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City · 10,317 residents · Columbia County, Pennsylvania

Berwick , Pennsylvania

In Berwick, a typical home is worth $156,500 and typical rent is $797 a month. Compared with all of Columbia County, the typical home value is 24% lower, typical household income is 23% lower, and the share of households that own their home is 9 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $156,500

    24% below the county

    39% below Pennsylvania

    • Berwick
    • Columbia
    • Pennsylvania

  • Typical rent

    $797a month

    15% below the county

    34% below Pennsylvania

    • Berwick
    • Columbia
    • Pennsylvania

  • Typical household income

    $49,800a year

    23% below the county

    36% below Pennsylvania

    • Berwick
    • Columbia
    • Pennsylvania

  • Households that own their home

    60%

    9 points below the county

    9 points below Pennsylvania

    • Berwick
    • Columbia
    • Pennsylvania

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$212,105
1.5% more than 12 months ago
Typical rent
$1,088 a month

From Zillow (ZHVI/ZORI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Berwick is in Columbia County. The FHA loan limit ($541,287 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Columbia County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Berwick apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. Nearby, in Nanticoke, the typical home value is $108,100: 31% less than in Berwick ($156,500).

  2. The typical home in Berwick is worth $156,500, 24% less than in Columbia County as a whole ($206,200).

  3. The typical household income in Berwick is $49,800, 23% less than in Columbia County as a whole ($64,644).

  4. The typical rent in Berwick is $797 a month, 15% less than in Columbia County as a whole ($943).

  5. 60% of households in Berwick own their home, against 70% in Columbia County.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

The homes here

Housing in Berwick

What homes there are in Berwick, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

Detached houses are the majority in Berwick (61%), but less so than in Columbia County (69%).

Year built

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes
Monthly rent with utilities

With a mortgage

$1,252 a month

Columbia County: $1,445 a month

Without a mortgage

$506 a month

Columbia County: $568 a month

Owners with a mortgage

55%

Columbia County: 49%

In Berwick, 55% of owners have a mortgage, and their typical cost is $1,252 a month, against $1,445 in Columbia County. Without one it drops to $506.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

From 2015–2019 to 2020–2024, the typical home value in Berwick rose 47%; in Columbia County, it rose 36%.

Rent in Berwick moved so little since 2015–2019 that the Census cannot say whether it rose or fell.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureBerwickColumbia CountyPennsylvaniaUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate4.9%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate0.8%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1.6%3.4%
People per household 2.202.332.392.53
Drive alone 80%76%68%69%
Carpool Unreliable estimate7%8%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate4%3%
Walk or bike Unreliable estimate4%4%3%
Work from home 9%13%16%15%
Other means Unreliable estimate1%1%2%
Typical commute 10 to 19 minutes10 to 19 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

Fewer people live in each home here: 2.20 on average, against 2.33 in Columbia County.

In Berwick, 80% of workers drive alone to work; in Columbia County, 76%.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Berwick?

A typical home is tight for the typical income

We start with a typical home in Berwick, worth $156,500, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 32% of the typical household income in Berwick, which is $49,800 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $56,858 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Columbia County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Berwick. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $5,478 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$1,327

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$153,665
Total interest
$221,088
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $2,643 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $1,162 a month

  • Tight

    $1,162 to $1,494 a month

    Your payment · 32%

  • Hard

    more than $1,494 a month

Compared with the typical household income in Berwick ($49,800 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$1,327
Principal & interest$1,041
Property tax$151
Home insurance$65
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$69

You need at least $5,478 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Berwick and Columbia County

Berwick is in Columbia County, Pennsylvania. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Berwick's own numbers

Typical home value
$156,500
Typical monthly rent
$797
Typical yearly household income
$49,800
Households that own their home
60%
Effective property tax rate
1.16%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Columbia County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,136
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+48%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
6.4%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Columbia County.

Everything about Columbia County

Buying

Buying a home in Berwick

A typical home in Berwick is worth $156,500: 24% below the county and 39% below Pennsylvania. With the typical household income in Berwick ($49,800 a year), a typical home costs 3.1 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Berwick 3.1 years
  • Columbia 3.2 years
  • Pennsylvania 3.3 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Columbia County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Columbia County rose 66% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Columbia County.

