577

85+ 5,255 7,260 9,294 9,216

Total 336,526 373,638 408,990 428,002

Median Age 35.40 37.40 38.47 39.43

34

7‐County Region Population by Age Group


1990 2000 2008 2013 0‐4 165,519 165,811 176,320 166,492

5‐9 160,811 184,497 177,049 179,102

10‐14 149,150 188,970 180,976 181,008

15‐19 155,148 173,587 190,942 185,143

20‐24 162,178 143,254 180,332 195,155

25‐29 189,624 154,543 164,412 184,045

30‐34 204,679 181,896 162,322 167,662

35‐39 189,972 213,804 183,480 165,235

40‐44 173,234 218,733 206,561 186,352

45‐49 137,680 195,235 218,180 208,869

50‐54 113,081 171,422 208,627 219,349

55‐59 110,913 131,514 186,100 208,052

60‐64 115,840 103,661 147,051 183,537

65‐69 109,677 97,046 108,848 142,014

70‐74 87,945 96,075 89,208 101,948

75‐79 66,894 83,047 77,602 79,188

80‐84 44,186 57,541 65,916 62,981

85+ 34,746 50,011 66,013 65,707

Total 2,371,277 2,610,647 2,789,939 2,881,839

Median Age 35.00 37.70 39.46 40.48

Pennsylvania Population by Age Group


1990 2000 2008 2013 0‐4 797,053 727,804 728,272 744,251

5‐9 788,312 827,945 736,158 724,494

10‐14 755,127 863,849 784,031 737,716

15‐19 818,097 850,986 868,383 784,107

20‐24 863,015 746,086 857,574 870,183

25‐29 920,247 732,701 761,513 856,404

30‐34 992,240 827,785 718,772 760,461

35‐39 923,039 951,400 791,443 717,272

40‐44 821,842 996,676 896,166 788,274

45‐49 656,082 908,650 968,535 888,797

50‐54 557,767 796,382 944,234 954,754

55‐59 552,396 619,969 844,353 922,817

60‐64 607,419 511,656 674,406 816,120

65‐69 590,586 480,656 510,719 638,251

70‐74 479,457 488,616 418,987 468,902

75‐79 361,311 422,311 376,011 364,582

80‐84 225,943 290,015 316,232 299,026

85+ 171,830 237,567 310,938 307,729

Total 11,881,763 12,281,054 12,506,727 12,644,140

Median Age 35.00 38.00 40.04 40.84

35

Data provided by Economic Modeling Specialists, Incorporated



2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 0‐4 23,488 23,895 24,579 25,142 25,590 26,029 26,620 26,958 27,327

5‐9 25,493 24,993 24,679 24,507 24,800 25,038 25,313 25,602 25,971

10‐14 27,919 28,069 28,138 27,777 27,417 26,862 26,587 26,341 26,202

15‐19 26,955 27,606 28,219 29,157 29,790 30,215 30,556 30,338 29,803

20‐24 24,111 24,903 25,365 25,720 25,921 25,698 26,262 27,237 28,292

25‐29 21,001 21,776 22,851 23,967 25,297 26,200 26,812 26,811 26,718

30‐34 25,460 25,000 24,554 24,026 23,539 23,447 24,521 25,573 26,685

35‐39 29,212 28,477 27,829 27,429 27,636 27,224 26,835 26,294 25,658

40‐44 30,922 31,119 31,216 31,179 30,670 30,250 29,707 28,844 28,323

45‐49 28,442 29,101 29,850 30,366 31,104 31,190 31,185 31,440 31,428

50‐54 25,498 25,531 26,041 26,829 27,404 28,279 28,913 29,339 29,710

55‐59 20,810 21,895 22,981 24,128 25,369 25,004 25,429 26,076 26,732

60‐64 15,597 16,497 17,206 17,697 18,126 19,961 21,101 22,122 23,182

65‐69 13,972 13,954 13,910 13,811 14,069 14,544 15,347 15,878 16,385

70‐74 13,474 13,069 12,922 12,814 12,657 12,549 12,627 12,633 12,533

75‐79 11,703 11,797 11,776 11,667 11,513 11,269 11,046 10,855 10,759

80‐84 8,902 8,848 8,883 8,972 8,899 8,952 9,039 8,915 8,839

85+ 7,695 8,023 8,200 8,574 8,951 9,246 9,479 9,714 9,922

Total 380,654 384,554 389,199 393,763 398,752 401,958 407,379 410,970 414,469



2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 0‐4 27,738 28,148 28,590 29,006 29,387 29,731 30,033 30,299 30,534

