The Town FilesReading, Ohio
City in Hamilton County · population 10,600 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $211,300
- Household income
- $61,866
- Jan low / Jul high
- 24° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 16 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 20
- Median age
- 45.3
Reading is a city of 10,600 people in Hamilton County, Ohio. The median home is worth $211,300, above the typical Ohio town ($171,100). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 95% of Ohio towns, more walkable than 94% of Ohio towns, hipper than 93% of Ohio towns.
How Reading ranks
Percentile among Ohio towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Ohio towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Reading is worth $211,300, above the typical Ohio town ($171,100). Homes cost about 3.4 times the median household income of $61,866, which is more affordable than 15% of Ohio towns. Median rent is $940 a month. 58.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Reading | Typical Ohio town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $211,300 | $171,100 |
| Median rent | $940 | $914 |
| Median household income | $61,866 | $67,019 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.4× | 2.6× |
| Homeownership | 58.5% | 71.7% |
| Median year built | 1956 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Reading
| People | Reading | Typical Ohio town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.3 | 40.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.9% | 19.1% |
| Under 18 | 17.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.5% | 21.3% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.0% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 6.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.4% | — |
| Work from home | 19.5% | 8.6% |
| Average commute | 18.1 min | 23.3 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.9% | 90.9% |
Weather in Reading
July highs average 86.6°F and January lows 23.6°F. About 43.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 15.8 inches of snow (typical Ohio town: 23.8 in). Expect about 27 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 102 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Reading since 1950, compared with 16 for the typical Ohio town. 10 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 9, 1999 about 3.4 miles from the town center and killed 4. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 10 deaths and 382 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on March 30, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 114 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on April 3, 1974.
Severe weather in Hamilton County since 1996
Hamilton County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| October 2, 2026 | Flood | DR-4945: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, And Landslides |
| March 31, 2020 | Biological | DR-4507: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3457: Covid-19 |
| April 17, 2018 | Flood | DR-4360: Severe Storms, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| June 30, 2012 | Severe Storm | EM-3346: Severe Storms |
Jobs and pay in Hamilton County
Hamilton County had 515,652 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $76,924 a year. Unemployment was 3.2% in 2023; in Reading itself the ACS puts it at 4.6%.
Public schools in Reading
2 public schools with 1,442 students, about 16.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading Elementary School | PK-6 | 776 | 16.2 |
| Reading Junior Senior High School | 7-12 | 666 | 15.9 |
Towns near Reading
- Lockland, OH1.3 mi · 3,514 people · home $111,100
- Amberley, OH1.5 mi · 3,840 people · home $515,400
- Dillonvale, OH1.7 mi · 3,436 people · home $223,000
- Lincoln Heights, OH1.8 mi · 3,144 people · home $85,200
- Evendale, OH1.9 mi · 2,669 people · home $407,300
- Deer Park, OH2.4 mi · 5,432 people · home $205,100
- Wyoming, OH2.6 mi · 8,756 people · home $430,000
- Golf Manor, OH2.6 mi · 3,814 people · home $157,300
Reading questions
Is Reading, Ohio a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Reading scores better for retirees than 30% of Ohio towns and quieter than 12%. 18.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.3).
How much does a house cost in Reading?
The median owner-occupied home in Reading is valued at $211,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $61,866, so homes cost about 3.4 times income. Median rent is $940 a month.
What is the weather like in Reading?
July highs average 86.6°F and January lows 23.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 43.4 inches of precipitation a year and 15.8 inches of snow.
Does Reading get tornadoes?
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Reading since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 9, 1999. The typical Ohio town has had 16.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)