PlainZIP

Reading, PA · standard

ZIP Code 19602

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

17,900
2,794/sq mi
$34,582
Median income
$96,000
Median home value
10.1%
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.

3th pct
household income, US ZIPs
8th pct
home value, US ZIPs
2,794
people per sq mi
27%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 19602 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 19602 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Reading, Berks County, Pennsylvania, home to 17,900 residents across 6.4 square miles, a density of 2,794 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 19602 sits on the lower end of the income spectrum: median household income is $34,582 (56% below the Pennsylvania average), while per-capita income is $19,090. 35.5% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 17.1%. The typical home here is valued at $96,000 (58% below the state average); renters pay a median of $1,041 monthly, and 26.5% of units are owner-occupied.

Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 10.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 31.4, and the average commute is 27 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 10 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 19602, 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 19602

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Reading, PA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 19602.

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 19602, 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

17,900

Population

6.4

Area (sq mi)

2,794

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 19602?

31.4

Median Age

52.3%

Male

47.7%

Female

20.1%

Foreign-Born

White 19.5%
African American 11.6%
Asian 0.4%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.7%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 46.4%
Hispanic or Latino 71.7%

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?

$34,582

Median Household Income

-56% vs state

$19,090

Per Capita Income

35.5%

Poverty Rate

17.1%

Unemployment Rate

27.4 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 19602 ranks nationally

Reading, PA household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$34,582 3rd percentile higher than 3% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). This entry sits in this band. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Above this entry. $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 49.5%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 10.1%

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

What does housing look like?

8,034

Total Housing Units

6,840

Occupied Units

1,194

Vacant Units

2.69

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 26.5%
Renter 73.5%

$96,000

Median Home Value

-58% vs state

$1,041

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

+5.4%

YoY Change (2024)

328

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+228%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 19602 have increased 5.4% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +228% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +22.0% 161
2021 +19.0% 192
2022 +16.6% 224
2023 +39.2% 311
2024 +5.4% 328

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 187 business establishments in ZIP 19602, employing approximately 3,842 people with a combined annual payroll of $166,365,000.

187

Businesses

3,842

Employees

$166.4M

Annual Payroll

12

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 38 20.3%
Health care and social assistance 28 15.0%
Accommodation and food services 23 12.3%
Other services (except public administration) 23 12.3%
Real estate and rental and leasing 12 6.4%
Construction 11 5.9%
Wholesale trade 11 5.9%
Manufacturing 9 4.8%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 8 4.3%
Transportation and warehousing 6 3.2%
Finance and insurance 6 3.2%
Information 3 1.6%

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 19602 vs 19611 →

ZIP 19602 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 19602 ranks #6 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 19602 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 19602 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 1.4 mi
19604 Reading, PA 27,658 2.0 mi
19601 Reading, PA 32,998 2.2 mi
19606 Reading, PA 34,416 3.1 mi
19607 Reading, PA 22,544 3.0 mi
19610 Reading, PA 15,258 3.3 mi
19609 Reading, PA 9,946 4.3 mi
19560 Temple, PA 7,805 5.3 mi
19605 Reading, PA 18,985 5.1 mi
19535 Limekiln, PA 23 5.9 mi

More ZIP Codes in Berks County

19606 standard
Reading, PA
Pop: 34,416
19601 standard
Reading, PA
Pop: 32,998
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

Related Areas

Berks County Reading, PA Pennsylvania

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 19602 in? ▼
ZIP code 19602 (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 19602? ▼
ZIP code 19602 in Reading, PA has a population of 17,900 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 19602? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 19602 is $34,582, which is 55% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 19602? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 19602 is $96,000, which is 65% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 19602? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 19602 is Two or More Ethnicities at 46.4%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 71.7% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 19602? ▼
ZIP code 19602 has 187 business establishments employing approximately 3,842 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 19602? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 19602 are: Retail trade (38), Health care and social assistance (28), Accommodation and food services (23). There are 12 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 19602? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 19602 increased by 5.4% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 228%. 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 19602? ▼
In ZIP code 19602, 49.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 10.1% 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 19602? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 19602 is 27.4 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 19602? ▼
In ZIP code 19602, approximately 26.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 73.5% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 19602? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 19602 is 35.5% 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.