West Reading, PA

Borough in Berks County, PA, US

By Neilsberg Research

Last updated May 1, 2026

Key Indicators

A quick look at key numbers

Population

4,562

Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates

Median Age

35.4

years ∙ half population younger than 35.4, half older

Diversity Index

58.1%

chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity

Nativity

3.4%

foreign-born population

96.6%Native

3.4% Foreign-born

Geographic Context

Location, size, and surroundings

About

West Reading is a borough within Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States.

Location

Borough in Berks County, PA, US

Co-ordinates

DEC40.333761° N, 75.946886° W

DMS40° 20′ 01.54″ N, 75° 56′ 48.79″ W

Population Density & area

7,680/sq mi (2,964/km²)

Total Area

0.598 sq mi (1.548 km²)

Land Area

0.594 sq mi (1.539 km²) · 99.4%

Water Area

0.004 sq mi (0.009 km²) · 0.6%

Demographics & Living

Who lives here, how households are formed, and community composition

Population Composition

Key characteristics of the population

Sex Distribution

49.5% male

Male 49.5%

Female 50.5%

males per 100 females

West Reading 98.1

Berks County 98.4

Pennsylvania 97.2

Nativity

3.4%

foreign-born population

96.6%Native

3.4% Foreign-born

% Foreign-born

West Reading 3.4%

Berks County 9.7%

Pennsylvania 7.7%

Age Distribution

How the population is spread across age groups

Median Age

35.4

years ∙ half population younger than 35.4, half older

West Reading

35.4

Berks County

39.9

Pennsylvania

40.9

Dependency ratio

49.9

dependents per 100 working-age adults

West Reading 49.9

Berks County 66.7

Pennsylvania 66.4

AGE DISTRIBUTION

Distribution of age group

Median age

	West Reading	Berks County	Pennsylvania
Age Group
Children (Under 18)	21.3%	22%	20.4%
Working age (18-64)	66.7%	60%	60.1%
Senior (65+)	12%	18%	19.5%
Dependency ratio
Total dependency ratio	49.9	66.7	66.4
Child dependency ratio	31.9	36.6	34
Old-age dependency ratio	18	30.1	32.4

Racial & Ethnic Composition

Racial and ethnic makeup and how it compares

Race & Ethnicity

White

54.8%

Black

2.2%

Asian

6.2%

Hispanic

33.6%

Other

3.2%

Note: White, Black, and Asian refer to individuals belonging to a single race and not of Hispanic origin. Hispanics may be of any race.

Diversity Index

58.1%

chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity

West Reading 58.1%

Berks County 49.2%

Pennsylvania 44.6%

Note: The Diversity Index (DI), based on the Blau Index, measures the probability that two randomly selected individuals differ in race and ethnicity. Values range from 0 (no diversity) to 1 (high diversity) and are shown as percentages.

RACIAL & ETHNIC COMPOSITION

Race & Ethnicity

Percentage of West Reading population

	West Reading	Berks County	Pennsylvania
Hispanic or Latino	33.6%	24.8%	8.7%
Mexican	6.1%	3.9%	1.4%
Puerto Rican	18.4%	10.5%	3.7%
Cuban	0%	0.2%	0.2%
Other Hispanic / Latino	9.2%	10.2%	3.4%
Not Hispanic or Latino	66.4%	75.2%	91.3%
One race	63.2%	72.4%	87.7%
White	54.8%	66.6%	73%
Black or African American	2.2%	4%	10.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native	0%	0%	0.1%
Asian	6.2%	1.3%	3.8%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander	0%	0%	0%
Some Other Race	0%	0.5%	0.5%
Two or more races (Multiracial)	3.2%	2.8%	3.6%

Household & Families Composition

Household size, type, and family structure

Household structure

49.9% family

Family 49.9%

Non family 50.1%

% family households

West Reading 49.9%

Berks County 66.5%

Pennsylvania 62.4%

Average household size

2.44

persons per household

West Reading

2.44

Berks County

2.57

Pennsylvania

2.39

Household & Family COMPOSITION

Households

Percentage of West Reading population

	West Reading	Berks County	Pennsylvania
Total households	1,708	163,236	5,274,853
Average houshold size	2.44	2.57	2.39
Family households	853	108,511	3,291,192
Average family size	3.65	3.14	3.01
Married couple family	550	77,653	2,437,812
Other families	303	30,858	853,380
Male householder	68	9,141	246,246
Female householder	235	21,717	607,134
Non-family households	855	54,725	1,983,661
One-person households	759	44,798	1,629,974
Male householder	355	20,590	733,485
Senior (65+) living alone	87	7,317	246,162
Female householder	404	24,208	896,489
Senior (65+) living alone	80	13,679	477,851
Other living arrangements	96	9,927	353,687

Housing Profile

Housing stock, ownership, rentals, and cost burdens

Total housing units

1,750

housing units

West Reading 1,750

Berks County 171,580

Pennsylvania 5,806,452

Occupancy status

97.6% occupied

Occupied 97.6%

Vacant 2.4%

vacancy rate

West Reading 2.4%

Berks County 4.9%

Pennsylvania 9.2%

Housing Characteristics

How the housing supply is structured and used

Types of Housing unit

73.4%

Single family houses

73.4%

Apartments in multi-unit structures

26.7%

Mobile homes

Boat, RV, van, etc

Median Year Built

1938

Half of houses were built before 1938, and half after.

