Housing data for West Reading, PA
West Reading, PA has an estimated 4,562 residents and 1,750 homes (US Census Bureau, 2020–2024 American Community Survey).
It is a borough in Berks County.
43.9% of households rent.
The median gross rent is $1,365 a month.
Its population grew measurably since 2015–2019 (+6.9%).
Figures last updated on .
- Residents
- 4,562 (±18)
- Housing units
- 1,750 (±186)
- Households that rent
- 43.9%
- Median gross rent
- $1,365
- Residents since 2015–2019
- +6.9%
What stands out in West Reading
Households that rent: 43.9% (±7.8 points) in West Reading, higher than in Berks County (28.7%).
Homes heated by fuel oil: 9.1% (±4.5 points) in West Reading, lower than in Berks County (22.9%).
Median home value: $173,100 (±$13,667) in West Reading, lower than in Berks County ($257,300).
Homes built before 1980: 89.1% (±12.2 points) in West Reading, higher than in Berks County (63.6%).
- Renters and owners in West Reading
- Heating fuel in West Reading
- Home values in West Reading
- Age of homes in West Reading
Housing in West Reading at a glance
- Median rent: $1,365 median gross rent a month
- Rent by bedrooms: $1,390 median gross rent, 2 bedrooms
- Rent burden: 54.1% of renters pay 30% or more of income
- Renters and owners: 43.9% of households rent
- Income and affordability: $65,885 median household income
- Home values: $173,100 median home value
- Homeowner costs: $1,329 median monthly cost with a mortgage
- Property taxes: $3,390 median real estate taxes a year
- Types of homes: 13.9% of homes are in buildings of 5 or more units
- Bedrooms: 52.7% of homes have 3 or more bedrooms
- Age of homes: 89.1% of homes were built before 1980
- Vacancy rate: 0.0% rental vacancy rate (Small sample: wide margin of error)
- Heating fuel: 65.7% heat with utility gas
- Commute and cars: 21.9 minutes average trip to work
- Crime reported to police: 369 violent crimes per 100,000 residents
- Growth: +6.9% residents since 2015–2019
- How long people stay: 23.4% moved in since 2020
- Crowding and facilities: 2.1% of homes have more than 1 person per room (Small sample: wide margin of error)
West Reading against Berks County, its state and the nation
| West Reading | Berks County | Pennsylvania | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 4,562 (±18) | 433,015 (exact) | 13,018,639 (exact) | 334,922,499 |
| Housing units | 1,750 (±186) | 171,580 (±199) | 5,806,452 (±672) | 143,775,355 |
| Households that rent | 43.9% (±7.8 points) | 28.7% (±0.7 points) | 30.7% (±0.2 points) | 34.8% |
| Median gross rent | $1,365 (±$90) | $1,181 (±$20) | $1,209 (±$5) | $1,413 |
| Median household income | $65,885 (±$9,023) | $79,777 (±$1,206) | $77,971 (±$342) | $80,734 |
| Median home value | $173,100 (±$13,667) | $257,300 (±$3,633) | $254,500 (±$767) | $332,700 |
| Median real estate taxes (a year) | $3,390 (±$293) | $4,239 (±$63) | $3,311 (±$12) | $3,119 |
| Built before 1980 | 89.1% (±12.2 points) | 63.6% (±1.4 points) | 67.3% (±0.2 points) | 49.7% |
| Average commute | 21.9 minutes (±5.4) | 25.4 minutes (±0.3) | 26.3 minutes (±0.1) | 26.4 minutes |
| Households with broadband | 93.6% (±3.8 points) | 89.6% (±0.6 points) | 89.7% (±0.1 points) | 91.0% |
| Median age of residents | 35.4 years (±2.2) | 39.9 years (±0.2) | 40.9 years (±0.2) | 38.9 years |
West Reading covers 0.6 square miles of land, about 7,680 residents per square mile (Census Bureau Gazetteer).
How West Reading has changed since 2015–2019
| 2015–2019 | 2020–2024 | Amount of change | Verdict | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 4,268 (±44) | 4,562 (±18) | +6.9% | Measurable increase |
| Housing units | 1,674 (±178) | 1,750 (±186) | +4.5% | Not a measurable change |
| Median gross rent | $812 (±$45) | $1,365 (±$90) | +68.1% | Up after inflation |
| Median home value | $117,400 (±$6,502) | $173,100 (±$13,667) | +47.4% | Up after inflation |
| Median household income | $47,071 (±$8,267) | $65,885 (±$9,023) | +40.0% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median owner cost with a mortgage | $1,146 (±$51) | $1,329 (±$102) | +16.0% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median real estate taxes | $2,801 (±$315) | $3,390 (±$293) | +21.0% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Households that rent | 42.7% (±6.0 points) | 43.9% (±7.8 points) | +1.2 percentage points | Not a measurable change |
| Rental vacancy rate | 4.6% (±6.3 points) | 0.0% (±4.0 points) | −4.6 percentage points | Not a measurable change |
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.
Crime reported to police in West Reading
In 2025, the West Reading Police Department reported 369 violent and 1,648 property crimes per 100,000 residents to the FBI.
Across Berks County, the departments that report recorded 120 violent and 755 property crimes per 100,000 residents that year.
