Reading, PA

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Population

88,275

0.428% growth

Median Age

29.3


Median Household Income

$28,755

5.53% growth

Poverty Rate

36.6%


Number of Employees

33,279

3.75% growth

Median Property Value

$69,500

1.61% growth

About

Economy

Health

Diversity

Education

Housing & Living

About

In 2017, Reading, PA had a population of 88.3k people with a median age of 29.3 and a median household income of $28,755. Between 2016 and 2017 the population of Reading, PA grew from 87,899 to 88,275, a 0.428% increase and its median household income grew from $27,247 to $28,755, a 5.53% increase.

The population of Reading, PA is 64.7% Hispanic or Latino, 23.2% White Alone, and 9.05% Black or African American Alone. N/A% of the people in Reading, PA speak a non-English language, and 88% are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Reading, PA are Alvernia University (708 degrees awarded in 2017), Albright College (572 degrees), and Reading Area Community College (459 degrees).

The median property value in Reading, PA is $69,500, and the homeownership rate is 40.6%. Most people in Reading, PA commute by Drove Alone, and the average commute time is 24 minutes. The average car ownership in Reading, PA is 1 car per household.

About the photo: The Pagoda, Reading, PA

Photo by Jack

United StatesPennsylvaniaBerks County, PAReading, PAReading City PUMA, PAWyomissing Borough PUMA, PA

Economy

The economy of Reading, PA employs 33.3k people. The largest industries in Reading, PA are Manufacturing (8,987 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (4,653 people), and Retail Trade (4,044 people), and the highest paying industries are Information ($43,393), Public Administration ($41,196), and Utilities ($35,481).

Median household income in Reading, PA is $28,755. Males in Reading, PA have an average income that is 1.35 times higher than the average income of females, which is $49,502. The income inequality in Reading, PA (measured using the Gini index) is 0.469, which is lower than than the national average.

Wages

Median Household Income

$28,755

2017 value

± $1,471

5.53%

1 Year Growth

± 6.21%

Households in Reading, PA have a median annual income of $28,755, which is less than the median annual income of $61,937 across the entire United States. This is in comparison to a median income of $27,247 in 2016, which represents a 5.53% annual growth.

Look at the chart to see how the median household income in Reading, PA compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Wage by Gender in Common Jobs

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place level, so we are showing data for Pennsylvania.

$67,039

Average Male Salary

± $1,040

$49,502

Average Female Salary

± $757

In 2017, full-time male employees in Pennsylvania made 1.35 times more than female employees.

This chart shows the gender-based wage disparity in the 5 most common occupations in Pennsylvania by number of full-time employees.

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Wage by Race and Ethnicity in Common Jobs

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place level, so we are showing data for Pennsylvania.

Highest Average Salaries by Race & Ethnicity

  1. Asian

    $61,450 ± $4,076

  2. White

    $51,412 ± $642

  3. Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander

    $38,644 ± $21,965

In 2017 the highest paid race/ethnicity of Pennsylvania workers was Asian. These workers were paid 1.2 times more than White workers, who made the second highest salary of any race/ethnicity.

This chart shows the race- and ethnicity-based wage disparities in the 5 most common occupations in Pennsylvania by number of full-time employees.

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Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Reading, PA is from Pennsylvania.

0.469

2017 Wage GINI

0.469

2016 Wage GINI

In 2017, the income inequality in Pennsylvania was 0.469 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.19% growth from 2016 to 2017, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even.

The 2017 the GINI for Pennsylvania was lower than than the national average of 0.479. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Pennsylvania in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Pennsylvania across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

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Income by Location

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Highest Median Household Income (Total)

  1. Census Tract 6

  2. Census Tract 27

  3. Census Tract 3

In 2017, the place with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Reading, PA was Census Tract 6 with a value of $55,625, followed by Census Tract 27 and Census Tract 3, with respective values of $52,321 and $46,000.

The following map shows all of the places in Reading, PA colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

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Poverty by Age and Gender

Females 25 - 34

Largest Demographic Living in Poverty

36.6% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Reading, PA (31.4k out of 85.7k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 13.1%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 6 - 11 and then Males 6 - 11.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

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Poverty by Race and Ethnicity

Largest Race or Ethnicity Living in Poverty

  1. Hispanic

    24,092 ± 978

  2. White

    15,164 ± 840

  3. Two Or More

    7,355 ± 643

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Reading, PA is Hispanic, followed by White and Two Or More.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

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Occupations

Employment by Occupations

33.3k

2017 Value

± 1,236

3.75%

1 Year growth

± 5.11%

From 2016 to 2017, employment in Reading, PA grew at a rate of 3.75%, from 32.1k employees to 33.3k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Reading, PA, are Production Occupations (6,896 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (4,139 people), and Material Moving Occupations (2,853 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Reading, PA.