5‐9 26,312 26,761 27,155 27,497 27,858 28,246 28,596 29,013 29,406

10‐14 26,190 26,367 26,575 26,897 27,298 27,671 28,129 28,523 28,864

15‐19 29,293 28,697 28,292 28,021 27,844 27,792 27,922 28,085 28,357

20‐24 29,023 29,678 29,770 29,494 28,925 28,402 27,767 27,352 27,074

25‐29 26,611 26,761 27,514 28,489 29,545 30,297 30,967 31,078 30,800

30‐34 27,936 28,793 28,902 28,873 28,755 28,650 28,782 29,562 30,576

35‐39 25,075 25,156 25,963 27,024 28,142 29,424 30,274 30,375 30,337

40‐44 28,140 27,779 27,316 26,740 26,125 25,602 25,710 26,569 27,671

45‐49 30,949 30,388 29,564 28,690 28,133 27,927 27,548 27,106 26,532

50‐54 30,104 30,280 30,325 30,589 30,583 30,113 29,535 28,734 27,885

55‐59 27,307 27,808 28,396 28,808 29,159 29,519 29,642 29,668 29,894

60‐64 23,929 24,039 24,476 25,113 25,726 26,272 26,717 27,267 27,669

65‐69 17,136 18,622 19,482 20,338 21,326 22,040 22,131 22,517 23,092

70‐74 12,635 12,981 13,634 14,094 14,544 15,231 16,553 17,276 18,016

75‐79 10,654 10,606 10,604 10,617 10,546 10,648 10,947 11,517 11,909

80‐84 8,778 8,673 8,491 8,363 8,298 8,219 8,179 8,189 8,219

85+ 10,072 10,202 10,328 10,381 10,466 10,521 10,520 10,472 10,413

Total 417,883 421,739 425,377 429,035 432,661 436,305 439,953 443,604 447,250

36

Appendix C: Population Estimates and Projections by Race and Ethnicity Data provided by DecisionData

Berks County Population by Ethnicity/Race

Ethnicity/Race Population

1990 2000 2008 2013

Non Hispanic 319,349 337,281 351,049 354,264

Hispanic 17,174 36,357 57,930 73,753

American Indian or Alaska Native 333 611 812 869

Asian* 2,743 3,785 5,044 5,958

Black 10,003 13,778 19,246 22,339

Hawaiian or Pacific Islander* ‐‐ 77 138 174

Multirace** ‐‐ 5,610 13,128 19,007

Other Race 8,880 20,317 29,332 35,467

White 314,560 329,460 341,279 344,203

Total (ethnicity) 336,523 373,638 408,979 428,017

Total (race) 336,519 373,638 408,979 428,017

*The "Asian" and "Hawaiian or Pacific Islander" race categories were combined in the 1990 Census

