The Town Files

South Heidelberg, Pennsylvania

Township in Berks County · population 7,663 (2020 Census)

Map: where South Heidelberg is in PennsylvaniaSouth Heidelberg
Median home
$311,800
Household income
$110,615
Jan low / Jul high
20° / 85°
Snow a year
27 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
12
Median age
44.3

South Heidelberg is a township of 7,663 people in Berks County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $311,800, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks better for retirees than 81% of Pennsylvania towns, more of a college town than 81% of Pennsylvania towns, more upscale than 77% of Pennsylvania towns.

How South Heidelberg 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.

South Heidelberg lifestyle rankings vs other Pennsylvania townsRetirement81st pctFamilies76th pctQuiet48th pctWalkability68th pctFirst-time buyersbottomYoung professionals71st pctVibrancy67th pctHip & trendy47th pctCollege town81st pctUpscale77th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransit67th pctDriving70th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in South Heidelberg is worth $311,800, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $110,615, which is more affordable than 53% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $1,090 a month. 92.2% of households own their home.

South Heidelberg vs Berks County vs typical Pennsylvania townSouth HeidelbergBerks CountyTypical Pennsylvania townHome value$311,800$257,300$214,250Household income$110,615$79,777$75,278Monthly rent$1,090$1,181$996
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Pennsylvania towns with 500+ people.
HousingSouth HeidelbergTypical Pennsylvania town
Median home value$311,800$214,250
Median rent$1,090$996
Median household income$110,615$75,278
Home value ÷ income2.8×2.8×
Homeownership92.2%81.5%
Median year built19841971
Seasonal / vacation homes0.0%—

Who lives in South Heidelberg

PeopleSouth HeidelbergTypical Pennsylvania town
Median age44.344.2
Age 65 and over23.2%21.1%
Under 1819.0%—
Bachelor's degree or higher29.6%23.8%
Below the poverty line7.0%8.5%
Veterans8.6%—
Born outside the U.S.3.0%—
Work from home12.8%10.6%
Average commute25.2 min25.9 min
Homes with broadband90.7%89.0%

Weather in South Heidelberg

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.

South Heidelberg monthly temperatures and precipitation10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing37°20°Jan40°21°Feb49°29°Mar62°38°Apr72°49°May80°58°Jun85°63°Jul83°62°Aug77°54°Sep65°42°Oct53°33°Nov42°25°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue3.37.42.69.53.95.03.80.33.84.85.24.65.04.30.33.20.83.83.9
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Blue Marsh Lake station (6.1 mi away); snow from Reading 3.5 Sw (5.8 mi).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of South Heidelberg since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on June 18, 1970 about 9.3 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 10 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 4, 2025.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of South Heidelberg by decade31950s11960s21970s01980s11990s12000s12010s32020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 42 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on May 22, 2014.

Severe weather in Berks County since 1996

Storm events in Berks County since 1996 by typeHail124Heat49Flood61Drought44High Wind40Lightning49Heavy Rain47Flash Flood180
NOAA Storm Events Database, Berks County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 18 deaths recorded.

Berks County has been included in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
March 30, 2020BiologicalDR-4506: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3441: Covid-19
March 23, 2016SnowstormDR-4267: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm
October 29, 2012HurricaneEM-3356: Hurricane Sandy
September 12, 2011FloodDR-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 South Heidelberg itself the ACS puts it at 1.2%.

Largest industries in Berks CountyManufacturing31,477 jobs · $77,957Health care & social assistan…29,387 jobs · $67,565Retail18,583 jobs · $35,694Hotels & restaurants12,602 jobs · $22,041Transportation & warehousing10,444 jobs · $55,987Administrative & support8,718 jobs · $41,709
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Berks County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%2000200420082012201620202023Berks 3.5%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near South Heidelberg

South Heidelberg questions

Is South Heidelberg, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, South Heidelberg scores better for retirees than 81% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 48%. 23.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.3).

How much does a house cost in South Heidelberg?

The median owner-occupied home in South Heidelberg is valued at $311,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $110,615, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is $1,090 a month.

What is the weather like in South Heidelberg?

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 South Heidelberg get tornadoes?

12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of South Heidelberg since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on June 18, 1970. The typical Pennsylvania town has had 10.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to South Heidelberg's Census boundary (GEOID 4201172208). Comparisons use the median of Pennsylvania towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-12.