ZIP Code 19604
standardSource:
Reading · Berks County · Pennsylvania
- Population
- 27,658
- Median income
- $52,905
- Median home value
- $119,000
- Bachelor's or higher
- 9.6%
- Land area
- 5.7 sq mi
4,883/sq mi
▼ 31% vs US
higher than 18% of US ZIPs
▼ 57% vs US
higher than 16% of US ZIPs
Median age 29.4
New York
ZIP code 19604 in Reading, Pennsylvania has a population of 27,658. The median household income is $52,905, which is 31% below the national average. Median home value is $119,000, 57% below the US average. 9.6% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
ZIP code 19604 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 5.7 square miles in Reading, Berks County, Pennsylvania. The area is home to 27,658 residents, producing a population density of 4,883 people per square mile, and falls within the New York time zone. These USPS and Census boundary values drive every downstream statistic on this page, including the benchmarks that compare 19604 against Pennsylvania and the nation.
On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 19604 sits at $52,905 (32% below the Pennsylvania average), while per-capita income is $21,629. The poverty rate stands at 21.1% and the unemployment rate at 12.3%. On housing, the median home value is $119,000 (48% below the state average) with median rent at $1,183 per month, and 49.0% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 19604 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.
Education and household profile round out the picture: 9.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 29.4, and the average commute is 24 minutes. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Berks County, so you can benchmark 19604 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone. Every figure is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, HUD Fair Market Rents, and FHFA Home Price Index data, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with HUD →
Top industries in ZIP 19604
Top 5 sectors by establishment count
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 19604.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
42 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
36 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
22 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
17 establishments
- Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 13
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
13 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, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, FHFA HPI for ZIP 19604, Reading, PA · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; HUD FMR + FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.
Quick Facts
27,658
Population
5.7
Area (sq mi)
4,883
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 19604?
29.4
Median Age
47.1%
Male
52.9%
Female
31.1%
Foreign-Born
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?
$52,905
Median Household Income
-32% vs state
$21,629
Per Capita Income
21.1%
Poverty Rate
12.3%
Unemployment Rate
23.5 min
Mean Commute Time
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What is the education profile here?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
10,000
Total Housing Units
9,450
Occupied Units
550
Vacant Units
3.05
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$119,000
Median Home Value
-48% vs state
$1,183
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
+2.0%
YoY Change (2024)
299
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+199%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 19604 have increased 2.0% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +199% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +8.1% | 181 |
| 2021 | +13.8% | 206 |
| 2022 | +26.2% | 260 |
| 2023 | +12.8% | 293 |
| 2024 | +2.0% | 299 |
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 192 business establishments in ZIP 19604, employing approximately 1,754 people with a combined annual payroll of $67,052,000.
192
Businesses
1,754
Employees
$67.1M
Annual Payroll
13
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 42 | 21.9% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 36 | 18.8% |
| Health care and social assistance | 22 | 11.5% |
| Accommodation and food services | 17 | 8.8% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 13 | 6.8% |
| Construction | 12 | 6.3% |
| Wholesale trade | 10 | 5.2% |
| Manufacturing | 9 | 4.7% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 8 | 4.2% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 8 | 4.2% |
| Finance and insurance | 5 | 2.6% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 4 | 2.1% |
| 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 19604 vs 19602 →
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19602 | Reading, PA | 17,900 | 2.0 mi |
| 19601 | Reading, PA | 32,998 | 1.6 mi |
| 19560 | Temple, PA | 7,805 | 3.3 mi |
| 19611 | Reading, PA | 10,589 | 2.8 mi |
| 19606 | Reading, PA | 34,416 | 3.1 mi |
| 19605 | Reading, PA | 18,985 | 3.3 mi |
| 19610 | Reading, PA | 15,258 | 3.7 mi |
| 19607 | Reading, PA | 22,544 | 4.9 mi |
| 19609 | Reading, PA | 9,946 | 5.0 mi |
| 19510 | Blandon, PA | 7,639 | 6.4 mi |
More ZIP Codes in Berks County
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Frequently Asked Questions
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ZIP Code Research Guides
Official Data Resources for Reading, PA
Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023). Business data: Source: Census ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023. Home value trends: Source: FHFA House Price Index (HPI), Five-Digit ZIP Codes.
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Read our methodology , how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.