Jobs, pay and daily life in Reading, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Reading is a city in Pennsylvania with 95,242 residents. The median household earns $44,091 a year and the median rent is $1,067 a month, which is 29.0% of the median household income. It is part of the Reading, PA metropolitan area, where BLS counts 174,670 jobs.
How Reading compares. Among the 100 largest places in Pennsylvania, Reading is #4 by population, #98 for college degrees (#1 = most), #92 for household income (#1 = highest), #92 for homeownership (#1 = highest). Its county, Berks County, is #14 of 67 counties for average pay ($63,608).
Reading has 95,242 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.7% of the population of Pennsylvania. It covers 10 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 9,676 people per square mile. The median age is 31.9, 22% younger than the state median (31.9 against 40.9).
The median gross rent is $1,067 a month (rent plus utilities), 12% below the state median ($1,067 against $1,209). Over a year that is 29.0% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $121,300, which is 2.8 times the median household income ($44,091); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 40.6% of households own their home, 41% below the state average (40.6% against 69.3%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
The Reading, PA metropolitan area has 174,670 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $49,440 a year, 3% below the national median ($49,440 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are production (20,270 jobs, median $53,090); transportation and material moving (20,230 jobs, median $45,980); office and administrative support (18,540 jobs, median $47,200). The area is most specialised in production (2.1 times) and transportation and material moving (1.3 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($105,840) and healthcare practitioners and technical ($83,700). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Berks County was 3.4%. 62.6% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Berks County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 61.6% drive alone, 3.4% use public transit, 4.7% walk, 6.4% work from home. 13.2% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 20% below the state average (13.2% against 16.4%).
11.4% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 68% below the state share (11.4% against 35.2%). 25.4% of residents were born outside the United States, 230% above the state share (25.4% against 7.7%). The poverty rate is 28.7%, 145% above the state rate (28.7% against 11.7%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 75°F (23.9°C), and the coolest is Jan at 27°F (-2.7°C). About 1,234 mm (49 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jul is the wettest month (126 mm) and Feb the driest (74 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Wyomissing (2 miles, rent 67% higher); Pottstown (16 miles, rent 18% higher); Ephrata (17 miles, rent 7% higher); Lititz (24 miles, rent 28% higher). Rent differences are against Reading; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Pennsylvania (519) →State guide: PennsylvaniaCountry guideBerks CountyPennsylvania rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 519 federal postings open in Pennsylvania (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in Pennsylvania →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 5,820 | 1.20 | $29,830 | $26,260 | $38,430 | -17% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 5,280 | 1.59 | $46,040 | $35,410 | $55,370 | +14% |
| Retail Salespersons | 4,430 | 1.01 | $33,010 | $23,580 | $46,250 | -7% |
| General and Operations Managers | 4,290 | 1.09 | $99,920 | $49,770 | $213,020 | -6% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 4,280 | 0.99 | $28,090 | $22,130 | $35,790 | -10% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 4,190 | 1.31 | $37,990 | $27,870 | $57,130 | +2% |
| Cashiers | 3,670 | 1.06 | $29,260 | $22,800 | $35,340 | -11% |
| Registered Nurses | 3,430 | 0.90 | $98,470 | $73,040 | $129,720 | +1% |
| Office Clerks, General | 3,260 | 1.18 | $46,820 | $30,540 | $61,090 | +4% |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 3,050 | 1.93 | $45,860 | $33,330 | $56,960 | +3% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 2,980 | 1.29 | $58,480 | $45,750 | $78,080 | -0% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 2,630 | 0.90 | $44,500 | $32,420 | $60,240 | -1% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 2,380 | 0.96 | $37,270 | $27,580 | $51,560 | +1% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 2,060 | 0.81 | $30,760 | $16,920 | $61,650 | -13% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | 1,890 | 2.50 | $78,200 | $56,700 | $97,000 | +5% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 1,880 | 1.18 | $34,450 | $24,510 | $44,390 | -6% |
| Nursing Assistants | 1,830 | 1.13 | $45,530 | $38,560 | $51,680 | +8% |
| Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators | 1,820 | 2.09 | $49,280 | $39,610 | $62,550 | +6% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 1,800 | 1.05 | $52,250 | $36,400 | $77,740 | +5% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 1,780 | 1.14 | $79,860 | $59,420 | $94,700 | +25% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Financial Managers | 760 | 0.80 | $133,900 | $80,840 | $244,420 | -20% |
| Sales Managers | 540 | 0.75 | $129,230 | $64,320 | $215,060 | -13% |
| Software Developers | 640 | 0.34 | $120,920 | $75,480 | $164,980 | -11% |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | 730 | 1.08 | $102,620 | $67,990 | $176,970 | -17% |
| General and Operations Managers | 4,290 | 1.09 | $99,920 | $49,770 | $213,020 | -6% |