**The "multirace" race category was not identified in the 1990 Census

7‐Country Region Population by Ethnicity/Race


1990 2000 2008 2013

Non Hispanic 2,303,232 2,476,601 2,582,243 2,620,146

Hispanic 68,074 134,046 207,693 261,810

American Indian or Alaska Native 2,592 3,609 2,856 2,426

Asian* 32,497 57,490 89,989 113,500

Black 91,478 125,572 151,613 165,976

Hawaiian or Pacific Islander* ‐‐ 808 1,438 1,831

Multirace** ‐‐ 32,339 56,188 70,381

Other Race 33,716 65,157 90,437 112,282

White 2,210,962 2,325,672 2,397,415 2,415,560

Total (ethnicity) 2,371,306 2,610,647 2,789,936 2,881,956

Total (race) 2,371,245 2,610,647 2,789,936 2,881,956



37

Pennsylvania Population by Ethnicity/Race


1990 2000 2008 2013

Non Hispanic 11,649,387 11,886,966 11,935,012 11,962,222

Hispanic 232,264 394,088 571,272 682,012

American Indian or Alaska Native 14,716 18,348 17,415 16,852

Asian* 137,311 219,813 312,703 370,796

Black 1,089,778 1,224,612 1,312,544 1,367,256

Hawaiian or Pacific Islander* ‐‐ 3,417 6,127 7,823

Multirace** ‐‐ 142,224 203,789 219,032

Other Race 119,461 188,437 234,124 285,935

White 10,520,211 10,484,203 10,419,582 10,376,540

Total (ethnicity) 11,881,651 12,281,054 12,506,284 12,644,234

Total (race) 11,881,477 12,281,054 12,506,284 12,644,234



38

Appendix D: Population Estimates by Poverty Level Data provided the 2005-2007 American Community Survey, U.S. Census Bureau

Berks County Population by Poverty Level

Age Group Poverty Level

Total Population* Above Below

<18 77,110 15,684 92,794

18‐64 215,097 23,633 238,730

65+ 49,107 3,790 52,897

Total 341,314 43,107 384,421

*For whom poverty status is determined

7‐County Region Population by Poverty Level



<18 575,329 70,045 645,374

18‐64 1,529,068 122,363 1,651,431

65+ 342,206 24,049 366,255

Total 2,446,603 216,457 2,663,060


Pennsylvania Population by Poverty Level



<18 2,293,661 457,398 2,751,059

18‐64 6,626,018 811,744 7,437,762

65+ 1,621,346 158,456 1,779,802

Total 10,541,025 1,427,598 11,968,623


39

Population Estimates by Poverty Level by Educational Attainment Level

Data provided the 2005-2007 American Community Survey, U.S. Census Bureau

Berks County Population by Poverty Level by Educational Attainment Level

Educational Attainment Level Poverty Level


Total Above/Below Poverty 238,924 20,585 259,509

Less than high school graduate 37,322 8,560 45,882

High school graduate (includes equivalency) 93,276 7,602 100,878

Some college or associate's degree 53,353 3,344 56,697

Bachelor's degree 36,912 896 37,808

Graduate or professional degree 18,061 183 18,244

*Population Ages 25+ for whom poverty status is determined

7‐County Region Population by Poverty Level by Educational Attainment Level



Total Above/Below Poverty 1,697,368 113,133 1,810,501

Less than high school graduate 193,048 37,007 230,055

High school graduate (includes equivalency) 567,206 44,165 611,371

Some college or associate's degree 362,671 18,532 381,203

Bachelor's degree 352,785 8,776 361,561

Graduate or professional degree 221,658 4,653 226,311


Pennsylvania Population by Poverty Level by Educational Attainment Level



Total Above/Below Poverty 7,463,343 751,038 8,214,381

Less than high school graduate 847,651 230,596 1,078,247

High school graduate (includes equivalency) 2,846,207 318,753 3,164,960

Some college or associate's degree 1,707,214 131,153 1,838,367

Bachelor's degree 1,272,363 46,704 1,319,067

Graduate or professional degree 789,908 23,832 813,740


40

Appendix E: Migration Data Data provided by Economic Modeling Specialists, Incorporated

In‐Migration

2005 2006 2007

Berks County Total 13,445 3.4% Berks County Total 13,984 3.5% Berks County Total 12,613 3.1%

Montgomery, PA 2,272 16.9% Montgomery, PA 2,502 17.9% Montgomery, PA 1,949 15.5%

Chester, PA 962 7.2% Chester, PA 975 7.0% Lehigh, PA 847 6.7%

Lehigh, PA 942 7.0% Lehigh, PA 914 6.5% Chester, PA 777 6.2%

Lancaster, PA 744 5.5% Lancaster, PA 682 4.9% Lancaster, PA 639 5.1%

Lebanon, PA 409 3.0% Kings, NY 539 3.9% Philadelphia, PA 434 3.4%

Other 8,116 60.4% Other 8,372 59.9% Other 7,967 63.2%

Total Population 393,763 100.0% Total Population 398,752 100.0% Total Population 401,958 100.0%

7‐County Region Total 85,398 3.1% 7‐County Region Total 87,618 3.2% 7‐County Region Total 82,159 3.0%

Philadelphia, PA 10,864 12.7% Philadelphia, PA 11,275 12.9% Philadelphia, PA 10,411 12.7%

