16503 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
19602
16503
Opportunity
35 · Bottom 13%
vs43 · Bottom 26%
Growth
32 · Bottom 20%
vs37 · Bottom 28%
Climate
69 · Bottom 46%
vs64 · Bottom 32%
Physical resilience
85 · Top 16%
vs90 · Top 10%
Housing affordability
61 · Bottom 24%
vs68 · Bottom 33%
Schools
23 · Bottom 14%
vs19 · Bottom 9%
Access
76 · Bottom 17%
vs97 · Top 32%
Economic stability
27 · Bottom 7%
vs27 · Bottom 6%
Measured values
| Metric | 19602 | 16503 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 18,495 | 15,753 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $34,582 | $32,340 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $19,090 | $19,311 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 9,062/sq mi | 6,469/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $96,000 | $64,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,041 | $869 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 26.5% | 38.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 6.7% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.9% | 2.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 10.1% | 11.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 35.5% | 34.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 0 | 8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.0 | 0.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 87°F | 81°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 23°F | 21°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 45.2" | 43.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 46 mi | 7 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.5 min | 22.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 31.4 | 31.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 3 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.37 | 12.87 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 8.0% | 4.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 17.3% | 12.7% | 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
19602
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
16503
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: 19602 — Reading, PA · 16503 — Erie, PA · How this is calculated: methodology