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CITY · 2010 ACS

Reading

Massachusetts · 24,747 residents · 9.98 sq mi
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The short version

With 24,747 people, Reading is a city in Massachusetts. 55% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, against 28% nationally. Home values have risen by half since 2000, reaching $455,600. Households here earn about 54% more than in Massachusetts as a whole. Households take in $99,130 a year at the median, 88% more than the country as a whole. The poverty rate is 1.7%, under the national 13.8%.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $52,703
Older
median age 41.6
US median: 37.2
More educated
55% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 28%
Less affordable
home values up 34%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $225,659
Section 01

Population & growth

24,747
+4%since 2000
from 23,708 in 2000
1990 – 2024
41.6
+6%since 2000
from 39.1 in 2000
US average: 37.2
Land area
9.98 sq mi
Population, 19902024
22K23K24K25K26K19902000201020202024Reading
202426K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2010
Under 56.3%(1,548)
US avg: 6.5%
5 to 97.1%(1,749)
US avg: 6.6%
10 to 147.5%(1,850)
US avg: 6.7%
15 to 196.1%(1,499)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 244.3%(1,053)
US avg: 7%
25 to 349.8%(2,433)
US avg: 13.3%
35 to 4414.5%(3,593)
US avg: 13.3%
45 to 5417.3%(4,289)
US avg: 14.6%
55 to 6413.1%(3,243)
US avg: 11.8%
65 to 746.7%(1,670)
US avg: 7%
75 to 845%(1,229)
US avg: 4.2%
85 and over2.4%(591)
US avg: 1.8%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$99,130
+2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $77,059 in 2000
US average: $52,703
1990 – 2024
$43,887
+33%since 2000
from $32,888 in 2000
US average: $27,286
Households earning $100K+
64.5%
+1.1 ptssince 2009
from 63.4% in 2009
US average: 33.3%
1.7%
−0.9 ptssince 2000
from 2.6% in 2000
US average: 13.8%
0.402
US average: 0.461
Workforce by industry, 2010
Other services9.7%
US avg: 7%
Retail trade9.3%
US avg: 10.9%
Public administration8.2%
US avg: 4.9%
Information8%
US avg: 11.5%
Wholesale trade6.2%
US avg: 7.2%
Transportation & warehousing3.7%
US avg: 3.1%
Finance & insurance2.8%
US avg: 5.1%
Professional, scientific, technical2.4%
US avg: 4.2%
Arts, entertainment, food2.2%
US avg: 2.4%
Education & health services0.4%
US avg: 0.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.3%
US avg: 1.9%
Construction0.3%
US avg: 1.4%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

$455,600
+34%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $268,000 in 2000
US average: $225,659
1990 – 2024
$1,032
+10%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $739 in 2000
US average: $853
77.9%
−4.6 ptssince 2000
from 82.5% in 2000
22.1% rent
3.8%
+1.6 ptssince 2009
from 2.2% in 2009
US average: 12.1%
2.71 people
Unchangedsince 2009
from 2.71 people in 2009
US average: 2.60
34.4%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 33.7% in 2009
US average: 30.9%
37.7%
−1.1 ptssince 2009
from 38.8% in 2009
US average: 46.8%
4.6
−2%since 2009
from 4.7 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic95.8%(22,721)
Black0.3%(81)
Hispanic / Latino0.8%(200)
Asian2.2%(521)
Other0%
2010
White, non-Hispanic92.4%(22,877)
Black0.7%(183)
Hispanic / Latino1.5%(378)
Asian4.2%(1,029)
Other1.2%(309)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Colombian0.4%(95)
Puerto Rican0.3%(65)
Mexican0.2%(54)
Dominican0.2%(46)
Spaniard0.1%(35)
Ecuadorian0.1%(26)
Peruvian0%(12)
Ancestry
Irish35.3%(8,574)
Italian26.3%(6,389)
English18%(4,377)
German6.9%(1,675)
French5%(1,218)
Polish4.7%(1,131)
French Canadian4.4%(1,063)
Swedish4.2%(1,021)
Scottish4%(965)
American3.3%(794)
Russian2.2%(545)
+ 27 more ancestry groups with data
Portuguese2.1%(503)
Greek1.3%(322)
Canadian1%(240)
Norwegian0.8%(190)
Arab0.6%(156)
British0.6%(152)
Welsh0.6%(148)
Lithuanian0.5%(124)
Dutch0.5%(110)
Armenian0.4%(106)
Hungarian0.4%(101)
Austrian0.3%(74)
Danish0.3%(73)
Ukrainian0.3%(69)
Syrian0.3%(65)
Belgian0.3%(63)
Swiss0.2%(58)
Romanian0.2%(56)
Czech0.2%(51)
Brazilian0.2%(48)
West Indian0.2%(40)
Haitian0.2%(40)
Lebanese0.1%(28)
Slovene0.1%(28)
Iranian0.1%(13)
Bulgarian0%(11)
Section 05

Education

55.1%
+7.2 ptssince 2000
from 47.8% in 2000
US average: 27.9%
High school or higher
96.6%
+2.0 ptssince 2000
from 94.5% in 2000
US average: 84.9%
23.7%
+4.0 ptssince 2000
from 19.7% in 2000
US average: 10.2%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

29.9 min
+58%since 2000
from 18.9 min in 2000
US average: 25.2
80.9%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 81.0% in 2009
US average: 76.2%
6.5%
+0.8 ptssince 2009
from 5.7% in 2009
US average: 10.4%
6.5%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 6.6% in 2009
US average: 4.7%
4.3%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 4.4% in 2009
US average: 4.1%
1.3%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 1.7% in 2009
US average: 2.8%
0.3%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 0.5%
5.0%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 5.6% in 2009
US average: 8.7%
Section 07

Work & employment

13.8%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 14.1% in 2009
US average: 12.9%
54.7%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 54.3% in 2009
US average: 35.2%
Section 08

People & community

47.7%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 48.1% in 2009
52.3%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 51.9% in 2009
5.2%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 5.2% in 2009
US average: 12.8%
7.8%
−0.9 ptssince 2009
from 8.7% in 2009
US average: 9.9%
Marital status (2024)
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
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

1.9%
+0.5 ptssince 2013
from 1.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
77.3%
−1.8 ptssince 2020
from 79.1% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
16.0%
+2.1 ptssince 2020
from 13.9% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
20.8%
+1.3 ptssince 2020
from 19.5% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
7.4%
−1.2 ptssince 2020
from 8.6% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
1.4%
+0.2 ptssince 2020
from 1.2% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
89.3%
+0.1 ptssince 2020
from 89.2% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
25.1%
−0.4 ptssince 2020
from 25.5% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)10.6%(94)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)19.8%(176)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era38%(337)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War7.6%(67)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II2.7%(24)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 887 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Reading, Massachusetts?

Reading, Massachusetts has about 24,747 residents according to the 2010 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Reading, Massachusetts?

The typical household in Reading, Massachusetts earns about $99,130 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 $455,600, and the typical rent is about $1,032 a month.

How educated are people in Reading, Massachusetts?

About 55.1% 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 1.7% 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 2,208 residents, a change of about 10 percent over that period.

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

How we source and harmonize this data →