Bucks, PA 6,893 8.1% Bucks, PA 6,838 7.8% Bucks, PA 6,042 7.4%

Delaware, PA 6,657 7.8% Delaware, PA 6,133 7.0% Delaware, PA 5,750 7.0%

Northampton, PA 4,740 5.6% Northampton, PA 4,816 5.5% Northampton, PA 4,483 5.5%

New Castle, DE 2,268 2.7% Dauphin, PA 2,241 2.6% New Castle, DE 2,056 2.5%


Total Population 2,727,774 100.0% Total Population 2,752,746 100.0% Total Population 2,775,422 100.0%

Pennsylvania Total 207,922 1.7% Pennsylvania Total 217,385 1.8% Pennsylvania Total 209,181 1.7%

Foreign ‐ Other flows 5,935 2.9% Foreign ‐ Other flows 5,378 2.5% Foreign ‐ Other flows 5,642 2.7%

Kings, NY 5,047 2.4% Kings, NY 5,356 2.5% Kings, NY 5,033 2.4%

New Castle, DE 4,293 2.1% New Castle, DE 4,373 2.0% New Castle, DE 4,254 2.0%

Queens, NY 4,000 1.9% Queens, NY 4,160 1.9% Queens, NY 3,970 1.9%

Baltimore, MD 3,135 1.5% Baltimore, MD 3,641 1.7% Baltimore, MD 3,771 1.8%



41

Out‐Migration

2005 2006 2007

Berks County Total 10,967 2.8% Berks County Total 11,176 2.8% Berks County Total 11,536 2.9%

Montgomery, PA 1,143 10.4% Montgomery, PA 1,167 10.4% Montgomery, PA 1,233 10.7%

Lancaster, PA 717 6.5% Lancaster, PA 775 6.9% Lancaster, PA 815 7.1%

Lehigh, PA 679 6.2% Lehigh, PA 639 5.7% Chester, PA 623 5.4%

Chester, PA 550 5.0% Lebanon, PA 616 5.5% Lebanon, PA 575 5.0%

Lebanon, PA 488 4.4% Chester, PA 564 5.0% Lehigh, PA 547 4.7%


Total Population 393,763 100.0% Total Population 398,752 100.0% Total Population 401,958 100.0%

7‐County Region Total 75,909 2.8% 7‐County Region Total 77,146 2.8% 7‐County Region Total 74,644 2.7%

Philadelphia, PA 6,491 8.6% Philadelphia, PA 6,528 8.5% Philadelphia, PA 6,711 9.0%

Bucks, PA 6,209 8.2% Bucks, PA 5,882 7.6% Bucks, PA 5,196 7.0%

Northampton, PA 4,372 5.8% Northampton, PA 4,514 5.9% Northampton, PA 4,524 6.1%

Delaware, PA 4,306 5.7% Delaware, PA 4,196 5.4% Delaware, PA 3,903 5.2%

Dauphin, PA 2,091 2.8% Dauphin, PA 2,191 2.8% Dauphin, PA 2,200 2.9%



Pennsylvania Total 204,399 1.7% Pennsylvania Total 209,853 1.7% Pennsylvania Total 203,870 1.6%

New Castle, DE 5,615 2.7% New Castle, DE 5,523 2.6% New Castle, DE 5,044 2.5%

Camden, NJ 4,266 2.1% Camden, NJ 4,064 1.9% Camden, NJ 3,458 1.7%

Foreign ‐ Other flows 3,054 1.5% New York, NY 2,833 1.3% New York, NY 3,079 1.5%

New York, NY 2,648 1.3% Burlington, NJ 2,713 1.3% Foreign ‐ Other flows 2,853 1.4%

Burlington, NJ 2,566 1.3% Maricopa, AZ 2,573 1.2% Maricopa, AZ 2,300 1.1%



42

Appendix F: Population Estimates and Projections by Educational Attainment Level Data provided by DecisionData

