Centre Square Barbers, 2015
Laureldale’s story
103 years in pictures
Census counts: 3,397 in 1940, 4,277 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2015 and 8 maps from 1894 on.
- 1923Laureldale is settled
LaureldalePA
A town of 4,352, settled in 1923.
2 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Shuvaev · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
4,352
2025 Census estimate · +1.9% since 2020
Typical home
$245K
+6% in a year
Household income
$70K
median
Median age
35.3
years
Jobs based here
1,249
A commuter town
TownGrade
C+
#751 of 1032 in PA
Is Laureldale a good place to live?
Laureldale's standout: 15% of its land is conserved. Overall it grades C+, 751st of 1032 graded towns in Pennsylvania. Natural-hazard risk is low. Laureldale’s trail density is 3.4 miles per square mile, above both the Pennsylvania town median (0.4) and the median of U.S. towns (0.4). On civic life, just 48 of Pennsylvania’s 1,717 towns do worse. Laureldale is more walkable than 70% of U.S. towns.
What makes Laureldale stand out
Where Laureldale beats most towns.
A commuter town
97% of working residents leave Laureldale for work
Where Laureldale’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
1,249jobs based in Laureldale
3%of working residents work in town
7 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Laureldale grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Pennsylvania), ordered by how far Laureldale is from typical.
Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 16% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listAOpen →SafetyB+Open →SchoolsCOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 10.3 of 20; 3.2% of households have no car; 1.9% of workers walk, bike or ride transitB+Open →Cost of livingCOpen →Jobs & income$70K median household incomeB−Open →HealthPenn State Health St. Joseph 3.6 miles awayB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors3 miles of trailsA+Open →History1 notable person born hereCOpen →Civic life2.1 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsDOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market8 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 35.3; 11% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 220 attractions →Hersheypark and 61 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Laureldale. Close and well known come first.
40 mi Theme parkHersheypark3.0M visitors a year
24 mi Theme parkDorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom
38 mi GardenLongwood Gardens4 mi Stadium & arenaSovereign Center
30 mi Theme parkDutch Wonderland
14 mi Park & preserveRoadside AmericaSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Hersheypark: Michael Gray, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom: Coasterman1234 at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Longwood Gardens: P. Hughes, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Dutch Wonderland: FlugKerl2, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Roadside America: Mark Fleisher, President and CEO of Aim Advertising in Lewisburg, PA,, Public domain
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Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Laureldale: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Laureldale, and how to reach them.
PowerMet-EdEIAHIFLD · EIA
WaterMuhlenberg Twp Muni Auth water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Laureldale’s trash rules yet
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 code1960519605 100%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 Laureldale.
Laureldale has home values climbing faster than Pennsylvania’s and has seen reported crime fall by about half.
#20for trails in PA
14.8%
conserved · 76 of 514 acres
2.7 mi
of trails · 3.4 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Dominic Manzella Park | 0.2 mi | 6 |
| 2. Laureldale Playground | 0.1 mi | 4 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
SchoolsC
Public schools in Laureldale fall behind 71% of Pennsylvania districts
Its public schools are run by Muhlenberg SD. Its one school is below.
29%of PA districts it outscoresCSchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Muhlenberg Jr HSLargest public high schoolGrades 7–9 | Grades 7–9 | 1,016 | D |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within PA on state tests and graduation
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A
Laureldale faces a very low natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 84% of U.S. communities. Since 1978, 2 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Laureldale.
16risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesHurricanes
2
paid flood claims since 1978
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B−
Laureldale has 0.6 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
Most working residents leave Laureldale for work: only 3% work in town. Since 2013, Laureldale has added 281 jobs, to 1,249 in 2023. 12% of residents live below the poverty line in Laureldale, against 7.6% in Pennsylvania’s towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns.
3%work in town
| Laureldale | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 12% | 7.6% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 2.7% | 6.3% | 8% |
| Median household income | $70,000 | $81,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Laureldale3%
Reading12%
Muhlenberg Township11%
Maxatawny Township7%
Wyomissing4%
7 mi
median commute distance
1,249
jobs based in Laureldale
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
B+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 70% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
SafetyB+
Laureldale is safer than 71% of U.S. towns, by crime per resident
Reported crimes fell from 45 to 19 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.
