Moving to Reading
What you need to know before relocating to Reading, Pennsylvania. Data-driven insights on housing, jobs, safety, and quality of life.
Is Reading a Good Place to Live?
Based on data across cost of living, job market, safety, and education, Reading compares favorably on multiple dimensions. Highlights include rent ($1,219/mo) is below the national average; violent crime rate (266/100k) is well below the national average; high school graduation rate of 92%.
Reading at a Glance
Cost of Living in Reading
The median rent in Reading is $1,219/month, while the median home value is $261,200. With a median household income of $75,675, residents spend roughly 19% of monthly income on rent.
Overall, the Reading metro area is classified as average compared to other US metros.
Job Market
Reading has a median household income of $75,675, which is 1% above the national median. The local unemployment rate is 3.7%, compared to the national average of 3.7%.
Safety in Reading
The violent crime rate in Reading is 266 per 100,000 residents, which is 30% below the national average of 380.
Property crime rate: 1579 per 100,000 residents.
Education in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania has a high school graduation rate of 92% and per-pupil spending of $21,441/year. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13:1.
38% of Pennsylvania adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Healthcare Access
Pennsylvania has 328 physicians per 100,000 residents, a 5.9% uninsured rate, and 3.0 hospital beds per 1,000 people. Life expectancy in Pennsylvania is 77.6 years.
Pros and Cons of Living in Reading
+Pros
- ✓Rent ($1,219/mo) is below the national average
- ✓Violent crime rate (266/100k) is well below the national average
- ✓High school graduation rate of 92%
- ✓Low uninsured rate (5.9%) and good healthcare access
-Cons
- ✗Longer-than-average commute (187744 min)
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Reading a good place to live?⌄
Reading, Pennsylvania has several attributes that make it an attractive place to live, including rent ($1,219/mo) is below the national average and violent crime rate (266/100k) is well below the national average. It scores well on multiple quality-of-life metrics relative to the national average.
What is the cost of living in Reading?⌄
The median rent in Reading is $1,219/month and the median home value is $261,200. The median household income is $75,675. Overall the metro is considered average.
Is Reading safe?⌄
Reading has a violent crime rate of 266 incidents per 100,000 residents. The national average is approximately 380 per 100,000.
What is the job market like in Reading?⌄
Reading has an unemployment rate of 3.7%, compared to the national average of 3.7%. The median household income is $75,675.