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Most Common

The most common jobs held by residents of Reading, PA, by number of employees, are Production Occupations (6,896 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (4,139 people), and Material Moving Occupations (2,853 people).

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Most Specialized

Compared to other places, Reading, PA has an unusually high number of residents working as Farming, Fishing, & Forestry Occupations (3.73 times higher than expected), Production Occupations (3.57 times), and Material Moving Occupations (3.28 times).

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Highest Paid

The highest paid jobs held by residents of Reading, PA, by median earnings, are Law Enforcement Workers Including Supervisors ($63,750), Management Occupations ($42,716), and Health Diagnosing & Treating Practitioners & Other Technical Occupations ($42,404).

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Industries

Employment by Industries

33.3k

2017 Value

± 1,236

3.75%

1 Year growth

± 5.11%

From 2016 to 2017, employment in Reading, PA grew at a rate of 3.75%, from 32.1k employees to 33.3k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Reading, PA, are Manufacturing (8,987 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (4,653 people), and Retail Trade (4,044 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Reading, PA, though some of these residents may live in Reading, PA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

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Most Common

The most common industries in Reading, PA, by number of employees, are Manufacturing (8,987 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (4,653 people), and Retail Trade (4,044 people).

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Most Specialized

Compared to other places, Reading, PA has an unusually high number of Manufacturing (2.67 times higher than expected), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting (2.26 times), and Transportation & Warehousing (1.25 times) industries.

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Highest Paying

The highest paying industries in Reading, PA, by median earnings, are Information ($43,393), Public Administration ($41,196), and Utilities ($35,481).

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Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from Pennsylvania to other states, or from other states to Pennsylvania.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

  1. Mixed freight

    $88.5B

  2. Coal-n.e.c.

    $57.4B

  3. Pharmaceuticals

    $55.2B

In 2015, the top outbound Pennsylvania product (by dollars) was Mixed freight with $88.5B, followed by Coal-n.e.c. ($57.4B) and Pharmaceuticals ($55.2B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound Pennsylvania products.

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Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Pennsylvania state.

$671B

2020 Value

$954B

Projected 2045 Value

42.2% growth

In 2020, total outbound Pennsylvania trade was $671B. This is expected to increase 42.2% to $954B by 2045.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound Pennsylvania trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

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Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from Pennsylvania to other states, or from other states to Pennsylvania.

Most Common Trade Partners

  1. New York

    $65.4B

  2. New Jersey

    $62.6B

  3. Ohio

    $35.6B

In 2015, the top outbound Pennsylvania domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was New York with $65.4B, followed by New Jersey with $62.6B and Ohio and $35.6B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that Pennsylvania shares with each state (excluding itself).

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Health

85.8% of the population of Reading, PA has health coverage, with 26.6% on employee plans, 45.6% on Medicaid, 6.17% on Medicare, 6.86% on non-group plans, and 0.6% on military or VA plans.

Per capita personal health care spending in the place of Reading, PA was $9,258 in 2014. This is a 4.29% increase from the previous year ($8,877).

Primary care physicians in Reading, PA see 1510 patients per year on average, which represents a 1.14% increase from the previous year (1493 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1869 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 843 patients per year.

Comparing across all counties in the state, Fayette County has the highest prevalence of diabetes (16%). Additionally, Clearfield County has the highest prevalence of adult obesity (39.3%)

Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Berks County, PA.

1,510 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio

Primary care physicians in Berks County, PA see an average of 1,510 patients per year. This represents a 1.14% increase from the previous year (1,493 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Berks County, PA in comparison to neighboring states.

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Behavioral Health Conditions

Data only available at the state level.

State with the Highest Prevalence

  1. West Virginia

    8.26% of the population affected

  2. Arkansas

    8.13% of the population affected

  3. New Hampshire

    7.98% of the population affected

In 2016, West Virginia had the highest prevalence of adults with major depressive episode, with 8.26% of the population affected. The second highest is Arkansas (8.13%), followed by New Hampshire (7.98%).

