United States › Pennsylvania › Reading CITY
Reading Pennsylvania · 95,832 residents (2025 est.) · 9.84 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
Reading is home to 95,242 people in Pennsylvania. 11% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. 41% of homes are owner-occupied. The median age is 31.9, younger than the US median of 38.9. 28.7% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Households here earn about 43% less than in Pennsylvania as a whole.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 31.9
US median: 38.9
Less educated
11% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 48%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 81,207 in 2000
95,832 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
9,676 / sq mi
+18%since 2009
from 8,213 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 30.6 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
77K 82K 87K 92K 97K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Reading Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $44,091
−9%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $26,698 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $13,086 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 9.1% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 26.1% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.426 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 9.2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 3.8%
Transportation & warehousing 2.6%
Public administration 2.4%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.5%
Education & health services 0.3%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$121,300
+48%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $45,000 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$1,067
+28%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $459 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 51.0% in 2000
59.4% rent
from 15.3% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.71 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 32.8% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 55.0% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.2 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 48.1%(39,038)
Hispanic / Latino 37.3%(30,302)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 18.5%(17,604)
Hispanic / Latino 70.8%(67,414)
from 75 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Hispanic origin
+ 6 more hispanic origin groups with data Ancestry
+ 35 more ancestry groups with data from 8.6% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 62.3% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 3.0% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 14.0 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 57.3% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 20.4% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 8.7% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 2.6% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 8.6% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 26.1% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 18.8% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 60.3% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 63.2% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 10.4% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 15.1% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 16.5% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 7.0% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 18.8% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 19.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 68.9% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 85.4% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 79.3% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 46.3% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 51.1% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 50.1%(17,509)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 19.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 34.9% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 7.7% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 13.9% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 48.1% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 1.4% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 41.8% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 56.8% 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) 25.6%(543)
Gulf War (1990s) 21.1%(449)
Share of the 2,124 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
Drill deeper
Places similar to Reading Head to head
Compare Reading to nearby cities READING VS
Hockessin
Income $171,204 +288%
Home value $568,800 +369%
Population 13,439 −86%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
READING VS
Pike Creek Valley
Income $102,434 +132%
Home value $340,300 +181%
Population 12,431 −87%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
READING VS
Claymont
Income $74,712 +69%
Home value $276,600 +128%
Population 8,786 −91%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
READING VS
Phillipsburg
Income $68,324 +55%
Home value $193,200 +59%
Population 15,456 −84%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Reading, Pennsylvania? Reading, Pennsylvania has about 95,242 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Reading, Pennsylvania? The typical household in Reading, Pennsylvania earns about $44,091 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Reading, Pennsylvania expensive? In Reading, Pennsylvania, the median home is worth about $121,300, and the typical rent is about $1,067 a month.
How educated are people in Reading, Pennsylvania? About 11.4% of adults age 25 and over in Reading, Pennsylvania hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Reading, Pennsylvania? About 28.7% of people in Reading, Pennsylvania live below the federal poverty line.
Has Reading, Pennsylvania grown since 1990? Yes, Reading, Pennsylvania has grown since 1990. The population has added about 16,862 residents, a change of about 22 percent over that period.
Keep going
Explore from here 