* The Census Bureau did not report an exact median year built for West Reading the estimate falls at or before 1939, the lower limit of the survey's reporting range.

Historic ∙ 1939 or earlier

58.9%

Postwar & mid-century ∙ 1940 - 1969

27.1%

Late 20th century ∙ 1970 - 1999

6.2%

Modern ∙ 2000 or later

7.7%

Note: Median year built reflects occupied units only; distribution includes all units.

Housing Characteristics

Units, rooms & bedrooms

Physical characteristics of housing units

	West Reading	Berks County	Pennsylvania
Rooms per unit
Median rooms	5.9	6.3	6
1–3 rooms	19.2%	10%	11.7%
4–6 rooms	43.4%	43.9%	47.7%
7+ rooms	37.5%	46.2%	40.7%
Bedrooms
No bedroom / studio	0%	2.2%	2.3%
1 bedroom	14%	8.8%	10.4%
2 bedrooms	33.3%	18.6%	22.5%
3 bedrooms	37.4%	41.9%	42.3%
4+ bedrooms	15.3%	28.5%	22.6%
At a glance
Median year built	1938	1969	1966
Total housing units	1,750	171,580	5,806,452

Occupancy Profile

Who is inside and how they use it

Homeownership

56.1% owners

Renter-occupied 43.9%

Owner-occupied 56.1%

homeownership rate

West Reading 56.1%

Berks County 71.3%

Pennsylvania 69.3%

Average household size

2.66

Owner-occupied

2.15

Renter-occupied

owner-occupied average size

West Reading 2.66

Berks County 2.67

Pennsylvania 2.53

Housing Characteristics

Occupied unit characteristics

Tenure, crowding, and utilities

	West Reading	Berks County	Pennsylvania
Total occupied units	1,708	163,236	5,274,853
Year moved in
2020 or later	23.4%	18.8%	20.2%
2010 to 2019	39.7%	37.7%	36.1%
2000 to 2009	23.2%	18.9%	17.5%
1999 or earlier	13.7%	24.6%	26.2%
Occupants per room
1.00 or fewer	97.9%	98.3%	98.4%
1.01 to 1.50	2.1%	1.1%	1%
1.51 or more	0%	0.7%	0.6%
Vehicles availability
No vehicles	9.2%	8.7%	10.4%
1 vehicle	47.7%	30.6%	35.1%
2 vehicles	35.8%	36.1%	35.9%
3 or more vehicles	7.3%	24.6%	18.6%
House heating fuel used
Gas	66.3%	49.3%	56.4%
Electricity	23%	22.9%	25.3%
Solar	0%	0.1%	0.1%
Fuel oil, kerosene etc	9.1%	22.9%	14%
All other fuels	0.8%	4.2%	3.7%
No fuel used	0.8%	0.5%	0.5%
Selected characteristics
Lacking complete plumbing	0%	0.4%	0.4%
Lacking complete kitchen	0%	0.8%	0.8%
No telephone service available	0.6%	0.9%	0.9%

Housing Value

What owner-occupied units are worth

Median home value

$173,100

owner-occupied units

Median value(USD)

West Reading

$173,100

Berks County

$257,300

Pennsylvania

$254,500

Housing Cost Burden

22.9%

of homeowners with a mortgage are cost-burdened

% Cost-Burdened Households

Owners with a mortgage

22.9%

Owners without a mortgage

6.1%

Renters

54.1%

Note: Households spending 30% or more of their income on housing costs are considered cost-burdened.

