Map the Block › Places › Pennsylvania › Reading
What are the crime rate and median income in Reading, PA?
The violent-crime rate in Reading was 2.6 per 1,000 residents in 2025, 14% higher than the statewide rate (2.3). Median household income is $44,091 and the median home value is $121,300. Population: about 95,242 (Census, 2020-2024).
Last updated . Crime: FBI 2025. Income and housing: Census ACS 2020-2024. Road work: October 11, 2026.
Also on the map: income by neighborhood · home values · schools
What is the crime rate in Reading?
The FBI's 2025 figures put Reading at 2.6 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (256 in all). It stands at 14% higher than the Pennsylvania rate (2.3); the U.S. figure is 3.3. Its murder count for the year was 11. Property crime came to 1,271 offenses (12.8 per 1,000; Pennsylvania: 13.2). Compared with 2022, when 424 were reported, the count is down 40%.
| Offense (2025) | Reading count | Per 1,000 | Pennsylvania per 1,000 | U.S. per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crime | 256 | 2.6 | 2.3 | 3.3 |
| Murder | 11 | 0.11 | 0.04 | 0.04 |
| Rape | 14 | 0.14 | 0.26 | 0.36 |
| Robbery | 80 | 0.81 | 0.45 | 0.49 |
| Aggravated assault | 151 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 2.4 |
| Property crime | 1,271 | 12.8 | 13.2 | 15.3 |
| Burglary | 207 | 2.1 | 1.0 | 1.9 |
| Larceny-theft | 864 | 8.7 | 10.3 | 11.4 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 200 | 2.0 | 1.9 | 2.0 |
How has crime in Reading changed since 2021?
| Year | Violent crimes | Property crimes | Murders |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | not reported in full | – | – |
| 2022 | 424 | 1,370 | 14 |
| 2023 | 454 | 1,656 | 14 |
| 2024 | 331 | 1,403 | 7 |
| 2025 | 256 | 1,271 | 11 |
Most crime never reaches the police, so these are reported crimes, a floor rather than the full count. In 2024 about half of violent crimes (48%) and about 3 in 10 property crimes (31%) were reported to police (U.S. Justice Department, National Crime Victimization Survey). Rates also depend on how completely each agency reports to the FBI. City figures are the Reading Police Department's own reports.
How does Reading compare with Pennsylvania?
Households in Reading have a median income of $44,091 (Pennsylvania: $77,971). The median owner-occupied home is worth $121,300 by owners' estimates, and half of renters pay more than $1,067 a month. About 95,242 people live on 10 square miles of land, roughly 9,676 per square mile. The city lies in Berks County.
| Census ACS 2020-2024 | Reading | Pennsylvania | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 95,242 | 13,018,639 | 334,922,499 |
| Median household income | $44,091 | $77,971 | $80,734 |
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $121,300 | $250,000+ | $332,700 |
| Median gross rent | $1,067 | $1,209 | $1,413 |
| Unemployment rate (2020-2024 average) | 13.7% | 5.3% | 5.2% |
| People below the poverty line | 28.7% | 11.7% | 12.5% |
| Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher | 11.4% | 35.2% | 35.7% |
| Homeowner households | 40.6% | 69.3% | 65.2% |
| Median age | 31.9 | 40.9 | 38.9 |
What environmental sites and hazards are in Reading?
The National Inventory of Dams lists 1 high-hazard dam in Reading. 1 is rated Poor or Unsatisfactory in condition. The tallest is Egelman Reservoir (15 ft). “High hazard” describes what lies downstream (people would probably die if the dam failed), not how likely the dam is to fail.
FEMA's National Risk Index rates the overall natural-hazard risk for Berks County as “Relatively Moderate”. Of the seven hazards on our map, FEMA rates these highest: tornadoes (Relatively High) and river flooding (Relatively High). The index compares counties with each other and also weighs how vulnerable and resilient a community is, so it is a long-run estimate, not a forecast.
Is there road construction in Reading?
