PlainZIP

Reading, PA · standard

ZIP Code 19605

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

18,985
438/sq mi
$92,648
Median income
$233,600
Median home value
26.4%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Reading pairs an upper-quartile household income with above-median home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 24%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 47%
home value, US ZIPs
438
people per sq mi
86%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 19605 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 19605 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Reading, Berks County, Pennsylvania, home to 18,985 residents across 43.4 square miles, a density of 438 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 19605 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $92,648 (19% above the Pennsylvania average), while per-capita income is $41,056. Local economic indicators show a 8.8% poverty rate alongside 6.0% unemployment. On housing, the median home value is $233,600 (3% above the state average) with median rent at $1,402 per month, and 85.9% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 26.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 41.5, and the average commute is 23 minutes. To put 19605 in local context, 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Berks County, for a geography-aware comparison.

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 19605

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Reading, PA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 19605.

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 19605, 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

18,985

Population

43.4

Area (sq mi)

438

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 19605?

41.5

Median Age

49.2%

Male

50.8%

Female

14.0%

Foreign-Born

White 61.1%
African American 7.5%
Asian 1.5%
American Indian or Alaska Native 1.5%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 13.9%
Hispanic or Latino 31.6%

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?

$92,648

Median Household Income

+19% vs state

$41,056

Per Capita Income

8.8%

Poverty Rate

6.0%

Unemployment Rate

22.5 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 19605 ranks nationally

Reading, PA household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$92,648 Top 24% higher than 76% 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%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). This entry sits in this band. $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 64.1%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 26.4%

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

What does housing look like?

8,155

Total Housing Units

7,743

Occupied Units

412

Vacant Units

2.74

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 85.9%
Renter 14.1%

$233,600

Median Home Value

+3% vs state

$1,402

Median Rent

1969

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

+4.3%

YoY Change (2024)

243

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+143%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 19605 have increased 4.3% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +143% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +4.0% 162
2021 +13.6% 184
2022 +15.2% 212
2023 +9.9% 233
2024 +4.3% 243

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 685 business establishments in ZIP 19605, employing approximately 17,185 people with a combined annual payroll of $1,011,980,000.

685

Businesses

17,185

Employees

$1.0B

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 104 15.2%
Health care and social assistance 79 11.5%
Wholesale trade 66 9.6%
Accommodation and food services 64 9.3%
Other services (except public administration) 61 8.9%
Construction 58 8.5%
Manufacturing 51 7.5%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 40 5.8%
Transportation and warehousing 36 5.3%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 34 5.0%
Real estate and rental and leasing 33 4.8%
Finance and insurance 26 3.8%
Information 11 1.6%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 10 1.5%
Management of companies and enterprises 6 0.9%
Educational services 4 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 19605 vs 19601 →

ZIP 19605 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 19605 ranks #4 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 19605 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 19605 ranks #3 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
19601 Reading, PA 32,998 3.2 mi
19560 Temple, PA 7,805 2.6 mi
19533 Leesport, PA 7,686 2.9 mi
19604 Reading, PA 27,658 3.3 mi
19611 Reading, PA 10,589 5.1 mi
19610 Reading, PA 15,258 4.4 mi
19602 Reading, PA 17,900 5.1 mi
19555 Shoemakersville, PA 3,406 6.6 mi
19607 Reading, PA 22,544 7.4 mi
19510 Blandon, PA 7,639 4.7 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
19602 standard
Reading, PA
Pop: 17,900

Related Areas

Berks County Reading, PA Pennsylvania

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 19605 in? ▼
ZIP code 19605 (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 19605? ▼
ZIP code 19605 in Reading, PA has a population of 18,985 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 19605? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 19605 is $92,648, which is 21% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 19605? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 19605 is $233,600, which is 16% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 19605? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 19605 is White at 61.1%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 31.6% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 19605? ▼
ZIP code 19605 has 685 business establishments employing approximately 17,185 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 19605? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 19605 are: Retail trade (104), Health care and social assistance (79), Wholesale trade (66). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 19605? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 19605 increased by 4.3% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 143%. 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 19605? ▼
In ZIP code 19605, 64.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 26.4% 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 19605? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 19605 is 22.5 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 19605? ▼
In ZIP code 19605, approximately 85.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 14.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 19605? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 19605 is 8.8% 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.