The Town FilesReading, Pennsylvania
City in Berks County · population 95,112 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $121,300
- Household income
- $44,091
- Jan low / Jul high
- 23° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 27 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 10
- Median age
- 31.9
Reading is a city of 95,112 people in Berks County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $121,300, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks more walkable than 100% of Pennsylvania towns, more vibrant than 95% of Pennsylvania towns, better transit than 94% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Reading ranks
Percentile among Pennsylvania towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Pennsylvania towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Reading is worth $121,300, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $44,091, which is more affordable than 53% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $1,067 a month. 40.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Reading | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $121,300 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $1,067 | $996 |
| Median household income | $44,091 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.8× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 40.6% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1938 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.2% | — |
Who lives in Reading
| People | Reading | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 31.9 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 10.7% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 28.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 11.4% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 28.7% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 3.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 25.4% | — |
| Work from home | 6.4% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 24.1 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.5% | 89.0% |
Weather in Reading
July highs average 86.5°F and January lows 23.0°F. About 45.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 27.2 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 24 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 107 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Reading since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on May 31, 1998 about 9.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 1, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 51 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on May 22, 2014.
Severe weather in Berks County since 1996
Berks County has been included in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 30, 2020 | Biological | DR-4506: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3441: Covid-19 |
| March 23, 2016 | Snowstorm | DR-4267: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| October 29, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3356: Hurricane Sandy |
| September 12, 2011 | Flood | DR-4030: Tropical Storm Lee |
Jobs and pay in Berks County
Berks County had 173,692 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $63,608 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Reading itself the ACS puts it at 13.7%.
Public schools in Reading
32 public schools with 25,584 students, about 15.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading SHS | 9-12 | 4,779 | 18.9 |
| Central MS | 5-8 | 1,708 | 15.4 |
| Exeter Twp SHS | 9-12 | 1,309 | 16.0 |
| Muhlenberg El Ctr | K-3 | 1,215 | 17.1 |
| Muhlenberg HS | 10-12 | 1,169 | 17.7 |
| Muhlenberg Jr HS | 7-9 | 1,006 | 15.7 |
| C E Cole Intermediate Sch | 4-6 | 950 | 16.7 |
| Northeast MS | 5-8 | 922 | 14.6 |
| Northwest MS | 5-8 | 827 | 15.0 |
| Amanda E Stout El Sch | PK-4 | 738 | 13.7 |
| Southern MS | 5-8 | 698 | 13.2 |
| Riverside El Sch | PK-4 | 692 | 15.0 |
Towns near Reading
- West Reading, PA1.1 mi · 4,553 people · home $173,100
- Mount Penn, PA2.1 mi · 3,240 people · home $176,300
- Wyomissing, PA2.1 mi · 11,114 people · home $339,900
- Lower Alsace, PA2.2 mi · 4,716 people · home $213,800
- Kenhorst, PA2.4 mi · 3,001 people · home $195,900
- Hyde Park, PA2.5 mi · 2,806 people · home $173,700
- Pennside, PA2.6 mi · 5,190 people · home $207,600
- Shillington, PA3.3 mi · 5,475 people · home $203,500
Reading questions
Is Reading, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Reading scores better for retirees than 1% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 1%. 10.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 31.9).
How much does a house cost in Reading?
The median owner-occupied home in Reading is valued at $121,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $44,091, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is $1,067 a month.
What is the weather like in Reading?
July highs average 86.5°F and January lows 23.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 45.2 inches of precipitation a year and 27.2 inches of snow.
Does Reading get tornadoes?
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Reading since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on May 31, 1998. The typical Pennsylvania town has had 10.
- 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)