State
County
Land Area (mi²)
9.8 sq mi
Density (mi²)
8,944.60/sq mi
2020 Growth Rate
-0.19%
Growth Since 2010
-0.05%
Rank in State
Rank in Country
Metro Population
422,434
World Population Review
Reading, Pennsylvania Population 2021
88,041
Reading is a city located in Berks County Pennsylvania. It is also the county seat of Berks County. With a 2020 population of 88,041, it is the 5th largest city in Pennsylvania (after Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, and Erie) and the 388th largest city in the United States . Reading is currently declining at a rate of -0.19% annually and its population has decreased by -0.05% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 88,082 in 2010. Reading reached it's highest population of 111,171 in 1930. Spanning over 10 miles, Reading has a population density of 8,945 people per square mile.
The average household income in Reading is $43,842 with a poverty rate of 32.72%. The median rental costs in recent years comes to $811 per month, and the median house value is $73,200. The median age in Reading is 30 years, 28.9 years for males, and 31.1 years for females.
Reading Demographics
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Reading was:
- White: 53.95%
- Other race: 16.45%
- Two or more races: 13.96%
- Black or African American: 12.77%
- Native American: 1.94%
- Asian: 0.90%
- Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 0.01%
The current population of Reading, Pennsylvania is 88,041 based on our projections of the latest US Census estimates. The US Census estimates the 2018 population at 88,542.The last official US Census in 2010 recorded the population at 88,082.
Reading, Pennsylvania Population 2021
2019 and 2020 population is estimated by projecting the raw 2018 numbers.
| Year | Population | Growth | Growth Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 422,434 | 635 | 0.15% |
| 2020 | 421,799 | 635 | 0.15% |
| 2019 | 421,164 | 635 | 0.15% |
| 2018 | 420,529 | 3,018 | 0.72% |
| 2017 | 417,511 | 1,727 | 0.41% |
| 2016 | 415,784 | 646 | 0.16% |
| 2015 | 415,138 | 579 | 0.14% |
| 2014 | 414,559 | 644 | 0.16% |
| 2013 | 413,915 | 397 | 0.10% |
| 2012 | 413,518 | 510 | 0.12% |
| 2011 | 413,008 | 969 | 0.23% |
| 2010 | 412,039 | 0.00% |
Reading Metro Area Population by Year
| Race | Population | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White | 47,605 | 53.95% |
| Some Other Race | 14,518 | 16.45% |
| Two or More Races | 12,318 | 13.96% |
| Black or African American | 11,267 | 12.77% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1,716 | 1.94% |
| Asian | 795 | 0.90% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander | 13 | 0.01% |
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Reading Population by Race
Reading Population Pyramid $2021
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Reading Population by Age
Reading Households and Families
| Type | Count | Average Size | Owned |
|---|---|---|---|
| All | 29,070 | 2.94 | 39.4 |
| Non Family | 10,679 | 1.27 | 31.7 |
| Married | 8,441 | 3.84 | 59.2 |
| Female | 7,698 | 4.01 | 27.7 |
| Male | 2,252 | 3.82 | 42.2 |
3.72
Average Family Size
2.94
Average Household Size
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Reading Households by Type
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| Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Less Than 9th Grade | 7,662 | 14.98% |
| 9th to 12th Grade | 8,514 | 16.65% |
| High School Graduate | 17,946 | 35.09% |
| Some College | 8,302 | 16.23% |
| Associates Degree | 3,208 | 6.27% |
| Bachelors Degree | 3,944 | 7.71% |
| Graduate Degree | 1,573 | 3.08% |
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Reading Educational Attainment by Sex (over 25)
Reading Educational Attainment by Race
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| Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hispanic | 29,962 | 17,518 | 2,291 |
| White | 15,007 | 12,605 | 2,639 |
| Other Race | 7,860 | 4,680 | 693 |
| Black | 6,593 | 5,160 | 533 |
| 2+ Races | 5,706 | 3,582 | 492 |
| Native American | 983 | 389 | 24 |
| Asian | 512 | 333 | 132 |
| Islander | 11 | 10 | 10 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among islander people with a rate of 90.91%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among islander people with a rate of 90.91%.