Pennsylvania has less reported crime than most states, so among its own towns Laureldale sits closer to the middle.
71%of U.S. towns report more crimeB+Safety Grade
| Laureldale | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2024) | 7.9 per 1,000 residents | 6.7 | 11.5 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2024) | 1.2 per 1,000 residents | 0.8 | 1.7 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Laureldale1.2
Pennsylvania2.5
U.S.3.6
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Laureldale7.9
Pennsylvania14.7
U.S.17.7
71st
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
49th
percentile among PA towns
5
violent crimes reported in 2024
34
property crimes reported in 2024
FBI crime data, 2024 · crimes reported to police
Climate
Laureldale has four seasons and pleasant summers
Laureldale has chilly winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. July afternoons reach 85°, January nights drop to 21° and about 27 inches of snow falls in a winter.
27″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter23–40°
Spring40–61°
Summer61–83°
Fall44–64°
Oct 19
typical first frost
Apr 26
typical last frost
+1.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HousingCost of living grade C
A typical Laureldale home is worth about $245K
Home values rose 48% in five years, to about $245K, against 23% across Pennsylvania. 63% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, against 48.2% across Pennsylvania.
The typical Laureldale home is worth about $245,000, up 6% in a year, 15% below the Pennsylvania typical home. The median rent in Laureldale is $1,516 a month.
$245KZillow home value
| Laureldale | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,516 a month | $1,114 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 81% | 78% | 73% |
Typical home value
Laureldale$245K
Pennsylvania$287K
Market temperature
8
days on market
99.9%
sale-to-list price
+6%
value change, 1 year
6
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
HealthB−
Laureldale ranks healthier than 52% of the country’s towns
Laureldale beats the Pennsylvania average on 0 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 42% of Laureldale adults sleep under 7 hours.
52%healthier than U.S. townsB−Health Grade
| Laureldale | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 38% | 36% |
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 6.9% | 8.1% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 18% | 16% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 33% | 34% | 35% |
26 measures vs. Pennsylvania
0 better25 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Laureldale | PA |
|---|---|---|
| More uninsured adults | 11.6% | 5.8% |
Penn State Health St. Joseph
3.6 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
43rd
percentile among PA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Laureldale
20pages on Laureldale
The big questions
SchoolsCBehind 71% of PA districts · 1 schoolSafetyB+1.2 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2024)HealthB−Better than PA on 0 of 26 CDC measuresCost of livingC$245K typical home · up 6% in a yearWork & commuteB−$70K median household income · 1,249 jobs hereNatural hazardsAFEMA risk higher than 16% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
5 within 15 miles of the center of Laureldale
Albright CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Reading2 mi$29,082 tuitionPennsylvania State University-Penn State BerksUniversity or college · Public · Reading3.8 mi$15,972 in-state tuitionReading Area Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Reading4 mi$6,480 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 Laureldale residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Pennsylvania.
About Laureldale
Borough in Pennsylvania, US
Laureldale is a borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 4,277 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1930
- Area
- 0.8 sq mi
- Elevation
- 400 ft
Laureldale’s neighbors
2 towns share a border with Laureldale.
South TempleHyde ParkLaureldale
How the neighbors grade
| Town | PA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laureldale | #751 | C+ | C | B+ | C | B− |
| South Temple | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Hyde Park | — | — | — | — | — | — |
South Temple and Hyde Park aren’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Laureldale with a neighbor →
Questions about Laureldale
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Laureldale, PA a good place to live?
Laureldale grades C+ overall, better than 44% of U.S. towns and #751 of 1032 in Pennsylvania. It grades B− for health, B+ for safety and C for schools.
Is Laureldale, PA safe?
Yes, by national standards. Pennsylvania has less crime than most states, so among its own towns Laureldale sits nearer the middle.
Is Laureldale, PA expensive?
That is 3.1 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.