Berks County Educational Attainment Levels

Education Level Population

1990 2000 2008 2013 Less Than 9th Grade 27,205 19,097 17,074 15,527

9th to 12th Grade No Diploma 40,178 35,515 30,719 27,738

High School Graduate 87,427 97,898 108,166 115,263

College, No Diploma 24,331 36,035 36,434 36,642

Associate Degree 11,290 14,165 20,457 24,876

Bachelor's Degree 22,446 29,937 41,707 49,881

Graduate or Professional School Degree 11,560 16,045 20,458 23,485

Population Age 25 Plus 224,438 248,692 275,015 293,412

7‐County Region Educational Attainment Levels



9th to 12th Grade No Diploma 223,669 196,029 147,644 123,249

High School Graduate 556,411 594,761 637,925 664,938

College, No Diploma 204,728 263,312 261,425 259,667


Bachelor's Degree 233,456 312,809 386,507 434,614


Population Age 25 Plus 1,578,313 1,754,528 1,884,320 1,974,939

Pennsylvania Educational Attainment Levels



9th to 12th Grade No Diploma 1,250,551 1,043,709 747,755 611,755

High School Graduate 3,030,091 3,149,010 3,328,810 3,444,440

College, No Diploma 1,017,105 1,284,589 1,236,004 1,208,853


Bachelor's Degree 889,770 1,153,332 1,395,346 1,550,583


Population Age 25 Plus 7,860,159 8,264,384 8,532,309 8,783,389

43

Population Estimates by Educational Attainment Level by Race and Ethnicity Data provided by U.S. Census Bureau, 2005-2007 American Community Survey

Educational Attainment Levels by Race & Ethnicity Ethnicity/Race

Educational Attainment

Berks County 7‐County Region Pennsylvania

Count Percent Count Percent Count Percent Total 264,853 100.0% 1,855,110 100.0% 8,404,685 100.0%

Less than 9th grade 16,402 6.2% 84,433 4.6% 347,785 4.1%

9th to 12th grade, no diploma 31,497 11.9% 161,246 8.7% 799,719 9.5%

High school graduate (includes equivalency) 102,632 38.8% 628,735 33.9% 3,244,109 38.6%

Some college, no degree 39,280 14.8% 266,701 14.4% 1,264,616 15.0%

Associate's degree 18,180 6.9% 120,240 6.5% 599,581 7.1%

Bachelor's degree 38,311 14.5% 365,394 19.7% 1,329,793 15.8%

Graduate degree 18,551 7.0% 228,361 12.3% 819,082 9.7%

White 236,699 89.4% 1,657,142 89.3% 7,263,817 86.4%







Graduate degree 17,115 7.2% 202,762 12.2% 716,764 9.9%

Black or African Amercian 10,000 3.8% 84,673 4.6% 760,573 9.0%

Less than 9th grade 579 5.8% 3,315 3.9% 32,973 4.3%


High school graduate (includes equivalency) 3,468 34.7% 30,083 35.5% 298,710 39.3%

Some college, no degree 2,017 20.2% 15,630 18.5% 143,530 18.9%

Associate's degree 960 9.6% 5,604 6.6% 51,407 6.8%

Bachelor's degree 990 9.9% 11,405 13.5% 69,497 9.1%

Graduate degree 539 5.4% 7,771 9.2% 40,365 5.3%

American Indian & Alaska Native 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 11,776 0.1%