Financial characteristics

Property value and housing costs

Tenure, crowding, and utilities

	West Reading	Berks County	Pennsylvania
Property value
Median Value	$173,100	$257,300	$254,500
Under $100,000	6.3%	9.6%	13.9%
$100,000 - $200,000	59.6%	22.7%	22.4%
$200,000 - $300,000	26.5%	28.3%	22.9%
$300,000 - $500,000	6.3%	30.7%	25.9%
$500,000 - $1,000,000	1.5%	7.7%	12.8%
$1,000,000 and more	0%	1%	2.1%
Owner-occupied households
With a mortgage	82.9%	61.1%	58%
Without a mortgage	17.1%	38.9%	42%
Median monthly owner costs
With a mortgage	$1,329	$1,800	$1,762
Without a mortgage	$767	$722	$644
Gross rent
Median rent	$1,365	$1,181	$1,209

Education Profile

How educated is the community and how education pays off

Adults with a college degree

32%

of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher

West Reading 32%

Berks County 27.7%

Pennsylvania 35.2%

Adults without a high school diploma

9.9%

of adults (25+) without a high school diploma

West Reading 9.9%

Berks County 11.6%

Pennsylvania 7.9%

School Enrollment

Who is enrolled in school and at what level

School enrollment

1,126

population (age 3+) enrolled in school

Nursery / Preschool

0.9%

K–12

63.2%

College / Undergraduate

24.7%

Graduate / Professional

11.2%

College-going rate (18-24 yr olds)

19.5%

of 18-24-year-olds in college or graduate school

West Reading

19.5%

Berks County

41.7%

Pennsylvania

44%

Enrollment & school type

Enrollment levels, college-going rate, and public vs private school split

Population 3+ currently enrolled in a school

	West Reading	Berks County	Pennsylvania
Total enrolled (age 3+)	1,126	102,777	2,913,513
Nursery / preschool	0.9%	5.6%	5.7%
K–12	63.2%	69.3%	66.9%
Kindergarten	3.6%	5.4%	4.8%
Elementary: Grades 1–4	9.5%	20.3%	19.7%
Elementary: Grades 5–8	25.7%	20.9%	20.7%
High School: Grades 9–12	24.5%	22.7%	21.7%
College or graduate school	35.9%	25%	27.4%
College, undergraduate	24.7%	21.4%	21.2%
Graduate, professional school	11.2%	3.7%	6.2%
College-going rate · 18-24 yr olds	19.5%	41.7%	44%
School type
Public school	86.3%	80.3%	75.3%
Private school	13.7%	19.7%	24.7%

Education Attainment by Level & Gender

What is the highest level of education completed among adults

Education attainment

2,873

population 25 years and over

Total adults (25+)

Less than 9th grade

2.3%

9th-12th, no diploma

7.6%

HS graduate

33.5%

Some college no degree

16%

Associates degree

8.6%

Bachelors degree

16.3%

Graduate or professional degree

15.6%

Attainment by gender

Male vs Female

Adults (25+) · Share within each education level

% male · % female

Less than 9th grade

100% · 0%

9th-12th, no diploma

73.4% · 26.6%

HS graduate

51.1% · 48.9%

Some college no degree

60.3% · 39.7%

Associates degree

25.5% · 74.5%

Bachelors degree

41.4% · 58.6%

Graduate or professional degree

39% · 61%

Educational Attainment Overview

Distribution and key education attainment rates for adults (25+)

Highest credential completed · adults 25+

	West Reading	Berks County	Pennsylvania
Population (25+)	2,873	296,613	9,189,697
Less than 9th grade	2.3%	4.6%	2.9%
9th–12th, no diploma	7.6%	7%	5%
High school diploma or GED	33.5%	36.6%	32.9%
Some college, no degree	16%	14.8%	15.1%
Associate's degree	8.6%	9.4%	8.9%
Bachelor's degree or higher	32%	27.7%	35.2%
Bachelor's degree	16.3%	17.5%	20.9%
Graduate or professional	15.6%	10.2%	14.3%
High School or higher	90.1%	88.4%	92.1%

Earnings by education level

percentage as applicable

Median Earnings

$55,135

Median earnings for adults 25+, by level

Less than HS graduate

$61,991

HS graduate

$43,482

Some college or associates

$53,125

Bachelors degree

$71,250

Graduate or professional degree

$66,813

Poverty Rate

7.7%

for ages 25+, with bachelors degree or higher

Less than HS graduate

23.7%

HS graduate

11.6%

Some college or associates

13.5%

Bachelors degree or higher

7.7%

Outcomes by Education Level

Earnings and poverty rates across education levels (25+)

Adults 25+

	West Reading	Berks County	Pennsylvania
Median earnings
Population 25+, with earnings	$55,135	$51,494	$53,549
Less than high school graduate	$61,991	$32,121	$33,591
High school graduate (includes equivalency)	$43,482	$43,048	$40,643
Some college or associate's degree	$53,125	$50,182	$47,736
Bachelor's degree	$71,250	$67,165	$69,335
Graduate or professional degree	$66,813	$84,475	$87,132
Poverty rates
Less than high school graduate	23.7%	24.2%	25.2%
High school graduate (includes equivalency)	11.6%	10.9%	13.3%
Some college or associate's degree	13.5%	10.2%	9.1%
Bachelor's degree or higher	7.7%	3.8%	4.1%

Insights for West Reading, by topic

Income By year By race By age By gender

Population By year By race By age By gender

About Neilsberg Research

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