Period County Pennsylvania U.S.
Last year (2025) +6.3% +4.7% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +48% +48% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +66% +77% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Berwick next to Columbia County, Pennsylvania and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Berwick $156,500
  • Columbia $206,200
  • Pennsylvania $254,500
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Berwick $797
  • Columbia $943
  • Pennsylvania $1,209
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Berwick $49,800
  • Columbia $64,644
  • Pennsylvania $77,971
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Berwick next to Columbia County and Pennsylvania
Measure Berwick Columbia County Pennsylvania U.S.
Typical home value $156,500 $206,200 $254,500 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $797 $943 $1,209 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $49,800 $64,644 $77,971 $80,734
Households that own their home 60% 70% 69% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $1,813 $2,286 $3,311 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 1.16% 1.11% 1.3% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 45% 42% 48% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Columbia County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Berwick

For a typical $156,500 home in Berwick, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Berwick's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $1,327a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $5,478
    Cash to close
    $10,173
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $69

  • Conventional, 5% down $1,298a month

    Down payment
    $7,825
    Cash to close
    $12,520
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $74

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $1,065a month

    Down payment
    $31,300
    Cash to close
    $35,995
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $1,209a month

    Down payment
    $23,475
    Cash to close
    $28,170
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Berwick and for Columbia County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Berwick

1.16%of the home’s value each year

$1,813 a year for the typical owner in Berwick.

  • Berwick 1.16%
  • Columbia 1.11%
  • Pennsylvania 1.3%

What Pennsylvania publishes Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program (PTRR) (Pennsylvania Department of Revenue)

Exemptions and deadlines in Pennsylvania

Flood risk in Columbia County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Columbia County.

Homes in the high-risk zone
6.4%
1,676
Of those, with NFIP insurance
23%
County Pennsylvania U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 6.4% 2% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 23% 23% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Berwick

Typical rent in Berwick is $797 a month: 15% below the county. In Berwick, 45% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Columbia County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,136 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $21.85 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Columbia County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $791 $15.21 $31,640
1 bedroom $926 $17.81 $37,040
2 bedrooms $1,136 $21.85 $45,440
3 bedrooms $1,370 $26.35 $54,800
4 bedrooms $1,559 $29.98 $62,360

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Berwick

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Berwick is in ZIP code 18603.

For 2 bedrooms it is $1,130: $6 less than the fair market rent for Columbia County ($1,136).

  • 18603 $1,130$1,470

1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Berwick when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Berwick

HUD lists 6 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Berwick. These are the largest.

  • Lasalle Blueprint Renewal Scattered Sites, Berwick 18603 24 low-income homes · 2 bd: 7 · 3 bd: 17 · In service since 2018 · For people with disabilities, families
  • Monroe Estates 1010 Monroe St, Berwick 18603 24 low-income homes · 1 bd: 24 · In service since 2006 · For older adults
  • Schain Building 141 W Front St, Berwick 18603 24 low-income homes · 1 bd: 17 · 2 bd: 7 · In service since 1995 · For families
  • Spring Garden Terrace 1501 Spring Garden Ave, Berwick 18603 24 low-income homes · 1 bd: 24 · In service since 2002 · For older adults
  • Rosewood Apts 100 Birch Pl, Berwick 18603 86 homes

See all 18 buildings in Columbia County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Berwick

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

We found no HUD-approved agencies with an office in Columbia County. The nearest ones are below; many serve by phone or online.

A man leans over the armchair where a girl is reading a book.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Berwick

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Berwick or Columbia County. The ones below are statewide in Pennsylvania: they work in Berwick the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Pennsylvania

Housing counselors near Berwick

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Berwick, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • Commission on Economic Opportunity of Luzerne County

    165 Amber Ln, Wilkes Barre · 23 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Mortgage delinquency workshops
    • and 2 more
    (570) 826-0510

  • Housing Development Corporation of Northeast

    163 Amber Ln, Wilkes Barre · 23 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and credit workshops
    • and 5 more
    (570) 824-4803

  • Schuylkill Community Action

    225 N Centre St, Pottsville · 26 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Home improvement and repairs
    • and 5 more
    (570) 622-1995

All counseling agencies in Pennsylvania

Help in Spanish near Berwick

3 of the 3 agencies on this list say they serve in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Berwick

HUD’s record names them for Berwick or Columbia County. They run public housing or Section 8 vouchers. Ask whether their waiting list is open.

  • Columbia County Housing Authority Public housing and Section 8 vouchers (570) 394-4633

All housing agencies in Pennsylvania Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Columbia County

These cities are also in Columbia County. They share its loan limits and fair market rents, but home values and rent change from one to the next.

Everything about Columbia County Housing in Pennsylvania

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Berwick, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If Columbia County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Berwick.

All guides
A father smiles as he carries his baby on his shoulders outdoors.

Questions

Housing questions about Berwick

Short answers with the numbers for Berwick and all of Columbia County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Berwick?

The typical home value in Berwick is $156,500, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Columbia County it is $206,200.

How much does it cost to rent in Berwick?

Typical rent in Berwick is $797 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Columbia County is $1,136.

What is the FHA loan limit in Berwick?

Berwick uses the FHA limit for all of Columbia County (2026): $541,287 for a one-unit home and $1,041,125 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Berwick?

The typical homeowner in Berwick pays $1,813 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 1.16% of the home’s value; in Columbia County, the rate is 1.11%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Berwick?

We found no HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Columbia County; the nearest ones are on this page. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).