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CITY · 1990 CENSUS

Reading

Pennsylvania · 78,380 residents · 9.84 sq mi
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The short version

Reading is home to 78,380 people in Pennsylvania. Median home value sits at $37,300. 9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. That trails the Pennsylvania median by roughly 24%. 56% of homes are owner-occupied. The poverty rate is 19.4%, above the 13.2% national rate.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $30,130
Mid-age
median age 32.3
US median: 33.0
Less educated
9% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 20%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $93,722
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
78,380
−3%vs 2000
vs 81,207 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
32.3
+6%vs 2000
vs 30.6 in 2000
US average: 33.0
Land area
9.84 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
77K82K87K92K97K19902000201020202024Reading
202495K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 1990
Under 58.2%(6,450)
US avg: 7.3%
5 to 97.5%(5,842)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 146.2%(4,854)
US avg: 6.9%
15 to 196.7%(5,248)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 248.6%(6,743)
US avg: 7.5%
25 to 3417.1%(13,421)
US avg: 17.5%
35 to 4411.6%(9,131)
US avg: 15.1%
45 to 548.6%(6,718)
US avg: 10.2%
55 to 648.8%(6,925)
US avg: 8.5%
65 to 748.9%(6,951)
US avg: 7.3%
75 to 846.2%(4,877)
US avg: 4%
85 and over1.6%(1,220)
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$22,112
+9%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $26,698 in 2000
US average: $30,130
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$11,041
−16%vs 2000
vs $13,086 in 2000
US average: $14,340
Poverty rate
19.4%
−6.7 ptsvs 2000
vs 26.1% in 2000
US average: 13.2%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$37,300
+9%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $45,000 in 2000
US average: $93,722
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$352
+1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $459 in 2000
US average: $450
Owner-occupied
55.9%
+4.9 ptsvs 2000
vs 51.0% in 2000
44.1% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic48.1%(39,038)
Black10.8%(8,799)
Hispanic / Latino37.3%(30,302)
Asian1.5%(1,233)
Other0%
1990
White, non-Hispanic78.8%(61,761)
Black9.8%(7,646)
Hispanic / Latino18%(14,130)
Asian1.2%(956)
Other10.2%(8,017)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin
Puerto Rican29.2%(27,799)
Dominican23.6%(22,520)
Mexican10.7%(10,206)
Central American2.7%(2,587)
South American2.4%(2,314)
Salvadoran1.3%(1,195)
Guatemalan1.2%(1,119)
Colombian1%(935)
Cuban0.6%(533)
Peruvian0.5%(519)
Ecuadorian0.5%(477)
Venezuelan0.3%(258)
+ 6 more hispanic origin groups with data
Nicaraguan0.2%(145)
Honduran0.1%(128)
Argentine0.1%(86)
Spaniard0.1%(82)
Chilean0%(36)
Asian origin
Korean0.3%(280)
Chinese0.2%(175)
Vietnamese0.2%(168)
Pakistani0.1%(52)
Filipino0%(32)
Kazakh0%(11)
Pacific Islander origin
Ancestry
German7.3%(6,984)
American4%(3,840)
Irish3%(2,896)
Italian2.9%(2,749)
Polish1.6%(1,550)
English1.5%(1,471)
West Indian1.2%(1,106)
Dutch1.1%(1,021)
French0.6%(559)
Haitian0.5%(501)
Welsh0.3%(298)
+ 35 more ancestry groups with data
Guyanese0.3%(268)
Nigerian0.3%(267)
Scottish0.2%(231)
Greek0.2%(230)
Jamaican0.2%(225)
Portuguese0.2%(214)
Swiss0.2%(185)
Swedish0.2%(182)
Ukrainian0.1%(136)
Arab0.1%(131)
Lithuanian0.1%(102)
Hungarian0.1%(96)
Canadian0.1%(84)
Romanian0.1%(73)
Slovak0.1%(64)
Czech0.1%(52)
British0%(46)
Norwegian0%(45)
Russian0%(43)
Austrian0%(34)
Egyptian0%(27)
Brazilian0%(25)
Lebanese0%(24)
Moroccan0%(15)
Finnish0%(15)
Syrian0%(14)
Danish0%(13)
Serbian0%(12)
Slovene0%(11)
Israeli0%(6)
Belgian0%(1)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
8.5%
−0.1 ptsvs 2000
vs 8.6% in 2000
US average: 20.3%
High school or higher
58.4%
−3.9 ptsvs 2000
vs 62.3% in 2000
US average: 75.2%
Graduate degree
3.1%
+0.2 ptsvs 2000
vs 3.0% in 2000
US average: 7.1%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
15.6 min
+11%vs 2000
vs 14.0 min in 2000
US average: 21.9
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married50.1%(17,509)
Married35.6%(12,436)
Widowed2.1%(734)
Divorced12.2%(4,252)
Women 15+
Never married50%(18,925)
Married31.2%(11,803)
Widowed6.3%(2,402)
Divorced12.4%(4,711)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
14.7%
−4.9 ptssince 2013
from 19.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
31.1%
−3.8 ptssince 2020
from 34.9% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
6.7%
−1.0 ptssince 2020
from 7.7% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
13.5%
−0.4 ptssince 2020
from 13.9% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
47.5%
−0.6 ptssince 2020
from 48.1% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
0.9%
−0.5 ptssince 2020
from 1.4% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
37.5%
−4.3 ptssince 2020
from 41.8% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
55.2%
−1.6 ptssince 2020
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)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)21.1%(449)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era24.3%(517)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War3.9%(82)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%

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

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Head to head

Compare Reading to nearby cities

READING VS
Hockessin
Income$171,204+674%
Home value$568,800+1425%
Population13,439−86%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
READING VS
Pike Creek Valley
Income$102,434+363%
Home value$340,300+812%
Population12,431−87%
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READING VS
Claymont
Income$74,712+238%
Home value$276,600+642%
Population8,786−91%
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READING VS
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Income$68,324+209%
Home value$193,200+418%
Population15,456−84%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Reading, Pennsylvania?

Reading, Pennsylvania has about 78,380 residents according to the 1990 Census.

What is the median household income in Reading, Pennsylvania?

The typical household in Reading, Pennsylvania earns about $22,112 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 $37,300, and the typical rent is about $352 a month.

How educated are people in Reading, Pennsylvania?

About 8.5% 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 19.4% of people in Reading, Pennsylvania live below the federal poverty line.

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

How we source and harmonize this data →