The Town FilesUpper Bern, Pennsylvania
Township in Berks County · population 1,606 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $250,400
- Household income
- $81,830
- Jan low / Jul high
- 20° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 30 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 8
- Median age
- 51.6
Upper Bern is a township of 1,606 people in Berks County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $250,400, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 84% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Upper Bern ranks
Percentile among Pennsylvania towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Pennsylvania towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Upper Bern is worth $250,400, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 3.1 times the median household income of $81,830, which is more affordable than 39% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $1,060 a month. 84.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Upper Bern | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $250,400 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $1,060 | $996 |
| Median household income | $81,830 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.1× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 84.7% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1980 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.6% | — |
Who lives in Upper Bern
| People | Upper Bern | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 51.6 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 25.0% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 11.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.4% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.5% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 3.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.2% | — |
| Work from home | 5.4% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 26.5 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 83.4% | 89.0% |
Weather in Upper Bern
July highs average 85.3°F and January lows 20.0°F. About 49.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 30.2 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 17 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 121 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Upper Bern since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on August 18, 2021 about 4.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 4, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 10 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on July 26, 1987.
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 Upper Bern itself the ACS puts it at 4.7%.
Towns near Upper Bern
- Tilden, PA3.6 mi · 3,603 people · home $200,200
- Upper Tulpehocken, PA3.7 mi · 1,856 people · home $308,700
- Centre, PA4.9 mi · 4,130 people · home $288,900
- West Hamburg, PA5.3 mi · 1,926 people · home $115,400
- Auburn, PA5.6 mi · 660 people · home $180,300
- Bernville, PA5.7 mi · 905 people · home $235,700
- South Manheim, PA5.7 mi · 2,723 people · home $266,500
- Penn, PA5.9 mi · 2,122 people · home $325,400
Upper Bern questions
Is Upper Bern, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Upper Bern scores better for retirees than 17% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 59%. 25.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 51.6).
How much does a house cost in Upper Bern?
The median owner-occupied home in Upper Bern is valued at $250,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $81,830, so homes cost about 3.1 times income. Median rent is $1,060 a month.
What is the weather like in Upper Bern?
July highs average 85.3°F and January lows 20.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 49.5 inches of precipitation a year and 30.2 inches of snow.
Does Upper Bern get tornadoes?
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Upper Bern since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on August 18, 2021. 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)