Reading receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Reading
Middletown
Opportunity
66 · Top 29%
vs55 · Bottom 48%
Growth
27 · Bottom 14%
vs78 · Top 6%
Climate
69 · Bottom 46%
vs68 · Bottom 42%
Physical resilience
89 · Top 12%
vs79 · Top 26%
Housing affordability
95 · Top 20%
vs93 · Top 25%
Access
94 · Top 41%
vs87 · Bottom 34%
Economic stability
66 · Top 39%
vs47 · Bottom 26%
Measured values
| Metric | Reading | Middletown | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,502 | 51,617 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $61,866 | $57,102 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $36,432 | $31,456 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,635/sq mi | 1,972/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $211,300 | $164,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $940 | $1,007 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 58.5% | 54.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 4.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.8% | 0.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.5% | 17.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.0% | 17.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1 | 387 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.1 | 7.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -66.7% | 360.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 87°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 24°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 43.4" | 41.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 17 mi | 29 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 19.7 min | 25.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 45.3 | 38.6 | 2024 ACS 5-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
Reading
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Middletown
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Your best match
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Reading
72
Your Score
71
Area Score
Middletown
66
Your Score
66
Area Score
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Full profiles: Reading, OH · Middletown, OH · How this is calculated: methodology