Less than 9th grade 0 ‐‐ 0 ‐‐ 436 3.7%

9th to 12th grade, no diploma 0 ‐‐ 0 ‐‐ 1,572 13.3%

High school graduate (includes equivalency) 0 ‐‐ 0 ‐‐ 4,691 39.8%

Some college, no degree 0 ‐‐ 0 ‐‐ 2,136 18.1%

Associate's degree 0 ‐‐ 0 ‐‐ 843 7.2%

Bachelor's degree 0 ‐‐ 0 ‐‐ 1,116 9.5%

Graduate degree 0 ‐‐ 0 ‐‐ 982 8.3%

Asian 3,198 1.2% 51,871 2.8% 186,165 2.2%

Less than 9th grade 385 12.0% 2,747 5.3% 15,171 8.1%

9th to 12th grade, no diploma 294 9.2% 3,207 6.2% 13,677 7.3%

High school graduate (includes equivalency) 834 26.1% 9,392 18.1% 34,112 18.3%

Some college, no degree 236 7.4% 4,023 7.8% 14,715 7.9%



Graduate degree 547 17.1% 15,326 29.5% 51,851 27.9%

44

Educational Attainment Levels by Race & Ethnicity Ethnicity/Race

Educational Attainment

Berks County 7‐County Region Pennsylvania


Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander ‐‐ ‐‐ ‐‐ ‐‐ ‐‐ ‐‐

Less than 9th grade ‐‐ ‐‐ ‐‐ ‐‐ ‐‐ ‐‐

9th to 12th grade, no diploma ‐‐ ‐‐ ‐‐ ‐‐ ‐‐ ‐‐

High school graduate (includes equivalency) ‐‐ ‐‐ ‐‐ ‐‐ ‐‐ ‐‐

Some college, no degree ‐‐ ‐‐ ‐‐ ‐‐ ‐‐ ‐‐

Associate's degree ‐‐ ‐‐ ‐‐ ‐‐ ‐‐ ‐‐

Bachelor's degree ‐‐ ‐‐ ‐‐ ‐‐ ‐‐ ‐‐

Graduate degree ‐‐ ‐‐ ‐‐ ‐‐ ‐‐ ‐‐

Some Other Race 12,719 4.8% 42,956 2.3% 129,824 1.5%







Graduate degree 127 1.0% 917 2.1% 4,825 3.7%

Two or More Races 1,801 0.7% 10,019 0.5% 50,761 0.6%

Less than 9th grade 61 3.4% 485 4.8% 2,711 5.3%

9th to 12th grade, no diploma 355 19.7% 1,017 10.2% 5,626 11.1%

High school graduate (includes equivalency) 545 30.3% 2,795 27.9% 15,794 31.1%

Some college, no degree 307 17.0% 2,060 20.6% 10,608 20.9%

Associate's degree 171 9.5% 956 9.5% 4,580 9.0%


Graduate degree 171 9.5% 1,037 10.4% 4,241 8.4%

Not Hispanic or Latino 226,745 85.6% 1,611,720 86.9% 7,134,421 84.9%







Graduate degree 16,689 7.4% 199,714 12.4% 707,724 9.9%

Hispanic or Latino 24,530 9.3% 92,469 5.0% 272,999 3.2%






Bachelor's degree 1,216 5.0% 6,955 7.5% 22,363 8.2%

Graduate degree 547 2.2% 3,786 4.1% 13,607 5.0%

45

Appendix G: Pre K-12 Schools Statistics Data provided by Economic Modeling Specialists, Incorporated

