What is the median household income in Reading, PA?
The median household income in Reading, PA is $44,091 (±$3,478) a year (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Paying the median gross rent of $1,067 a month would take about $42,700 a year at the common guideline of spending no more than 30% of income on rent.
In Reading, the median household income went from $32,176 in 2015–2019 to $44,091 in 2020–2024 (+37.0%).
Prices (CPI-U) rose 22.7% over the same years, so it rose faster than prices: a measurable increase after inflation.
Figures last updated on .
- Median household income
- $44,091 (±$3,478)
- Median renter income
- $32,723 (±$3,846)
- Income to afford median rent
- about $42,700
Income in Reading against Berks County, its state and the nation
| Reading | Berks County | Pennsylvania | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $44,091 (±$3,478) | $79,777 (±$1,206) | $77,971 (±$342) | $80,734 |
| Median renter household income | $32,723 (±$3,846) | $45,031 (±$3,579) | $47,506 (±$425) | $52,966 |
| Median owner household income | $64,587 (±$2,871) | $97,214 (±$1,750) | $95,990 (±$362) | $100,009 |
| Median gross rent | $1,067 (±$32) | $1,181 (±$20) | $1,209 (±$5) | $1,413 |
In Reading, median household income is lower than in Berks County ($79,777).
It is also lower than in Pennsylvania ($77,971).
It is lower than the national figure ($80,734).
In Berks County, Reading ranks 71 of 71 places with a published estimate, from highest to lowest median household income.
Statewide, it ranks 2447 of 2,545.
Rankings use the estimates alone; where margins of error overlap, neighboring ranks may not truly differ.
How much you need to earn to rent in Reading
Many landlords and housing programs use 30% of gross income as the most a household should spend on rent.
At that guideline, the median gross rent of $1,067 a month ($12,804 a year) needs an income of about $42,700 a year.
The median renting household in Reading earns $32,723 a year, less than that.
This is arithmetic on the published medians, not a rule any landlord must follow; screening criteria vary and some places limit how income may be weighed.
Income against housing costs since 2015–2019
| 2015–2019 | 2020–2024 | Amount of change | Verdict | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $32,176 (±$1,309) | $44,091 (±$3,478) | +37.0% | Up after inflation |
| Median gross rent | $811 (±$19) | $1,067 (±$32) | +31.6% | Up after inflation |
| Median home value | $73,200 (±$2,480) | $121,300 (±$5,310) | +65.7% | Up after inflation |
The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.
Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.
The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.
Median household income in places near Reading
| Place | Distance | Median household income | Compared with this place |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | — | $44,091 (±$3,478) | — |
| West Reading | 1.1 mi | $65,885 (±$9,023) | Higher |
| Mount Penn | 2.1 mi | $63,512 (±$8,441) | Higher |
| Wyomissing | 2.1 mi | $93,203 (±$25,470) | Higher |
| Lower Alsace Township | 2.2 mi | $76,250 (±$11,779) | Higher |
| Kenhorst | 2.4 mi | $86,705 (±$8,858) | Higher |
| Hyde Park (community) | 2.5 mi | $78,929 (±$23,145) | Higher |
| Pennside | 2.6 mi | $77,192 (±$14,470) | Higher |
| Grill | 2.8 mi | $144,457 (±$56,719) | Higher |
Nearby places with a measurably higher figure: West Reading, PA ($65,885), Mount Penn, PA ($63,512), Wyomissing, PA ($93,203).
Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.
Median household income across Berks County, place by place
| Rank | Place | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| 65 | West Reading | $65,885 (±$9,023) |
| 66 | Mount Penn | $63,512 (±$8,441) |
| 67 | Boyertown | $56,723 (±$2,992) |
| 68 | Hamburg | $55,446 (±$16,466) |
| 69 | Lyons | $55,347 (±$5,274) |
| 70 | Kutztown | $53,090 (±$14,368) |
| 71 | Reading | $44,091 (±$3,478) |
Showing 7 of 71 places in Berks County, ranked from highest to lowest.
Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.
Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.
What you can do on Seayora in Reading
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Questions about Reading
What is the median household income in Reading?
The median household income in Reading is $44,091 (±$3,478) a year (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
How much do you need to make to afford rent in Reading?
About $42,700 a year, if rent is to stay at or below 30% of income at the median gross rent of $1,067 a month.
Have incomes in Reading kept up with inflation?
In Reading, the median household income went from $32,176 in 2015–2019 to $44,091 in 2020–2024 (+37.0%).
Prices (CPI-U) rose 22.7% over the same years, so it rose faster than prices: a measurable increase after inflation.
What do renters earn in Reading?
The median renting household in Reading, PA earns $32,723 (±$3,846) a year.
Sources
- Selected Economic Characteristics (DP03), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Reading city, Pennsylvania
- Median Household Income by Tenure (B25119), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Reading city, Pennsylvania
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Reading city, Pennsylvania
- Median Household Income (B19013), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Reading city, Pennsylvania
- Median Gross Rent (B25064), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Reading city, Pennsylvania
- Median Value (B25077), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Reading city, Pennsylvania
- Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, all items, US Bureau of Labor Statistics: annual averages 2019 and 2024
To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) and detailed tables (acs/acs5) for Reading city, Pennsylvania (place:63624, in state:42).
Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).
The 2015–2019 figures are B19013_001E, B19013_001M, B25064_001E, B25064_001M, B25077_001E, B25077_001M from the 2019 release.
The API needs a free key.
DP03_0062E, DP03_0062M, B25119_003E, B25119_003M, B25119_002E, B25119_002M, DP04_0134E, DP04_0134M
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.
Figures last updated on .
Related
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- Pennsylvania landlord and tenant rules
- Housing across Berks County
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