ZIP codes in West Reading
| ZIP code | Share of the ZIP’s land in this place | Residents | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19611 | 29% | 10,986 | $1,151 | $176,200 | $63,331 |
A ZIP code is a mail route rather than a boundary, so the Census Bureau publishes figures for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas built from census blocks; the share column says how much of each one’s land lies in this place.
Places near West Reading
| Place | Distance | Median gross rent | Median home value | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wyomissing | 1.0 mi | $1,781 | $339,900 | 31.7% |
| Reading | 1.1 mi | $1,067 | $121,300 | 59.4% |
| Kenhorst | 1.9 mi | $1,419 | $195,900 | 21.5% |
| Colony Park | 2.0 mi | $1,644 | $358,300 | 14.2% |
| Shillington | 2.4 mi | $1,387 | $203,500 | 37.1% |
| West Lawn | 2.5 mi | $1,155 | $192,600 | 36.2% |
| Grill | 2.5 mi | — | $261,400 | 6.7% |
| Lincoln Park | 2.6 mi | $1,613 | $257,900 | 23.1% |
Places in Pennsylvania most like West Reading
| Place | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prospect Park | $1,183 | $244,600 | $63,077 | 42.0% |
| Fountain Hill | $1,275 | $246,700 | $64,107 | 41.8% |
| York Haven | $1,229 | $164,200 | $73,750 | 35.9% |
| Pottstown | $1,260 | $195,400 | $60,828 | 44.9% |
| Lancaster | $1,240 | $219,500 | $63,690 | 51.4% |
| Progress | $1,233 | $202,500 | $73,030 | 42.6% |
Matched on rent, home value, income, the share who rent, the age of the homes, the share in apartment buildings and the commute, each measured against the spread across Pennsylvania.
HUD Fair Market Rent for West Reading, fiscal year 2027
| Studio | 1 bedroom | 2 bedrooms | 3 bedrooms | 4 bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $978 | $1,114 | $1,418 | $1,744 | $1,877 |
HUD income limits for West Reading, fiscal year 2026
| Household size | Extremely low (30%) | Very low (50%) | Low (80%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $21,500 | $35,750 | $57,200 |
| 2 people | $24,550 | $40,850 | $65,400 |
| 3 people | $27,600 | $45,950 | $73,550 |
| 4 people | $33,000 | $51,050 | $81,700 |
| 5 people | $38,680 | $55,150 | $88,250 |
| 6 people | $44,360 | $59,250 | $94,800 |
| 7 people | $50,040 | $63,350 | $101,350 |
| 8 people | $55,720 | $67,400 | $107,850 |
These are the limits HUD sets for its housing programs in the Reading, PA MSA, where HUD’s median family income for fiscal year 2026 is $102,100.
A program can use its own limits; tax-credit and local programs often do.
Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.
Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.
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Questions about West Reading
What is the average rent in West Reading, PA?
The Census Bureau publishes the median rather than the average: the median gross rent in West Reading is $1,365 (±$90) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey), so half of renting households pay less and half pay more.
How much is a one-bedroom apartment in West Reading?
The median gross rent for a one-bedroom home in West Reading, PA is $996 (±$164) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Are renters in West Reading rent-burdened?
54.1% of renting households in West Reading pay 30% or more of their income in gross rent, the share housing researchers usually call rent-burdened (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
How many renters are there in West Reading?
West Reading has an estimated 749 (±169) renting households, 43.9% of its occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the median household income in West Reading?
The median household income in West Reading is $65,885 (±$9,023) a year (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the average home value in West Reading, PA?
The Census Bureau publishes the median: $173,100 (±$13,667) for owner-occupied homes in West Reading (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Is West Reading growing?
In West Reading, the number of residents went from 4,268 in 2015–2019 to 4,562 in 2020–2024 (+6.9%), a measurable increase.
What ZIP codes are in West Reading?
The ZIP code that covers West Reading is 19611.
What is the median rent in ZIP code 19611?
The median gross rent in ZIP Code Tabulation Area 19611 is $1,151 (±$82) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Sources
- Demographic and Housing Estimates (DP05), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — West Reading borough, Pennsylvania
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — West Reading borough, Pennsylvania
- Selected Economic Characteristics (DP03), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — West Reading borough, Pennsylvania
- Median Real Estate Taxes Paid by Mortgage Status (B25103), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — West Reading borough, Pennsylvania
- Selected Social Characteristics (DP02), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — West Reading borough, Pennsylvania
- Total Population (B01003), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — West Reading borough, Pennsylvania
- Median Gross Rent (B25064), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — West Reading borough, Pennsylvania
- HUD Fair Market Rents, fiscal year 2027: Reading, PA MSA
- HUD Income Limits, fiscal year 2026: Reading, PA MSA
- US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas
- FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Crime Data Explorer: West Reading Police Department (ORI PA0062100)
- FBI: Uniform Crime Reporting statistics and their proper use
- Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, all items, US Bureau of Labor Statistics: annual averages 2019 and 2024
- US Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files
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) for West Reading borough, Pennsylvania (place:83928, in state:42).
Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).
The 2015–2019 figures are B01003_001E, B01003_001M, B25064_001E, B25064_001M from the 2019 release.
The API needs a free key.
DP05_0001E, DP05_0001M, DP04_0001E, DP04_0001M, DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0134E, DP04_0134M, DP03_0062E, DP03_0062M, DP04_0089E, DP04_0089M
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 .