Reading Educational Attainment by Race
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$25,968
Average Earnings
$30,371
Average Male
$21,813
Average Female
Reading Earnings by Educational Attainment
Reading Language by Age
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Reading Language
43.95% of Reading residents speak only English, while 56.05% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 53.37% of the population.
Reading Language
Reading Poverty by Race
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| Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hispanic | 58,473 | 21,818 | 37.31% |
| Multiple | 12,127 | 5,010 | 41.31% |
| Other | 14,392 | 4,476 | 31.10% |
| Black | 10,871 | 3,423 | 31.49% |
| White | 17,439 | 3,260 | 18.69% |
| Native | 1,690 | 829 | 49.05% |
| Asian | 756 | 244 | 32.28% |
32.72%
Overall Poverty Rate
29.76%
Male Poverty Rate
35.59%
Female Poverty Rate
Poverty in Reading
The race most likely to be in poverty in Reading is Native, with 49.05% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Reading is White, with 18.69% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 6.88%. Among those working part-time, it was 34.95%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 43.35%.
Reading Poverty
Reading Poverty Rate by Education
Reading Marital Status
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Marriage Rates
30.4%
Overall Marriage Rate
32.3%
Male Marriage Rate
28.6%
Female Marriage Rate
Reading Married by Age and Sex
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Reading Marriage
The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 55-64.
Reading Marital Status by Race
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Reading Marital Status
Reading Veterans by War
Reading Veterans by Age
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| Name | Veterans | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| White | 1,855 | 5.29% |
| Hispanic | 583 | 1.55% |
| Black | 395 | 4.92% |
| 2+ Races | 152 | 2.08% |
| Other Race | 141 | 1.38% |
| Native American | 31 | 2.82% |
| Asian | 17 | 2.73% |
Reading Veterans by Race
Reading Veterans by Education
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16.64%
Veteran Poverty Rate
34.76%
Veteran Disability Rate
Reading Veterans by Education
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61.5%
Labor Force Participation
53.6%
Employment Rate
12.9%
Unemployment Rate
Reading Employment by Age
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Reading Employment by Race
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Reading Employment by Education
Origin of Non-Citizens
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Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Origin of Naturalized Citizens
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80.88%
Native Born
19.12%
Foreign Born
12.07%
Non Citizen
7.06%
Naturalized
Place of Birth
80.88% of Reading residents were born in the United States, with 46.12% having been born in Pennsylvania. 12.07% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.
Reading Place of Birth
| Year | Population | Growth | Annual Growth Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 88,041 | -167 | -0.19% |
| 2020 | 88,208 | -167 | -0.19% |
| 2019 | 88,375 | -167 | -0.19% |
| 2018 | 88,542 | 408 | 0.46% |
| 2017 | 88,134 | 6 | 0.01% |
| 2016 | 88,128 | 81 | 0.09% |
| 2015 | 88,047 | -124 | -0.14% |
| 2014 | 88,171 | -93 | -0.11% |
| 2013 | 88,264 | 123 | 0.14% |
| 2012 | 88,141 | -54 | -0.06% |
| 2011 | 88,195 | 155 | 0.18% |
| 2010 | 88,040 | 6,833 | 0.81% |
| 2000 | 81,207 | 2,827 | 0.35% |
| 1990 | 78,380 | -306 | -0.04% |
| 1980 | 78,686 | -8,957 | -1.07% |
| 1970 | 87,643 | -10,534 | -1.13% |
| 1960 | 98,177 | -11,143 | -1.07% |
| 1950 | 109,320 | -1,248 | -0.11% |
| 1940 | 110,568 | -603 | -0.05% |
| 1930 | 111,171 | 3,387 | 0.31% |
| 1920 | 107,784 | 11,713 | 1.16% |
| 1910 | 96,071 | 17,110 | 1.98% |
| 1900 | 78,961 | 20,300 | 3.02% |
| 1890 | 58,661 | 15,383 | 3.09% |
| 1880 | 43,278 | 9,348 | 2.46% |
| 1870 | 33,930 | 10,768 | 3.89% |
| 1860 | 23,162 | 7,419 | 3.94% |
| 1850 | 15,743 | 7,333 | 6.47% |
| 1840 | 8,410 | 2,554 | 3.69% |
| 1830 | 5,856 | 1,524 | 3.06% |
| 1820 | 4,332 | 870 | 2.27% |
| 1810 | 3,462 | 0.00% |