| Registered Nurses | 3,430 | 0.90 | $98,470 | $73,040 | $129,720 | +1% |
| Project Management Specialists | 780 | 0.65 | $98,040 | $61,370 | $148,050 | -4% |
| Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers | 690 | 0.92 | $87,060 | $58,670 | $114,300 | +14% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers | 760 | 1.09 | $84,380 | $56,290 | $123,400 | +6% |
| Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | 780 | 1.12 | $81,120 | $60,640 | $98,690 | +26% |
| Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | 1,350 | 1.13 | $80,250 | $52,200 | $95,740 | +11% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 1,780 | 1.14 | $79,860 | $59,420 | $94,700 | +25% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | 700 | 0.76 | $78,770 | $57,600 | $126,560 | -1% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | 1,890 | 2.50 | $78,200 | $56,700 | $97,000 | +5% |
| Physicians, All Other | 500 | 1.29 | $77,820 | $68,070 | $431,320 | -71% |
| Accountants and Auditors | 1,230 | 0.75 | $75,550 | $48,530 | $123,000 | -10% |
| Electricians | 820 | 0.96 | $75,070 | $45,930 | $129,830 | +19% |
| Buyers and Purchasing Agents | 510 | 0.92 | $72,640 | $46,490 | $105,120 | -7% |
| Human Resources Specialists | 940 | 0.92 | $69,410 | $46,940 | $106,510 | -9% |
| Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists | 710 | 2.19 | $68,640 | $48,770 | $77,510 | +11% |
These figures are for the whole Reading, PA metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $49,440 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.4% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 21.0% |
| Manufacturing | 20.9% |
| Retail trade | 10.9% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 9.4% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 8.1% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 7.3% |
| Construction | 5.8% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 3.8% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 3.8% |
| Other services | 3.3% |
| Wholesale trade | 2.6% |
| Public administration | 2.5% |
| Information | 0.5% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Reading lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berks County | 433,015 | $26,580 million | $61,384 | 173,692 | 8,917 | $63,608 | +1.5% | 3.4% | 222,340 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 31,477 | 20.3% | $77,957 | 2.21 |
| Health care and social assistance | 29,387 | 19.0% | $67,565 | 1.18 |
| Retail trade | 18,583 | 12.0% | $35,694 | 1.07 |
| Accommodation and food services | 12,602 | 8.1% | $22,041 | 0.80 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 10,444 | 6.7% | $55,987 | 1.42 |
| Administrative and waste services | 8,718 | 5.6% | $41,709 | 0.85 |
| Construction | 7,460 | 4.8% | $78,831 | 0.82 |
| Professional and technical services | 6,209 | 4.0% | $88,499 | 0.51 |
| Wholesale trade | 5,723 | 3.7% | $77,577 | 0.84 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 5,488 | 3.5% | $40,421 | 1.05 |
| Management of companies | 4,792 | 3.1% | $145,047 | 1.64 |
| Finance and insurance | 3,878 | 2.5% | $103,302 | 0.55 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 2,462 | 1.6% | $44,416 | 1.75 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 2,301 | 1.5% | $28,298 | 0.79 |
| Educational services | 2,218 | 1.4% | $42,471 | 0.62 |
| Real estate and rental | 1,694 | 1.1% | $97,997 | 0.63 |
| Information | 874 | 0.6% | $60,088 | 0.27 |
| Utilities | 534 | 0.3% | $135,824 | 0.81 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 226 | 0.1% | $91,702 | 0.34 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 61.6% |
| Public transit | 3.4% |
| Walk | 4.7% |
| Work from home | 6.4% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 13.2% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $44,091 |
| Income per person | $21,406 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,067 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 29.0% |
| Median home value | $121,300 |
| Homeowners | 40.6% |
| Poverty rate | 28.7% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 97.1 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $49,440 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Flat 3.07%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 31.9 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 72.0% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 11.4% |
| Born abroad | 25.4% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 62.6% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -2.7 | 27 | 75 |
| Feb | -1.6 | 29 | 74 |
| Mar | 3.0 | 37 | 91 |
| Apr | 9.7 | 49 | 97 |
| May | 15.8 | 60 | 104 |
| Jun | 20.9 | 70 | 124 |
| Jul | 23.9 | 75 | 126 |
| Aug | 23.0 | 73 | 118 |
| Sep | 19.2 | 67 | 119 |
| Oct | 12.1 | 54 | 116 |
| Nov | 5.6 | 42 | 86 |
| Dec | 0.3 | 33 | 104 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wyomissing | PA | 2 mi | 11,172 | $93,203 | $1,781 |
| Pottstown | PA | 16 mi | 23,476 | $60,828 | $1,260 |
| Ephrata | PA | 17 mi | 13,772 | $69,735 | $1,143 |
| Lititz | PA | 24 mi | 9,619 | $88,576 | $1,364 |
| Coatesville | PA | 25 mi | 13,353 | $59,256 | $1,471 |
| Phoenixville | PA | 26 mi | 19,452 | $102,138 | $1,735 |
| Lebanon | PA | 26 mi | 26,536 | $48,456 | $992 |
| Emmaus | PA | 26 mi | 11,889 | $83,917 | $1,389 |
| Pottsville | PA | 28 mi | 13,364 | $54,332 | $822 |
| Lancaster | PA | 29 mi | 57,719 | $63,690 | $1,240 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
95,242 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,067 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 29.0% of the median household income.
$44,091 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.4% (BLS county, Berks County (latest month 2026M09)).
Pennsylvania. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.