PlainZIP

Reading, PA · standard

ZIP Code 19608

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

22,719
342/sq mi
$110,173
Median income
$332,400
Median home value
47.9%
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 13%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 29%
home value, US ZIPs
342
people per sq mi
77%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 19608 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 19608 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Reading, Berks County, Pennsylvania, with 22,719 residents across 66.5 square miles, a density of 342 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 19608 skews affluent, with a median household income of $110,173 (41% above the Pennsylvania average), while per-capita income is $56,688. Poverty here runs at 4.1%, with unemployment measured at 1.3%. Median home value sits at $332,400 (46% above the state average), median rent at $1,440 a month, and owner-occupancy at 76.6%.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 47.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 43.9, and the average commute is 26 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 10 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 19608, 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 19608

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Reading, PA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 19608.

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 19608, 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

22,719

Population

66.5

Area (sq mi)

342

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 19608?

43.9

Median Age

49.4%

Male

50.6%

Female

8.7%

Foreign-Born

White 78.5%
African American 4.6%
Asian 4.5%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 8.1%
Hispanic or Latino 13.0%

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?

$110,173

Median Household Income

+41% vs state

$56,688

Per Capita Income

4.1%

Poverty Rate

1.3%

Unemployment Rate

26.0 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 19608 ranks nationally

Reading, PA household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$110,173 Top 13% higher than 87% 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%). Below this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). This entry sits in this band. $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 72.9%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 47.9%

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

What does housing look like?

9,427

Total Housing Units

9,189

Occupied Units

238

Vacant Units

2.60

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 76.6%
Renter 23.4%

$332,400

Median Home Value

+46% vs state

$1,440

Median Rent

1991

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)

237

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+137%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 19608 have increased 5.4% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +137% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +2.4% 164
2021 +9.1% 179
2022 +15.2% 206
2023 +9.4% 225
2024 +5.4% 237

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 466 business establishments in ZIP 19608, employing approximately 7,447 people with a combined annual payroll of $430,310,000.

466

Businesses

7,447

Employees

$430.3M

Annual Payroll

17

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Other services (except public administration) 64 13.7%
Retail trade 57 12.2%
Health care and social assistance 55 11.8%
Construction 47 10.1%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 47 10.1%
Accommodation and food services 35 7.5%
Wholesale trade 28 6.0%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 26 5.6%
Manufacturing 23 4.9%
Real estate and rental and leasing 22 4.7%
Finance and insurance 18 3.9%
Transportation and warehousing 14 3.0%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 10 2.1%
Information 7 1.5%
Educational services 5 1.1%
Utilities 3 0.6%
Management of companies and enterprises 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 19608 vs 19609 →

ZIP 19608 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 19608 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 19608 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 19608 ranks #2 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
19609 Reading, PA 9,946 2.3 mi
19565 Wernersville, PA 8,531 3.5 mi
19610 Reading, PA 15,258 3.7 mi
19501 Adamstown, PA 1,047 4.9 mi
17569 Reinholds, PA 5,448 4.4 mi
19611 Reading, PA 10,589 5.0 mi
19607 Reading, PA 22,544 4.9 mi
17507 Bowmansville, PA 62 7.9 mi
19601 Reading, PA 32,998 5.7 mi
19602 Reading, PA 17,900 6.4 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
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 19608 in? ▼
ZIP code 19608 (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 19608? ▼
ZIP code 19608 in Reading, PA has a population of 22,719 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 19608? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 19608 is $110,173, which is 44% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 19608? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 19608 is $332,400, which is 20% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 19608? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 19608 is White at 78.5%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 13.0% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 19608? ▼
ZIP code 19608 has 466 business establishments employing approximately 7,447 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 19608? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 19608 are: Other services (except public administration) (64), Retail trade (57), Health care and social assistance (55). There are 17 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 19608? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 19608 increased by 5.4% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 137%. 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 19608? ▼
In ZIP code 19608, 72.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 47.9% 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 19608? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 19608 is 26.0 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 19608? ▼
In ZIP code 19608, approximately 76.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 23.4% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 19608? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 19608 is 4.1% 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.