The following map shows the percent of individuals with major depressive episode by state over multiple years.

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Access and Quality

Data only available at state level.

Most prevalent states

  1. Mississippi

    19.2% of adults

  2. Texas

    17.9% of adults

  3. Louisiana

    17.6% of adults

In 2016, Mississippi had the highest prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost, at 19.2%. It is followed by Texas (17.9%) and Louisiana (17.6%).

The following map shows the prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost by state over multiple years.

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Health Care Spending

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Pennsylvania.

$9,258

Total Per Capita Spending on Personal Health Care 

$4,634

Per Enrollee Private Health Insurance Spending on Personal Health Care

$9,407

Per Enrollee Medicaid Spending on Personal Health Care

$11,243

Per Enrollee Medicare Spending on Personal Health Care

Between 2013 and 2014, all personal health care spending per capita in Pennsylvania (including private, Medicare, and Medicaid) grew 4.29%, from $8,877 to $9,258.

The following chart shows how this spending changed over time in comparison to Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance spending, per enrollee.

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Health Care Coverage

14.2%

Uninsured

26.6%

Employer Coverage

45.6%

Medicaid

6.17%

Medicare

6.86%

Non-Group

0.6%

Military or VA

Between 2016 and 2017, the percent of uninsured citizens in Reading, PA declined by 16.1% from 16.9% to 14.2%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Reading, PA changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

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Health Risks

Data available at the county level.

Most at risk counties

  1. Fayette County

    16% prevalence

  2. Mifflin County

    13.4% prevalence

  3. Venango County

    13.2% prevalence

Fayette County has the highest prevalence of diabetes in Pennsylvania, at 16%.

The following map shows the prevalence of diabetes in Pennsylvania by county over multiple years.

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Diversity

Reading, PA is home to a population of 88.3k people, from which 88% are citizens. As of 2017, 18.9% of Reading, PA residents were born outside of the country (16.7k people).

The ethnic composition of the population of Reading, PA is composed of 57.1k Hispanic or Latino residents (64.7%), 20.5k White Alone residents (23.2%), 7.99k Black or African American Alone residents (9.05%), 1.96k Two or More Races residents (2.22%), 459 Asian Alone residents (0.52%), 301 Some Other Race Alone residents (0.341%), 21 American Indian & Alaska Native Alone residents (0.0238%), and 0 Native Hawaiian & Other Pacific Islander Alone residents (0%).

Age

Age by Nativity

26

Median Native-Born Age

± 0.7

40

Median Foreign-Born Age

± 1.2

In 2017, the median age of all people in Reading, PA was 29.3. Native-born citizens, with a median age of 26, were generally younger than than foreign-born citizens, with a median age of 40. But people in Reading, PA are getting getting younger. In 2016, the average age of all Reading, PA residents was 29.

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Heritage

Foreign-Born Population

18.9%

2017 Foreign-Born Population

16.7k people

19.1%

2016 Foreign-Born Population

16.8k people

As of 2017, 18.9% of Reading, PA residents (16.7k people) were born outside of the United States, which is higher than the national average of 13.7%. In 2016, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Reading, PA was 19.1%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Reading, PA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place level, so we are showing data for Pennsylvania.

Most Common Origin

  1. India

    81,562 ± 6,989 people

  2. China

    63,036 ± 6,149 people

  3. Mexico

    54,918 ± 5,741 people

In 2017, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Pennsylvania was India, the natal country of 81,562 Pennsylvania residents, followed by China with 63,036 and Mexico with 54,918.

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Citizenship

88%

2017 Citizenship

87.8%

2016 Citizenship

As of 2017, 88% of Reading, PA residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.2%. In 2016, the percentage of US citizens in Reading, PA was 87.8%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Reading, PA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Race and Ethnicity

Most Common

  1. Hispanic or Latino

    57.1k ± 2.96k

  2. White Alone

    20.5k ± 922

  3. Black or African American Alone

    7.99k ± 714

In 2017, there were 2.79 times more Hispanic or Latino residents (57.1k people) in Reading, PA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 20.5k White Alone and 7.99k Black or African American Alone residents, the second and third most common racial or ethnic groups.

The following bar chart shows the 8 races and ethnicities represented in Reading, PA as a share of the total population.

