PlainZIP

Reading, PA · standard

ZIP Code 19601

Berks County, Pennsylvania - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

32,998
3,420/sq mi
$40,973
Median income
$123,100
Median home value
12.1%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Reading pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a suburban-density, renter-heavy area.

6th pct
household income, US ZIPs
18th pct
home value, US ZIPs
3,420
people per sq mi
40%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 19601 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 19601 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Reading, Berks County, Pennsylvania, with 32,998 residents across 9.6 square miles, a density of 3,420 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 19601 reports a modest median household income of $40,973 (47% below the Pennsylvania average), while per-capita income is $20,746. The poverty rate stands at 29.7% and the unemployment rate at 13.7%. The typical home here is valued at $123,100 (46% below the state average); renters pay a median of $1,011 monthly, and 39.5% of units are owner-occupied.

Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 12.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 33.4, and the average commute is 24 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 10 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 19601, plus 6 more within Berks County, give a clearer read than the national average alone.

Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →

Top industries in ZIP 19601

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Reading, PA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 19601.

establishments

What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 19601, Reading, PA · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

32,998

Population

9.6

Area (sq mi)

3,420

People / sq mi

New York

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 19601?

33.4

Median Age

47.6%

Male

52.4%

Female

26.6%

Foreign-Born

White 22.2%
African American 9.9%
Asian 1.2%
American Indian or Alaska Native 1.8%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 34.8%
Hispanic or Latino 70.2%

Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How much do residents earn?

$40,973

Median Household Income

-47% vs state

$20,746

Per Capita Income

29.7%

Poverty Rate

13.7%

Unemployment Rate

24.3 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 19601 ranks nationally

Reading, PA household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$40,973 6th percentile higher than 6% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 51.9%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 12.1%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

14,003

Total Housing Units

13,166

Occupied Units

837

Vacant Units

2.72

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 39.5%
Renter 60.5%

$123,100

Median Home Value

-46% vs state

$1,011

Median Rent

1938

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How have home values changed over time?

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

-6.5%

YoY Change (2024)

342

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+242%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 19601 have decreased 6.5% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +242% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +2.2% 190
2021 +19.2% 227
2022 +20.7% 274
2023 +33.4% 365
2024 -6.5% 342

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 504 business establishments in ZIP 19601, employing approximately 9,911 people with a combined annual payroll of $744,056,000.

504

Businesses

9,911

Employees

$744.1M

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Other services (except public administration) 84 16.7%
Health care and social assistance 81 16.1%
Retail trade 57 11.3%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 56 11.1%
Accommodation and food services 38 7.5%
Construction 36 7.1%
Manufacturing 29 5.8%
Wholesale trade 22 4.4%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 21 4.2%
Finance and insurance 18 3.6%
Transportation and warehousing 17 3.4%
Real estate and rental and leasing 14 2.8%
Information 13 2.6%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 12 2.4%
Management of companies and enterprises 3 0.6%
Educational services 3 0.6%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 19601 vs 19611 →

ZIP 19601 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 19601 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 19601 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 19601 ranks #null of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
19611 Reading, PA 10,589 1.9 mi
19604 Reading, PA 27,658 1.6 mi
19610 Reading, PA 15,258 2.0 mi
19605 Reading, PA 18,985 3.2 mi
19602 Reading, PA 17,900 2.2 mi
19607 Reading, PA 22,544 4.2 mi
19609 Reading, PA 9,946 3.4 mi
19560 Temple, PA 7,805 4.3 mi
19606 Reading, PA 34,416 4.5 mi
19533 Leesport, PA 7,686 5.5 mi

More ZIP Codes in Berks County

19606 standard
Reading, PA
Pop: 34,416
19604 standard
Reading, PA
Pop: 27,658
19608 standard
Reading, PA
Pop: 22,719
19607 standard
Reading, PA
Pop: 22,544
19605 standard
Reading, PA
Pop: 18,985
19602 standard
Reading, PA
Pop: 17,900

Related Areas

Berks County Reading, PA Pennsylvania

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 19601 in? ▼
ZIP code 19601 (Reading) is located in Berks County, Pennsylvania. Berks County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/berks-pa.
What is the population of ZIP code 19601? ▼
ZIP code 19601 in Reading, PA has a population of 32,998 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 19601? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 19601 is $40,973, which is 46% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 19601? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 19601 is $123,100, which is 56% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 19601? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 19601 is Two or More Ethnicities at 34.8%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 70.2% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 19601? ▼
ZIP code 19601 has 504 business establishments employing approximately 9,911 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 19601? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 19601 are: Other services (except public administration) (84), Health care and social assistance (81), Retail trade (57). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 19601? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 19601 decreased by 6.5% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 242%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 19601? ▼
In ZIP code 19601, 51.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 12.1% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 19601? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 19601 is 24.3 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 19601? ▼
In ZIP code 19601, approximately 39.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 60.5% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 19601? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 19601 is 29.7% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.