United States › Pennsylvania › West Reading CITY
West Reading Pennsylvania · 4,590 residents (2025 est.) · 0.59 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
West Reading is a city of 4,562 people in Pennsylvania. Density works out to 7,680 people per square mile. The typical home is worth $173,100, having more than doubled since 2000. The foreign-born share is 3%. This skews young, with a median age of 35.4. 56% of homes are owner-occupied.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 35.4
US median: 38.9
Average education
32% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 30%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 4,049 in 2000
4,590 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
7,680 / sq mi
+13%since 2009
from 6,813 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 40.3 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
4K 4K 4K 4K 5K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 West Reading Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $65,885
−6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $38,340 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $21,414 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 18.5% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 9.5% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.380 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 1.3%
Education & health services 0.5%
Transportation & warehousing 0.4%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.4%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$173,100
+30%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $72,900 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$1,365
+25%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $600 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 59.4% in 2000
43.9% rent
from 18.4% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.36 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 26.2% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 42.7% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.4 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 85.5%(3,463)
Hispanic / Latino 7.8%(315)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 54.8%(2,498)
Hispanic / Latino 33.6%(1,535)
from 54 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 13 more ancestry groups with data from 14.6% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 73.1% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 5.3% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 12.0 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 70.2% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 13.3% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 2.8% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 2.7% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 8.3% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 12.0% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 4.3% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 61.5% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 57.6% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 14.9% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 33.5% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 10.3% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 12.4% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 14.0% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 8.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 73.8% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 94.9% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 90.1% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 84.8% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 13.1% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 8.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 62.7% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 13.6% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 15.5% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 25.4% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 1.3% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 73.6% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 35.9% 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) 41.1%(79)
Gulf War (1990s) 20.3%(39)
Share of the 192 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 West Reading Head to head
Compare West Reading to nearby cities WEST READING VS
Hockessin
Income $171,204 +160%
Home value $568,800 +229%
Population 13,439 +193%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WEST READING VS
Pike Creek Valley
Income $102,434 +55%
Home value $340,300 +97%
Population 12,431 +171%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WEST READING VS
Claymont
Income $74,712 +13%
Home value $276,600 +60%
Population 8,786 +91%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WEST READING VS
Newark
Income $76,912 +17%
Home value $382,500 +121%
Population 30,359 +561%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in West Reading, Pennsylvania? West Reading, Pennsylvania has about 4,562 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in West Reading, Pennsylvania? The typical household in West Reading, Pennsylvania earns about $65,885 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is West Reading, Pennsylvania expensive? In West Reading, Pennsylvania, the median home is worth about $173,100, and the typical rent is about $1,365 a month.
How educated are people in West Reading, Pennsylvania? About 32.0% of adults age 25 and over in West Reading, Pennsylvania hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in West Reading, Pennsylvania? About 14.8% of people in West Reading, Pennsylvania live below the federal poverty line.
Has West Reading, Pennsylvania grown since 1990? Yes, West Reading, Pennsylvania has grown since 1990. The population has added about 453 residents, a change of about 11 percent over that period.
Keep going
Explore from here