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Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

  1. Vietnam

    664 ± 151

  2. Gulf War (2001-)

    404 ± 139

  3. Korea

    257 ± 69

Reading, PA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.64 times greater than any other conflict.

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Education

In 2017, universities in Reading, PA awarded 1,900 degrees. The student population of Reading, PA is skewed towards women, with 3,274 male students and 6,144 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Reading, PA are White (1,213 and 64.5%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (238 and 12.6%), Black or African American (218 and 11.6%), and Unknown (134 and 7.12%).

The largest universities in Reading, PA by number of degrees awarded are Alvernia University (708 and 37.3%), Albright College (572 and 30.1%), and Reading Area Community College (459 and 24.2%).

The most popular majors in Reading, PA are Registered Nursing (213 and 11.2%), General Business Administration & Management (137 and 7.21%), and Accounting (91 and 4.79%).

The median tuition costs in Reading, PA are $37,622 for private four year colleges, and $N/A and $N/A respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Concentrations

Most Common

  1. Accounting

    78 degrees awarded

  2. General Business Administration & Management

    91 degrees awarded

  3. Registered Nursing

    81 degrees awarded

In 2015, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Reading, PA was Accounting with 78 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Reading, PA according to their major.

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Universities

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

  1. Alvernia University

    708 degrees awarded

  2. Albright College

    572 degrees awarded

  3. Reading Area Community College

    459 degrees awarded

$N/A

Median In-State Public

$37,622

Median Private

In 2017, the Reading, PA institution with the largest number of graduating students was Alvernia University with 708 degrees awarded.

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Student Gender for Common Institutions

582

Degrees Awarded to Men

1,318

Degrees Awarded to Women

In 2017, 582 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Reading, PA, which is 0.442 times less than the 1,318 female students who received degrees in the same year.

This chart displays the gender disparity between the institutions in Reading, PA by degrees awarded.

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Student Race and Ethnicity

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

  1. White

    1,213 degrees awarded

  2. Hispanic or Latino

    238 degrees awarded

  3. Black or African American

    218 degrees awarded

In 2017 the majority of degrees awarded at institutions in Reading, PA were to White students. These 1,213 degrees mean that there were 5.1 times more White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 238 degrees awarded.

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Housing & Living

The median property value in Reading, PA was $69,500 in 2017, which is 0.303 times smaller than the national average of $229,700. Between 2016 and 2017 the median property value increased from $68,400 to $69,500, a 1.61% increase. The homeownership rate in Reading, PA is 40.6%, which is lower than the national average of 63.9%. People in Reading, PA have an average commute time of 24 minutes, and they commute by Drove Alone. Car ownership in Reading, PA is lower than the national average, with an average of 1 car per household.

Housing

Property Value

$69,500

2017 Median

± $2,183

$68,400

2016 Median

± $2,085

In 2017, the median property value in Reading, PA grew to to $69,500 from the previous year's value of $68,400.

The following charts display, first, the property values in Reading, PA compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies and, second, owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property value buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Reading, PA the largest share of households have a property value in the $60k - $70k range.

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Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$28,755

Median Household Income

± $1,471

29k

Number of Households

± 1,065

In 2017, the median household income of the 29k households in Reading, PA grew to $28,755 from the previous year's value of $27,247.

The following chart displays the households in Reading, PA distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the < $10k range.

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Property Taxes

$800 - $1,499

Average Range

This chart shows the households in Reading, PA distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Reading, PA the largest share of households pay taxes in the $800 - $1,499 range.

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Rent vs Own

40.6%

2017 Homeownership

40.8%

2016 Homeownership

In 2017, 40.6% of the housing units in Reading, PA were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 40.8%.

This percentage of owner-occupation is lower than the national average of 63.9%. This chart shows the ownership percentage in Reading, PA compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

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Commute Time

24 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Reading, PA have a shorter commute time (24 minutes) than the normal US worker (25.1 minutes). Additionally, 2.54% of the workforce in Reading, PA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Reading, PA compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Commuter Transportation

Most Common Method of Travel

  1. Drove Alone

    59.1%

  2. Carpooled

    19.9%

  3. Public Transit

    7.5%

In 2017, the most common method of travel for workers in Reading, PA was Drove Alone (59.1%), followed by those who Carpooled (19.9%) and those who Public Transit (7.5%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

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Transportation

Car Ownership

1 car

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Reading, PA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Reading, PA have 1 car, followed by 2 cars.

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