Area Population

2006 2007 2008 Berks County 398,752 401,958 407,379

7‐County Region 2,752,746 2,775,422 2,806,935

Pennsylvania 12,402,817 12,432,792 12,481,294

Data provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Education

Area Total Enrollments

2005‐2006 2006‐2007 2007‐2008 Berks County 76,477 76,736 76,171

7‐County Region 493,929 496,723 493,764

Pennsylvania 2,111,589 2,095,535 2,067,305

Area Public Elementary School Enrollments

2005‐2006 2006‐2007 2007‐2008 Berks County 37,254 37,089 36,846

7‐County Region 213,939 214,751 214,869

Pennsylvania 931,415 929,253 921,478

Area Public Secondary School Enrollments

2005‐2006 2006‐2007 2007‐2008 Berks County 33,501 33,942 33,518

7‐County Region 200,201 202,188 200,490

Pennsylvania 899,269 892,130 880,282

Area Public Enrollments

2005‐2006 2006‐2007 2007‐2008 Berks County 70,755 71,031 70,364

7‐County Region 414,140 416,939 415,359

Pennsylvania 1,830,684 1,821,383 1,801,760

Area

Private/Nonpublic Elementary School Enrollments

2005‐2006 2006‐2007 2007‐2008 Berks County 4,027 4,024 4,108

7‐County Region 56,758 56,607 55,731

Pennsylvania 202,746 195,727 189,635

46

Area

Private/Nonpublic Secondary School Enrollments

2005‐2006 2006‐2007 2007‐2008 Berks County 1,695 1,681 1,699

7‐County Region 23,031 23,177 22,674

Pennsylvania 78,159 78,425 75,910

Area Private/Nonpublic Enrollments

2005‐2006 2006‐2007 2007‐2008 Berks County 5,722 5,705 5,807

7‐County Region 79,789 79,784 78,405

Pennsylvania 280,905 274,152 265,545

Area Elementary Enrollments

2005‐2006 2006‐2007 2007‐2008 Berks County 41,281 41,113 40,954

7‐County Region 270,697 271,358 270,600

Pennsylvania 1,134,161 1,124,980 1,111,113

Area Secondary Enrollments

2005‐2006 2006‐2007 2007‐2008 Berks County 35,196 35,623 35,217

7‐County Region 223,232 225,365 223,164

Pennsylvania 977,428 970,555 956,192

Area Public High School Graduates

2005‐2006 2006‐2007 2007‐2008 Berks County 4,495 4,554 4,693

7‐County Region 28,578 29,592 30,137

Pennsylvania 126,926 128,603 130,296

Area Public Graduates 2‐ or 4‐Year College/University

2005‐2006 2006‐2007 2007‐2008 Berks County 3,117 3,168 3,064

7‐County Region 20,686 21,716 22,157

Pennsylvania 86,738 89,216 89,950

Area Public Graduates Specialized Associate Degree Granting Institution

2005‐2006 2006‐2007 2007‐2008 Berks County 179 176 107


Pennsylvania 4,798 4,663 4,288

47

Area Public Graduates Total College Bound

2005‐2006 2006‐2007 2007‐2008 Berks County 3,296 3,344 3,171

7‐County Region 21,577 22,586 22,903

Pennsylvania 91,536 93,879 94,238

Area Public Graduates Non‐Degree Postsecondary

2005‐2006 2006‐2007 2007‐2008 Berks County 194 182 137


Pennsylvania 3,776 3,931 3,473

Area Public Graduates Postsecondary Bound

2005‐2006 2006‐2007 2007‐2008 Berks County 3,490 3,526 3,308

7‐County Region 22,329 23,414 23,632

Pennsylvania 95,312 97,810 97,711

Area Private/Nonpublic High School Graduates

2004‐2005 Berks County 361

7‐County Region 4,950

Pennsylvania 17,892

Area Private/Nonpublic Graduates Postsecondary Bound

2004‐2005 Berks County 313

7‐County Region 4,592

Pennsylvania 16,374

48

Postsecondary Bound Public High School Graduates by Race & Ethnicity (2007‐2008)

Area Total Public High School Graduates

American Indian/Alaskan

Native

Asian/Pacific Islander

Black/African American

(non‐Hispanic)

Hispanic (any race)

Multi‐Racial White/Caucasian (non‐Hispanic)

Berks County 4,693 3 63 254 604 0 3,769

Postsecondary Bound 3,308 1 48 172 360 0 2,727

Percent by race/ethnicity

70.5% 33.3% 76.2% 67.7% 59.6% ‐‐ 72.4%

7‐County Region 30,137 33 1,140 2,223 2,400 46 24,295

Postsecondary Bound 23,632 19 1,031 1,742 1,479 39 19,322


78.4% 57.6% 90.4% 78.4% 61.6% 84.8% 79.5%

Pennsylvania 130,296 146 3,439 16,111 5,978 269 104,353

Postsecondary Bound 97,711 92 2,944 10,480 3,869 220 80,106


75.0% 63.0% 85.6% 65.0% 64.7% 81.8% 76.8%

Data provided by the Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children

