ZIP Code 19601 — Reading city, PA Demographics & Data

ZIP code 19601 covers Reading, PA in Berks County with a population of about 36,493.

At a glance, the area shows median age of 32.0 versus a U.S. median of about 38.9.

It sits in telephone area codes 484, 610, 835; U.S. House district PA-6; the PHILADELPHIA media market.

Reading, PA sits in a university / college context (near reading area community college (1.5 mi)). Expect stronger interest in student housing, rentals, walkability, transit, and a younger adult age mix versus typical suburban ZIPs.

Median household income in ZIP 19601 is about $41,133 — about 45% below the U.S. median ($75,149).

On socioeconomic markers, US5 shows a poverty rate of 29.8%; unemployment rate near 13.2%; 11.5% of adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher (about 22.2 points below the national share (33.7%)).

Labor and commute patterns include leading industry context around Manufacturing, Healthcare, and Retail trade; about 5.5% of workers reporting work-from-home (about 9.7 points below the U.S. share (15.2%)); a mean commute of about 180.0 minutes (U.S. average near 26.8).

Median home value is about $110,700 — about 68% below the U.S. median home value ($348,079).

Housing tenure and rents show median gross rent around $821 (about 29% below the U.S. median rent ($1,163)), and owner-occupancy near 37.3% (about 28.1 points below the national owner-occupancy rate (65.4%)).

To comfortably buy a median-priced home in ZIP 19601 in Reading, PA, a household would need roughly $30,000 in annual income under a 20% down, 30-year loan at 6.8% (illustrative), keeping housing costs near 28% of income. Estimated monthly PITI is about $711. That sits below the local median household income ($41,133), suggesting the typical household income is closer to a workable buy-in level under these assumptions. Rates, taxes, insurance, and HOA fees vary — treat this as a planning estimate, not a lender quote.

FEMA’s National Risk Index rates natural-hazard risk for Reading city, PA as Relatively Moderate (composite score 92.7), which is among the highest nationally. The strongest component scores on US5 are flood (94.8) and hurricane (92.5). These scores are county-linked NRI values published for planning context — all ZIP codes in the same county share the same composite score on US5. Useful when comparing insurance and disaster exposure across areas, not a substitute for a parcel-level flood or fire determination.

Climate normals for Reading city, PA show little to no average snow and around 45.2 inches of annual precipitation.

IRS migration statistics show a net inflow of about 1,662 for ZIP 19601 (Reading city, PA) on US5’s published series — a signal of people/tax filers moving in relative to those leaving. Inflows often track job growth, housing demand, or lifestyle migration; treat the figure as a directional indicator rather than a precise headcount.