City profile · Ohio · Census ACS 2023

Reading, OH

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Reading - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

10,490
Residents
$60,167
Median income
$184,200
Median home
$1,353
Median rent (state)

Reading - the verdict

Nationally, Reading sits in the 35th percentile for household income and the 26th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

35th
percentile, household income
38th
percentile, home value
50th
percentile, median rent
26th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Reading, OH

Reading is a small town in Ohio, home to 10,490 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $60,167 per year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 7.8%. Reading's housing stock carries a median value of $184,200, and the median resident age is 42.6 years. Educational attainment runs 24.8% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 66.8% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 1 residential building permits were authorized in Reading (Stable), up 0% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 2284.6 incidents per 100,000 residents, near the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Ohio run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Ohio scores 92.8 (Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,353 per month statewide. Monthly utility costs average around $228 across Ohio, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 96.3 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

10,490 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Ohio

Median Household Income

$60,167 /yr

Poverty 7.8%

Cost of Living Index (state)

92.8 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Ohio average

How does Reading compare to other US cities?

Here's how Reading stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 35% higher than other cities
Home value 38% pricier than other cities
Median rent 50% pricier than other cities
Safety 26% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just Ohio and the picture shifts: Reading ranks #225 of 281 Ohio cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Reading against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Ohio only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Ohio-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent places Reading toward the top of Ohio's cities

Among the 1,196 Ohio cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Reading ranks #112 - the 79th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Reading only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#702 of 1,145
39th percentile in Ohio
Median Gross Rent
#112 of 1,196
79th percentile in Ohio
Median Home Value
#374 of 1,164
68th percentile in Ohio
Poverty Rate
#533 of 1,196
55th percentile in Ohio
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#402 of 1,196
66th percentile in Ohio

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Ohio only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

35thIncome percentile
26thSafety percentile

35th percentile nationally for median household income · 26th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Reading's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Reading's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 39 Avg. percentile National median
Reading's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Reading's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$184,200 Among the most affordable more affordable than 62% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Reading $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. 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 · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Reading, OH Reading, OH's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Reading, OH-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Reading, OH median $60,167/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Reading, OH's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Reading, OH. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 24.8%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 7.8%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 66.8%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
10,490
Median Income
$60,167
Median Home Value
$184,200
Median Age
42.6
Poverty Rate
7.8%
Labor force participation
66.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
24.8%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2284.6
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
152.9
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2131.7
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
2
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
10,400 residents10,450 residents10,500 residents10,550 residents10,600 residents10,650 residents 202020212022202320242025 10,592 residents 10,491 residents ▼ -1.0%
Reading's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

🏗️ Stable
Total Permits (2024)
1
housing units authorized
Single-Family
1
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 1
2020 2
2021 0
2022 3
2023 2
2024 1

Permit volume increased 0% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
77.1%
Carpool
5.7%
Public Transit
0.4%
Walk
0.4%
Work from Home
16.3%

Based on 5,704 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Ohio - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$105
avg/month
Natural Gas
$78
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$228
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Ohio state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Ohio state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Reading sits in

Cost of Living Index
92.8
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,353/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
96.3 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Ohio

New Albany
10,524 people
Vermilion
10,451 people
Heath
10,545 people
London
10,403 people
Ironton
10,585 people
Galion
10,358 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Reading's 10,490 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Forest Acres, SC
10,491 people
Milton, FL
10,485 people
Cheat Lake, WV
10,485 people
Bastrop, TX
10,484 people
Sweetwater, TX
10,484 people
River Grove, IL
10,482 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Reading's $60,167 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Troy, NC
$60,167 median income
McAllen, TX
$60,165 median income
Villa Pancho, TX
$60,163 median income
Coraopolis, PA
$60,174 median income
Mauston, WI
$60,174 median income
Tallula, IL
$60,156 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Reading, OH Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Reading, OH - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 83.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 4.9% White 83.6% Black or African American 5.5% Asian 2.8% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 2.2% Two or more races 5.8% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Reading compares to nearby Ohio cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Reading (this city) 10,490 $60,167
New Albany 10,524 $232,524
Vermilion 10,451 $73,052
Heath 10,545 $74,773
Census ACS 5-year FIPS OH FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Reading, OH?

What is the population of Reading, OH? +

10,490 people live in Reading, OH according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Reading, OH? +

The median household income in Reading is $60,167 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Reading? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Reading; the closest available measure is the Ohio state average, a cost of living index of 92.8 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Ohio vary by metro area.

Is Reading, OH safe? +

Reading has a total crime rate of 2284.6 per 100,000 residents, which is near the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Reading, OH? +

A typical home in Reading is worth $184,200, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.