How many renters in Reading, PA pay more than 30% of their income on rent?
60.3% (±4.6 points) of renting households in Reading, PA spend 30% or more of their household income on gross rent (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
49.5% spend 35% or more.
The median renting household spends 34.8% of its income on rent.
Figures last updated on .
- Paying 30% or more
- 60.3% (±4.6 points)
- Paying 35% or more
- 49.5% (±4.1 points)
- Median share of income
- 34.8% (±2.4 points)
Rent as a share of income in Reading
| Share of income spent on rent | Reading | Berks County | Pennsylvania | United States |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Less than 15% | 12.2% (±2.8 points) | 13.5% | 14.5% | 12.6% |
| 15% to 19.9% | 9.7% (±2.1 points) | 12.4% | 13.0% | 12.2% |
| 20% to 24.9% | 9.8% (±2.3 points) | 12.0% | 12.8% | 12.6% |
| 25% to 29.9% | 7.9% (±2.2 points) | 10.1% | 11.5% | 11.5% |
| 30% to 34.9% | 10.8% (±2.1 points) | 9.3% | 8.7% | 9.2% |
| 35% or more | 49.5% (±4.1 points) | 42.7% | 39.5% | 41.9% |
Households whose income could not be measured against their rent (for example, those reporting no income) are left out of these shares, as the Census Bureau leaves them out.
Reading against Berks County, its state and the nation
| Reading | Berks County | Pennsylvania | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paying 30% or more | 60.3% (±4.6 points) | 52.0% (±2.8 points) | 48.2% (±0.4 points) | 51.1% |
| Paying 35% or more | 49.5% (±4.1 points) | 42.7% (±2.4 points) | 39.5% (±0.4 points) | 41.9% |
| Median share of income | 34.8% (±2.4 points) | 31.1% (±1.4 points) | 29.2% (±0.2 points) | 30.6% |
| Median renter household income | $32,723 (±$3,846) | $45,031 (±$3,579) | $47,506 (±$425) | $52,966 |
| Median gross rent | $1,067 (±$32) | $1,181 (±$20) | $1,209 (±$5) | $1,413 |
In Reading, the share of renters paying 30% or more of income is higher than in Berks County (52.0%).
It is also higher than in Pennsylvania (48.2%).
It is higher than the national figure (51.1%).
In Berks County, Reading ranks 9 of 72 places with a published estimate, from highest to lowest share of renters paying 30% or more of income.
Statewide, it ranks 370 of 2,530.
Rankings use the estimates alone; where margins of error overlap, neighboring ranks may not truly differ.
Renters paying 30% or more of income in places near Reading
| Place | Distance | Renters paying 30% or more of income | Compared with this place |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | — | 60.3% (±4.6 points) | — |
| West Reading | 1.1 mi | 54.1% (±15.1 points) | Not measurably different |
| Mount Penn | 2.1 mi | 50.3% (±22.0 points) | Not measurably different |
| Wyomissing | 2.1 mi | 46.8% (±10.1 points) | Lower |
| Lower Alsace Township | 2.2 mi | 46.8% (±23.1 points) | Not measurably different |
| Kenhorst | 2.4 mi | 16.0% (±15.5 points) | Lower |
| Hyde Park (community) | 2.5 mi | 64.1% (±24.5 points) | Not measurably different |
| Pennside | 2.6 mi | 31.7% (±14.5 points) | Lower |
| Grill | 2.8 mi | 0.0% (±63.2 points) | Not measurably different |
Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Wyomissing, PA (46.8%), Kenhorst, PA (16.0%), Pennside, PA (31.7%).
Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.
Renters paying 30% or more of income across Berks County, place by place
| Rank | Place | Renters paying 30% or more of income |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Greenwich Township | 68.1% (±35.6 points) |
| 4 | Birdsboro | 65.4% (±25.7 points) |
| 5 | Longswamp Township | 63.8% (±25.9 points) |
| 6 | Laureldale | 63.0% (±25.5 points) |
| 7 | North Heidelberg Township | 62.0% (±46.6 points) |
| 8 | Exeter Township (Berks County) | 60.7% (±14.3 points) |
| 9 | Reading | 60.3% (±4.6 points) |
| 10 (tie) | Wernersville | 60.1% (±12.8 points) |
| 10 (tie) | Maxatawny Township | 60.1% (±19.3 points) |
| 12 | Maidencreek Township | 59.2% (±34.6 points) |
| 13 | Kutztown | 58.9% (±18.3 points) |
| 14 | Douglass Township (Berks County) | 58.1% (±45.1 points) |
| 15 | District Township | 58.0% (±28.1 points) |
Showing 13 of 72 places in Berks County, ranked from highest to lowest.
Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates).
Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.
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Questions about Reading
Are renters in Reading rent-burdened?
60.3% of renting households in Reading pay 30% or more of their income in gross rent, the share housing researchers usually call rent-burdened (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What share of income do renters in Reading spend on rent?
The median renting household in Reading, PA spends 34.8% (±2.4 points) of its household income on gross rent.
Sources
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Reading city, Pennsylvania
- Median Gross Rent as a Percentage of Household Income (B25071), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Reading city, Pennsylvania
- Median Household Income by Tenure (B25119), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Reading city, Pennsylvania
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 API needs a free key.
DP04_0136E, DP04_0136M, DP04_0137PE, DP04_0137PM, DP04_0138PE, DP04_0138PM, DP04_0139PE, DP04_0139PM, DP04_0140PE, DP04_0140PM, DP04_0141PE, DP04_0141PM, DP04_0142PE, DP04_0142PM, B25071_001E, B25071_001M, B25119_003E, B25119_003M
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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- Median rent in Reading
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- Renters and owners in Reading
- Income and affordability in Reading
- Home values in Reading
- Homeowner costs in Reading
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- Types of homes in Reading
- Bedrooms in Reading
- Age of homes in Reading
- Vacancy rate in Reading
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- Commute and cars in Reading
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- Population growth in Reading
- How long people stay in Reading
- Crowding and facilities in Reading
- Pennsylvania landlord and tenant rules
- Housing across Berks County
- Pennsylvania places ranked by rent burden
- Housing data for every place in Pennsylvania