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CITY

Reading

Massachusetts · 25,612 residents · 9.976 sq mi
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The short version

Reading is significantly wealthier than the US average, with a median household income of $165,912. Population has held roughly steady since 2000. 66% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, well above the national rate of 36%. Median home value has roughly tripled since 2000, reaching $809,000. Poverty is rare here, at 3.2% of residents. It ranks in the top 1% of US cities for household income.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 43.7
US median: 38.9
More educated
66% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 66%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
25,612
+8%since 2000
from 23,708 in 2000
1990 – 2024
Population density
2,567 / sq mi
+10%since 2009
from 2,331 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
43.7
+12%since 2000
from 39.1 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
22K23K24K25K26K1990201020202024Reading
202426K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.8%(1,498)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.4%(1,627)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146.6%(1,687)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 195.9%(1,510)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 244.2%(1,088)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 349.9%(2,531)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4412.9%(3,297)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5413.3%(3,396)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6414.4%(3,689)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7411.6%(2,982)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 846.4%(1,637)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over2.6%(670)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$165,912
+18%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $77,059 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$74,991
+128%since 2000
from $32,888 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
78.0%
+14.6 ptssince 2009
from 63.4% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
3.2%
+0.5 ptssince 2000
from 2.6% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.417
+4%since 2010
from 0.402 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade11.6%
US avg: 9.9%
Other services11.6%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration8.9%
US avg: 4.8%
Information6.7%
US avg: 10.8%
Wholesale trade4.2%
US avg: 6.9%
Arts, entertainment, food3.3%
US avg: 1.9%
Finance & insurance2.4%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical2%
US avg: 5.1%
Transportation & warehousing1.8%
US avg: 2.2%
Education & health services0.4%
US avg: 0.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.2%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction0.2%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$809,000
+66%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $268,000 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,991
+48%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $739 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
82.4%
Unchangedsince 2000
from 82.5% in 2000
17.6% rent
Vacancy rate
2.1%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 2.2% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
22.4%
−11.3 ptssince 2009
from 33.7% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
27.6%
−11.2 ptssince 2009
from 38.8% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
4.9
+4%since 2009
from 4.7 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
70
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Reading on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic95.8%(22,721)
Black0.3%(81)
Hispanic / Latino0.8%(200)
Asian2.2%(521)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic84.3%(21,585)
Black0.5%(122)
Hispanic / Latino5.6%(1,431)
Asian6.3%(1,611)
Other3.4%(863)
Diversity Score
35
+217%since 2009
from 11 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Puerto Rican0.7%(180)
Colombian0.7%(178)
Cuban0.5%(137)
Ecuadorian0.3%(78)
Mexican0.3%(71)
Guatemalan0.2%(42)
Spaniard0.2%(40)
Argentine0.1%(22)
Dominican0.1%(16)
Salvadoran0.1%(16)
+ 2 more hispanic origin groups with data
Costa Rican0.1%(14)
Nicaraguan0.1%(14)
Asian origin
Chinese4%(1,014)
Asian Indian1.3%(322)
Korean0.4%(100)
Filipino0.2%(58)
Pakistani0.2%(43)
Sri Lankan0.2%(43)
Japanese0.1%(31)
Ancestry
Irish31.1%(7,958)
Italian21%(5,377)
English15.2%(3,901)
German8.7%(2,241)
French Canadian4.5%(1,141)
Scottish4.4%(1,118)
Polish3.7%(940)
American3.4%(874)
French2.5%(642)
Portuguese2.4%(616)
Swedish1.9%(480)
Greek1.8%(472)
+ 31 more ancestry groups with data
Russian0.9%(241)
Scotch-Irish0.9%(230)
Arab0.7%(175)
Brazilian0.7%(172)
Dutch0.6%(156)
Canadian0.6%(142)
Lithuanian0.5%(135)
Norwegian0.5%(125)
British0.4%(109)
Lebanese0.3%(80)
Syrian0.3%(77)
Iranian0.3%(77)
Welsh0.3%(76)
Swiss0.3%(72)
Austrian0.3%(70)
Armenian0.3%(66)
Finnish0.2%(64)
Serbian0.2%(58)
Hungarian0.2%(51)
Australian0.1%(36)
Czech0.1%(32)
Ukrainian0.1%(32)
Danish0.1%(24)
Romanian0.1%(22)
Egyptian0.1%(18)
Haitian0%(11)
Slovak0%(7)
RANKED:Largest Irish population · Largest Italian population · Largest English population · Largest German population · Largest French Canadian population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
66.3%
+18.5 ptssince 2000
from 47.8% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
96.2%
+1.7 ptssince 2000
from 94.5% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
32.9%
+13.2 ptssince 2000
from 19.7% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
30.9 min
+63%since 2000
from 18.9 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
56.9%
−24.1 ptssince 2009
from 81.0% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
7.0%
+1.3 ptssince 2009
from 5.7% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
4.5%
−2.2 ptssince 2009
from 6.6% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
30.2%
+25.9 ptssince 2009
from 4.4% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
1.1%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 1.7% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.0%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
3.9%
−1.7 ptssince 2009
from 5.6% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
3.3%
−2.0 ptssince 2011
from 5.3% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
67.2%
−5.1 ptssince 2011
from 72.2% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
16.8%
+2.7 ptssince 2009
from 14.1% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
67.0%
−8.0 ptssince 2009
from 75.0% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
48.3%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 48.1% in 2009
Female
51.7%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 51.9% in 2009
Foreign born
9.5%
+4.3 ptssince 2009
from 5.2% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
4.5%
−42.4 ptssince 2009
from 46.9% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
8.4%
+1.6 ptssince 2012
from 6.8% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
1.9%
−96.7 ptssince 2013
from 98.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
95.3%
+4.6 ptssince 2017
from 90.7% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
87.4%
−3.3 ptssince 2016
from 90.7% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
2.0%
+1.3 ptssince 2016
from 0.7% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married25.8%(2,546)
Married65.1%(6,425)
Widowed3.1%(301)
Divorced6%(593)
Women 15+
Never married25.1%(2,744)
Married57%(6,238)
Widowed10.2%(1,113)
Divorced7.7%(840)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
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Compare Reading to nearby cities

READING VS
Wakefield
Income$134,306−19%
Home value$723,500−11%
Population27,793+9%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
READING VS
Lynnfield
Income$175,265+6%
Home value$917,600+13%
Population13,064−49%
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READING VS
Wilmington
Income$168,152+1%
Home value$680,500−16%
Population23,336−9%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
READING VS
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Income$111,185−33%
Home value$673,500−17%
Population43,962+72%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Reading, Massachusetts?

Reading, Massachusetts has about 25,612 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Reading, Massachusetts?

The typical household in Reading, Massachusetts earns about $165,912 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Reading, Massachusetts expensive?

In Reading, Massachusetts, the median home is worth about $809,000, and the typical rent is about $1,991 a month.

How educated are people in Reading, Massachusetts?

About 66.3% of adults age 25 and over in Reading, Massachusetts hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Reading, Massachusetts?

About 3.2% of people in Reading, Massachusetts live below the federal poverty line.

Has Reading, Massachusetts grown since 1990?

Yes, Reading, Massachusetts has grown since 1990. The population has added about 3,073 residents, a change of about 14 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

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