Primary sources for Reading, PA
- Census Bureau profile of Reading, PA, ACS data
- EIA-861 utility data for Reading, PA, prices
- DOE LEAD tool for Reading, PA, energy burden
- NOAA storms and FEMA flood claims for Reading, PA
Electricity rates in Reading, Pennsylvania
Reading, PA ranks 1 of 18 Pennsylvania cities for the oldest homes (median year built 1938). Reading, Pennsylvania has 94,836 residents in 32,899 households; 28.3% heat with electricity.
Households in Reading, PA can pick a supplier. How to compare.
Reading on the map
Berks County, with Reading marked
Who supplies Reading
Berks County lists 2 utilities for Reading, PA, a city of 94,836: no plan prices, and retail supplier plans are not in public data; which listed utility delivers to your street depends on the address. Berks County page.
Housing and heating in Reading
Reading, PA: 32,332 of 36,289 homes were built before 1980 and 1,199 in 2000 or later. Reading, PA has 4,476 detached houses, 6,032 homes in 5+ unit buildings and 119 mobile homes.
Age of homes in Reading, PA
% of homes by decade built, Reading, PA
- 57pre-40
- 740s
- 950s
- 760s
- 970s
- 580s
- 390s
- 200s
- 210s
- 020+
Heating fuel in Reading, PA
| Reading, PA | Value | County | Gap | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reading, PA, median year built | 1938 | 1968 | -30 years | 16 of 18 |
| Reading, PA, built before 1980 | 89.1% | 63.6% | +25.5 points | 4 of 18 |
| Reading, PA, built 2000 or later | 3.3% | 14.3% | -11.0 points | 14 of 18 |
| Reading, PA, detached houses | 12.3% | 56.2% | -43.8 points | 15 of 18 |
| Reading, PA, apartments in 5+ unit buildings | 16.6% | 9.8% | +6.8 points | 13 of 18 |
| Reading, PA, mobile homes | 0.3% | 2.7% | -2.4 points | 10 of 18 |
| Reading, PA, renter households | 60.3% | 29.0% | +31.3 points | 3 of 18 |
| Reading, PA, median home value | $109,800 | $239,700 | -$129,900 | 14 of 18 |
| Reading, PA, median gross rent a month | $1,018 | $1,143 | -$125 | 12 of 18 |
| Reading, PA, people per household | 2.79 | 2.57 | +0.22 | 1 of 18 |
Facts about Reading
- Residents of Reading, PA, ACS 2023
- 94,8364 of 18 Pennsylvania cities with 30,000+
- Median household income in Reading, PA
- $45,59916 of 18 of those cities
- Households in Reading, PA
- 32,8992.88 people each
- Owner-occupied homes in Reading, PA
- 39.7%13,067 owners and 19,832 renter households
- Housing units in Reading, PA
- 36,2893,390 vacant or seasonal
- Homes heated by electricity in Reading, PA
- 28.3%9,325 of 32,899 homes
- Land area of Reading, PA
- 9.8 sq mi9,634.9 people per sq mi
- Bill as share of income in Reading, PA
- 3.8%at 817 kWh a month over the $45,599 median household income
- Wind and tornado reports within 15 miles of Reading, PA
- 449NWS point reports 2015 to 2025, 473.4 per 100,000 residents
- Median year homes were built in Reading, PA
- 193832,332 of 36,289 homes (89.1%) before 1980
- Median home value and rent in Reading, PA
- $109,800$1,018 gross rent a month, 11.13% of value a year
Bill and heat pump calculator, Reading
Compare Reading with nearby cities
| City near Reading, PA | Distance from Reading | Residents | Median income | Median year built | Median home value | Storm reports within 15 miles | Work from home |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reading, PA (this page) | 0 mi | 94,836 | $45,599 | 1938 | $109,800 | 449 | 5.0% |
| Lancaster, PA | 28.5 mi southwest | 57,683 (-37,153) | $63,421 (+$17,822) | 1938 (+0 yr) | $203,700 (+$93,900) | 200 (-249) | 9.3% (+4.2 pts) |
| Allentown, PA | 29.4 mi northeast | 125,320 (+30,484) | $53,403 (+$7,804) | 1951 (+13 yr) | $188,900 (+$79,100) | 394 (-55) | 7.9% (+2.9 pts) |
| Norristown, PA | 34.4 mi southeast | 35,782 (-59,054) | $65,058 (+$19,459) | 1955 (+17 yr) | $205,100 (+$95,300) | 584 (+135) | 9.4% (+4.3 pts) |
| Bethlehem, PA | 35.4 mi northeast | 77,069 (-17,767) | $66,443 (+$20,844) | 1956 (+18 yr) | $236,500 (+$126,700) | 390 (-59) | 14.2% (+9.2 pts) |
| Drexel Hill, PA | 42.5 mi southeast | 30,015 (-64,821) | $87,993 (+$42,394) | 1948 (+10 yr) | $239,900 (+$130,100) | 753 (+304) | 15.9% (+10.9 pts) |
Who lives in Reading: income, cars, homes
Of 37,224 workers in Reading, PA, 1,876 work from home, 23,714 drive alone, 1,465 ride transit and 1,995 walk. In Reading, PA, 13,234 of 32,899 households earn under $35,000, 10,782 $35,000-$75,000, 7,081 $75,000-$150,000 and 1,802 $150,000 or more. 24,839 residents of Reading, PA live below the poverty line, and the median age is 31.7. In Reading, PA, 7,797 households own no vehicle and 11,705 own two or more; home EV charging depends on that. In Reading, PA, 10,448 of 18,633 renter households pay 30% or more of income in rent; 13,374 households moved in since 2018 and 4,700 before 2000, so electric accounts turn over quickly. Reading, PA homes: 20,757 have 3+ bedrooms, 7,794 none or one, median 5.7 rooms.