Pennsylvania does not publish an open highway work-zone feed that we can read yet, so road construction in Reading city limits is not on our map. Check the state's 511 traveler site for current closures.
See today's work zones on the map →
How many schools, nursing homes and parks are in or near Reading?
Inside the city limits there are 19 public schools (2024-25) and 7 private schools (2023-24). 1 Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing home is in the city. Within about 15 miles: National Park Service sites here: Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site. 1 state park or recreation area: French Creek State Park.
Gun shops, liquor stores and Planned Parenthood in Reading
Gun shops
No gun shops or licensed gun dealers are on the map inside the Reading city limits.
Liquor stores
3 liquor stores are on the map inside the Reading city limits: Fine Wine & Good Spirits (Reading), PA Wine & Spirits (Reading) and PA Wine & Spirits (Shillington). Pennsylvania has no complete public liquor licence list we can use, so this count also draws on OpenStreetMap and Overture Maps and may miss some stores or include closed ones.
Planned Parenthood
One Planned Parenthood health center is on the map inside the Reading city limits: Planned Parenthood Reading Medical Center (Reading).
See them on the map: liquor stores · Planned Parenthood →
Sources: ATF licensee list (Sept 2026); state liquor licence lists, OpenStreetMap and Overture Maps (non-official; partial in some states); HHS Title X directory and CMS NPPES.
Common questions
What is the crime rate in Reading?
In 2025, Reading had 2.6 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (256 reported), 14% higher than the Pennsylvania rate (2.3). The property-crime rate was 12.8 per 1,000 (FBI Uniform Crime Reporting).
What is the median household income in Reading?
$44,091 (Census American Community Survey, 2020-2024), compared with $77,971 for Pennsylvania.
How much do homes cost in Reading?
The median value of owner-occupied homes is $121,300 (Census ACS 2020-2024), against $250,000+ statewide.
What natural hazards affect Reading?
FEMA's National Risk Index rates the overall natural-hazard risk for Berks County as “Relatively Moderate”. Of the seven hazards on our map, FEMA rates these highest: tornadoes (Relatively High) and river flooding (Relatively High).
Nearby cities
Lancaster, PA (29 mi) · Allentown, PA (29 mi) · Bethlehem, PA (35 mi) · Wilmington, DE (47 mi) · Philadelphia, PA (48 mi) · Harrisburg, PA (51 mi)
More: Pennsylvania statewide numbers · county page: Berks County · Sex-offender registry search (NSOPW)
Where do these numbers come from?
- Crime: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, agency counts 2021-2025 (Return A); state and national rates: FBI estimated crimes.
- Income, housing, education: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year, table B19013 (median household income) and related tables, for the Census place Reading city.
- Land area: Census 2024 Gazetteer. Hazards: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), county scores (county level).
- Superfund: U.S. EPA, Superfund site boundaries and NPL status (October 2026). Dams: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National Inventory of Dams (public map service, October 2026).
- Work zones: State departments of transportation, via the U.S. DOT Work Zone Data Exchange (WZDx) and state 511 feeds; refreshed every morning (snapshot October 11, 2026).
- Schools: National Center for Education Statistics, EDGE public school locations 2024-25; budgets: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances, fiscal year 2024; National Center for Education Statistics, EDGE Private School geocodes (Private School Survey 2023-24). Nursing homes: U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Nursing Home Provider Information and Penalties (September 2026).
- Parks: USGS Protected Areas Database of the U.S. (PAD-US 4.1); state park agencies' open data (CA, NY, PA, TN, TX, FL, NJ, KY, HI, UT, MT and others); OpenStreetMap contributors for some hours, phones, fees and camping; U.S. National Park Service: unit boundaries (Land Resources Division), Acreage Report (Sept 30, 2026), park pages on nps.gov (hours, fees), Visitor Use Statistics (2025).
Map the Block shows public statistics about places, not people, and does not rate or rank neighborhoods as places to live. Figures are as published by each source; check the source before relying on a number.
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