Abendmahl Carl Theodor, 2005
Bally’s story
143 years in pictures
Census counts: 387 in 1920, 1,228 in 2020. The archive holds 11 old photos and papers going back to 2005 and 6 maps from 1902 on.
- 1883Bally is settled
BallyPA
A town of 1,243, settled in 1883.
Photo: Joachim Specht · Public domain
Population
1,243
2025 Census estimate · +1.7% since 2020
Typical home
$282K
−1.6% in a year
Household income
$76K
median
Median age
43.7
years
Jobs based here
836
Balanced
Is Bally a good place to live?
Bally’s best subject grades are an A− for health and an A for the outdoors. Bally’s trail density is 1.6 miles per square mile, against 0.4 in Pennsylvania’s towns and 0.4 across U.S. towns. Bally has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Bally stand out
Where Bally beats most towns.
Small town
1,243 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
How Bally grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Pennsylvania), ordered by how far Bally is from typical.
HealthLehigh Valley Hospital - Macungie 8.3 miles awayA−Open →Jobs & income$76K median household incomeB+Open →Cost of livingCOpen →SchoolsBeat 66% of Pennsylvania districts on tests and graduationB+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6.8 of 20; 5.4% of households have no car; 3.6% of workers walk, bike or ride transitBOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 43% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1 mile of trail; 5% conserved landAOpen →History3 notable people born hereC+Open →Civic life7.8 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsB+Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 43.7; 24% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 266 attractions →USS New Jersey and 157 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Bally. Close and well known come first.
Big draw40 mi MuseumUSS New Jersey
Big draw33 mi MuseumLynnewood Hall
Big draw39 mi Ancient siteIndependence Hall3.0M visitors a year
Big draw37 mi MuseumEastern State Penitentiary
13 mi Theme parkDorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom
38 mi MuseumAcademy of Natural Sciences of Drexel UniversitySources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
USS New Jersey: Camera Operator: PH3 BRYANT, Public domain · Lynnewood Hall: Shuvaev, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Independence Hall: Mys 721tx, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Eastern State Penitentiary: Davidt8, Public domain · Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom: Coasterman1234 at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University: See below, CC BY-SA 3.0
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Bally: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Bally, and how to reach them.
PowerMet-EdEIAHIFLD · EIA
WaterBally Muni Water WorksNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNearest public drop-offWaste Management - Gilbertsville Facility, 5 miOpenStreetMap
Register to voteOnlineIn Pennsylvania you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person until 15 days before Election Day, or by mail (received 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereBerks County Board of ElectionsBerks County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP codes19503, 1950419503 98% · 19504 2%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Bally.
HealthA−
Bally is healthier than 79% of U.S. towns
Bally beats the Pennsylvania average on 4 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 0. 20% of adults binge drink in Bally, where Pennsylvania’s towns sit at 18% and U.S. towns at 16%. 12% of Bally adults report frequent physical distress.
79%healthier than U.S. townsA−Health Grade
| Bally | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 18% | 16% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 14% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 9.6% | 11% | 12% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 24% | 25% |
26 measures vs. Pennsylvania
4 better22 too close to call0 worse
| What stands out | Bally | PA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults with diabetes | 9.6% | 11.6% |
| Fewer adults in fair or poor health | 15.9% | 18.7% |
Lehigh Valley Hospital - Macungie
8.3 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Climate
Bally has mild winters and pleasant summers
Bally has chilly winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. July afternoons reach 86°, January nights drop to 21° and about 4 inches of snow falls in a winter.
4″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter23–41°
Spring40–62°
Summer61–84°
Fall44–65°
Oct 15
typical first frost
Apr 24
typical last frost
+1.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B+
With 1.4 jobs for every working resident, Bally draws in 813 commuters
Most working residents leave Bally for work: only 4% work in town. Jobs based in Bally fell to 836 in 2023, 65 fewer than in 2013. The top destinations are Boyertown (4%), Allentown (3%) and Washington Township (3%).
4%work in town
| Bally | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work from home | 9.4% | 12% | 11% |
| Working residents who work in town | 3.7% | 6.3% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 27 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Bally4%
Boyertown4%
Allentown3%
Washington Township3%
Colebrookdale Township3%
15 mi
median commute distance
836
jobs based in Bally
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
B
Walkability grade: more walkable than 62% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Safety
Crime reported in Bally
Bally's reported crime rate is well below Pennsylvania's. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts. Violent crime is rare: 2 reported in 2024.
| Bally | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2024) | 5.8 per 1,000 residents | 6.8 | 11.5 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2024) | 1.6 per 1,000 residents | 0.8 | 1.7 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Bally1.6
Pennsylvania2.5
U.S.3.6
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Bally5.8
Pennsylvania14.7
U.S.17.7
2
violent crimes reported in 2024
7
property crimes reported in 2024
FBI crime data, 2024 · crimes reported to police
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B
Moderate risk in Bally, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 57% of U.S. communities.
43risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingHurricanesCold waves
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
4.9%conserved
4.9%
conserved · 16 of 326 acres
0.8 mi
of trails · 1.6 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Melcher Park | 0.7 mi | 13 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
HousingCost of living grade C
The typical home in Bally is valued at about $282K
The typical Bally home is worth about $282,000, down 1.6% in a year, close to the Pennsylvania typical home.
$282KZillow home value
| Bally | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 71% | 78% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,123 a month | $1,115 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Bally$282K
Pennsylvania$287K
−1.6%
value change, 1 year
2
homes sold in March
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Bally
20pages on Bally
The big questions
SchoolsB+Beat 66% of PA districtsSafety1.6 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2024)HealthA−Better than PA on 4 of 26 CDC measuresCost of livingC$282K typical home · down 1.6% in a yearWork & commuteB+$76K median household income · 836 jobs hereNatural hazardsBFEMA risk higher than 43% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
5 within 15 miles of the center of Bally
Kutztown University of PennsylvaniaUniversity or college · Public · Kutztown12.9 mi$11,314 in-state tuitionCedar Crest CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Allentown13.3 mi$46,314 tuitionMuhlenberg CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Allentown14.2 mi$62,805 tuition
About 5 of every 100 Bally residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Pennsylvania.
A growing town
Bally has grown 15% since 2010
1,090 counted in 2010 and 1,228 in 2020; an estimated 1,243 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
Famous people from Bally
3 notable people were born in Bally.
_08.jpg){kind=link}
About Bally
Borough in Pennsylvania, US
Bally is a borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,228 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1912
- Area
- 0.5 sq mi
- Elevation
- 259 ft
- ZIP code
- 19503
- Area code
- 610
Questions about Bally
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Bally, PA expensive?
That is 3.5 years of the area's median household income ($79,777 across the Reading, PA metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C.
What is Bally, PA known for?
3 notable people were born here, including Annie Funk and Shane Kline.