Household income in Reading, PA
| Reading, PA | Value | Rank in Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| Reading, PA, households under $35,000 | 40.2% | 3 of 18 |
| Reading, PA, households $150,000 or more | 5.5% | 17 of 18 |
| Reading, PA, residents below poverty | 27.0% | 4 of 18 |
| Reading, PA, median age | 31.7 | 17 of 18 |
| Reading, PA, homes with 3+ bedrooms | 57.2% | 7 of 18 |
| Reading, PA, households without a vehicle | 23.7% | 4 of 18 |
| Reading, PA, households with 2+ vehicles | 35.6% | 13 of 18 |
| Reading, PA, workers at home | 5.0% | 18 of 18 |
| Reading, PA, cost-burdened renters | 56.1% | 5 of 18 |
| Reading, PA, moved in since 2018 | 40.7% | 6 of 18 |
| Reading, PA, moved in before 2000 | 14.3% | 15 of 18 |
Cost of living with electricity in Reading
Reading, PA: 32,899 households at $1,496 a year per home for electricity (Berks County average, DOE LEAD) come to about $49.2 million, an estimate; all home energy is $2,751 a year per household.
| Group in Reading, PA | Households | Power per home | Power bill of the group | Share of Reading, PA median income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reading, PA, all households | 32,899 | $1,496 | $49.2 million | 3.28% |
| Reading, PA, homeowners | 13,067 | $1,705 | $22.3 million | 3.74% |
| Reading, PA, renters | 19,832 | $989 | $19.6 million | 2.17% |
Outage risk around Reading
Reading, PA, NWS reports within 15 miles of the centre, 2015 to 2025: 440 wind and 9 tornado, 473.4 per 100,000 residents of 94,836. Top gust near Reading, PA: 78 knots, 90 mph. Damage near Reading, PA: $320K.
Reports within 15 miles of Reading, PA
wind and tornado reports, Reading, PA
- 10'15
- 7'16
- 29'17
- 21'18
- 67'19
- 116'20
- 59'21
- 12'22
- 29'23
- 31'24
- 68'25
| Reading, PA | Wind | Tornado | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading, PA, 2015 | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| Reading, PA, 2016 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| Reading, PA, 2017 | 29 | 0 | 29 |
| Reading, PA, 2018 | 21 | 0 | 21 |
| Reading, PA, 2019 | 64 | 3 | 67 |
| Reading, PA, 2020 | 116 | 0 | 116 |
| Reading, PA, 2021 | 58 | 1 | 59 |
| Reading, PA, 2022 | 12 | 0 | 12 |
| Reading, PA, 2023 | 28 | 1 | 29 |
| Reading, PA, 2024 | 31 | 0 | 31 |
| Reading, PA, 2025 | 64 | 4 | 68 |
Analyst note on Reading
Reading, PA counts 94,836 residents in 32,899 households, on 9.8 square miles. Household income in Reading, PA is $45,599; 13,067 of its 32,899 households own. 9,325 of the 32,899 occupied homes in Reading, PA heat with electricity.
Reading, PA has 36,289 housing units, 3,390 of them vacant or seasonal. Reading, PA ranks 1 of 18 Pennsylvania cities for the fewest people working from home (5.0% of workers). Reading, PA ranks 2 of 18 Pennsylvania cities for the youngest residents (median age 31.7).
Reading, PA ranks 3 of 18 Pennsylvania cities for the share of renter households (60%).
ZIP codes in Reading
| ZIP area touching Reading, PA | Share of the ZIP's land inside Reading | Share of Reading's land in the ZIP |
|---|---|---|
| 19601 (Reading, PA) | 78.3% | 29.9% |
| 19604 (Reading, PA) | 75.4% | 19.1% |
| 19602 (Reading, PA) | 74.4% | 15.4% |
| 19611 (Reading, PA) | 69.7% | 14.4% |
| 19607 (Reading, PA) | 7.1% | 8.1% |
| 19606 (Reading, PA) | 2.5% | 6.8% |
| 19605 (Reading, PA) | 3.5% | 6.2% |
Census 2020 ZCTA to place land-area overlap. Look up any ZIP.
Pennsylvania: home prices since 2001, planned plants.
Questions on Reading
Reading: what is the electricity rate?
No single rate in Reading, PA: Pennsylvania households pick a supplier and plan, and Berks County lists 2 utilities.
Reading: how does it rank among Pennsylvania cities?
Reading, PA: rank 4 of 18 by its 94,836 residents, rank 16 of 18 by $45,599 median income.
Reading: how many homes heat with electricity?
Reading, PA: 9,325 of 32,899 occupied homes, 28.3%; Berks County 22.6%.
Reading: how much income goes to electricity?
At 817 kWh a month, 3.8% of the $45,599 median income in Reading, PA.
Reading: can I choose a supplier?
In most of Pennsylvania yes; municipal and co-op areas around Reading, PA may be closed.
Reading: damaging storms reported nearby?
449 NWS wind and tornado reports within 15 miles of the centre of Reading, PA, 2015 to 2025, 473.4 per 100,000 residents.
How old are the homes in Reading?
Reading, PA: median home built 1938; 32,332 of 36,289 homes (89.1%) predate 1980, 4,476 are detached and 6,032 sit in buildings of 5+ units.
How many people in Reading, PA work from home?
1,876 of 37,224 workers.
How many households in Reading, PA earn under $35,000?
13,234 of 32,899, against 1,802 at $150,000 or more.
How many residents of Reading, PA live below the poverty line?
24,839 residents.