Graduation Gaps

County Range Year

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

Berks

Average ‐14.1% ‐14.0% ‐14.5% ‐14.0% ‐14.4%

Low ‐51.8% ‐41.5% ‐39.9% ‐39.6% ‐43.6%

High 2.8% 1.9% ‐1.8% ‐3.1% 7.7%

7‐County Region

Average ‐13.1% ‐12.8% ‐13.4% ‐12.6% ‐13.4%

Low ‐51.8% ‐44.4% ‐45.1% ‐48.3% ‐48.0%

High 6.0% 2.3% 0.8% 7.9% 7.7%

Pennsylvania Average ‐21.7% ‐21.5% ‐20.9% ‐20.7% ‐20.5%

49

Appendix H: Household Income Data Data provided by DecisionData

Area Median Household Income

1990 2000 2008 2013 Berks County $32,011 $44,740 $55,103 $61,193

7‐County Region $36,241 $50,631 $62,730 $69,858

Pennsylvania $29,137 $40,115 $49,959 $55,507

HH Income Berks County Households

1990 2000 2008 2013 Less than $10,000 15,457 10,755 9,209 8,552

$10,000‐$19,999 21,077 16,585 12,680 11,619

$20,000‐$29,999 22,122 18,111 15,213 13,457

$30,000‐$39,999 21,093 17,283 16,106 15,368

$40,000‐$49,999 17,634 15,926 15,165 13,902

$50,000‐$59,999 11,474 14,914 14,014 15,435

$60,00‐$74,999 9,268 17,128 18,862 17,250

$75,000‐$99,999 5,556 16,417 21,968 23,800

$100,000 + 3,993 14,451 30,140 39,918

Total Households 127,674 141,570 153,357 159,301

HH Income 7‐County Region Households

1990 2000 2008 2013 Less than $10,000 85,589 58,685 49,386 45,390

$10,000‐$19,999 125,751 99,551 76,094 69,817

$20,000‐$29,999 140,453 110,921 90,512 78,089

$30,000‐$39,999 137,102 113,511 98,377 92,848

$40,000‐$49,999 116,424 104,650 100,105 88,683

$50,000‐$59,999 84,122 96,070 90,689 101,184

$60,00‐$74,999 77,842 118,182 120,281 109,076

$75,000‐$99,999 58,783 123,190 149,796 156,299

$100,000 + 57,052 162,360 282,693 351,177

Total Households 883,118 987,120 1,057,933 1,092,563

50

HH Income Pennsylvania Households

1990 2000 2008 2013 Less than $10,000 695,275 465,683 376,673 342,797

$10,000‐$19,999 826,757 658,524 497,149 453,097

$20,000‐$29,999 786,029 654,019 534,624 458,980

$30,000‐$39,999 683,884 603,728 530,120 503,482

$40,000‐$49,999 512,230 516,436 497,188 448,857

$50,000‐$59,999 341,365 436,876 426,051 472,414

$60,00‐$74,999 292,867 492,499 524,222 490,015

$75,000‐$99,999 194,527 457,260 589,789 626,537

$100,000 + 162,036 491,978 891,739 1,126,256

Total Households 4,494,970 4,777,003 4,867,555 4,922,435

51

Appendix I: Households below Self-Sufficiency Data provided by PathwaysPA

BERKS COUNTY (AND SURROUNDING COUNTIES) HOUSEHOLDS BELOW SELF‐SUFFICIENCY

County Total

Households

Percent of Households

(PA)

Below Self‐Sufficiency and Below Poverty

Below Self‐Sufficiency and Above Poverty

Total Below Self‐Sufficiency

Above Self‐Sufficiency

Count Percent of

Total Count

Percent of Total

Count Percent of Total

Count Percent of Total

Berks 106,340 3.2% 9,467 8.9% 12,972 12.2% 22,439 21.1% 83,901 78.9%

Chester 135,276 4.0% 4,506 3.3% 10,016 7.4% 14,522 10.7% 120,754 89.3%

Lancaster 135,868 4.0% 9,660 7.1% 17,641 13.0% 27,301 20.1% 108,567 79.9%

Lebanon 35,261 1.0% 2,598 7.4% 3,167 9.0% 5,765 16.3% 29,496 83.7%

Lehigh 88,654 2.6% 6,000 6.8% 12,358 13.9% 18,358 20.7% 70,296 79.3%

Montgomery 224,352 6.7% 10,632 4.7% 24,293 10.8% 34,925 15.6% 189,427 84.4%

Schuylkill 38,933 1.2% 4,178 10.7% 2,344 6.0% 6,522 16.8% 32,411 83.2%

7‐County Region

764,684 22.7% 47,041 6.2% 82,791 10.8% 129,832 17.0% 634,852 83.0%

Pennsylvania 3,363,404 100.0% 305,757 9.1% 393,479 11.7% 699,236 20.8% 2,664,168 79.2%

Source: OVERLOOKED AND UNDERCOUNTED: Struggling to Make Ends Meet in Pennsylvania, May 2009, prepared by PathWays PA and the Center for Women's Welfare This table considers the self-sufficiency wage value that corresponds to each family type by household, not just a parent and pre-school aged child

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