19601 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
19601
19602
Opportunity
36 · Bottom 15%
vs35 · Bottom 13%
Growth
32 · Bottom 20%
vs32 · Bottom 20%
Climate
69 · Bottom 46%
vs69 · Bottom 46%
Physical resilience
85 · Top 16%
vs85 · Top 16%
Housing affordability
73 · Bottom 40%
vs61 · Bottom 24%
Schools
22 · Bottom 12%
vs23 · Bottom 14%
Access
77 · Bottom 18%
vs76 · Bottom 17%
Economic stability
39 · Bottom 18%
vs27 · Bottom 7%
Measured values
| Metric | 19601 | 19602 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 36,479 | 18,495 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $40,973 | $34,582 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $20,746 | $19,090 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 9,720/sq mi | 9,062/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $123,100 | $96,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,011 | $1,041 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 39.5% | 26.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 6.7% | 6.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.9% | 2.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 12.1% | 10.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 29.7% | 35.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 0 | 0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.0 | 0.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 87°F | 87°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 23°F | 23°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 45.2" | 45.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 45 mi | 46 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.5 min | 29.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.4 | 31.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 5 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.47 | 13.37 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 7.7% | 8.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 17.3% | 17.3% | 2019-20 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
19601
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
19602
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: 19601 — Reading, PA · 19602 — Reading, PA · How this is calculated: methodology