Census tract · Berks County
Census Tract 21, Berks County, Pennsylvania
Census Tract 21, GEOID 42011002100, in Berks County, Pennsylvania, entirely within Reading. 3,462 residents in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±618); the 2020 Census counted 3,290.
Residents, 2020-2024
3,462
±618 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 3,290
Median household income
$58,500
±$13,994 (90% margin)
Berks County: $79,777
Median home value
$62,100
±$16,087 (90% margin)
Berks County: $257,300
Median gross rent
$1,344
±$304 (90% margin)
Berks County: $1,181
Where is Census Tract 21?
Census Tract 21 is one of 107 census tracts in Berks County, Pennsylvania. It covers 0.19 square miles of land, 17,500 residents per square mile in 2020. Its GEOID, 42011002100, names it uniquely (how tract numbers and GEOIDs work).
| Place | Share of the tract |
|---|---|
| Reading | 100% |
4 census tracts border Census Tract 21: Tract 19 ($24,113), Tract 20.02 ($46,875), Tract 22 ($35,486) and Tract 116.03 ($104,007). The figure in brackets is each tract's median household income.
Whether a tract counts as low- or moderate-income for bank lending (the Community Reinvestment Act) is set by the FFIEC against its metro area's family income: look it up in the FFIEC census geocoder.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 block assignment files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Census Tract 21?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Census Tract 21's population at 3,462 (±618) in 1,076 households; the 2020 Census counted 3,290 residents and 1,164 housing units.
| Measure | Tract 21 | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Total population | 3,462 ±618 | 95,242 |
| Households | 1,076 ±148 | 33,164 |
| Average household size | 3.19 ±0.36 | 2.78 |
| Housing units | 1,149 ±138 | 36,032 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Census Tract 21?
The median resident of Census Tract 21 is 25.4 years old; 31.9% are under 18 and 4.7% are 65 or older. The largest group is Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 70.0%, then non-Hispanic white residents at 18.2%. 19.3% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Tract 21 | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 25.4 ±3.8 | 31.9 |
| Under 18 years | 31.9% ±5.1 pts | 28.4% |
| 65 years and over | 4.7% ±1.8 pts | 10.7% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 70.0% ±8.4 pts | 70.8% |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 18.2% ±8.1 pts | 18.5% |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 11.1% ±5.7 pts | 7.7% |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.9 pts | 0.5% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.2 pts | 0.0% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.9 pts | 0.0% |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 0.5% ±1.0 pts | 2.1% |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.9 pts | 0.5% |
| Born outside the United States | 19.3% ±8.9 pts | 25.4% |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 61.1% ±10.1 pts | 59.7% |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 3.6% ±2.2 pts | 3.1% |
| With a disability | 13.8% ±5.4 pts | 17.4% |
| No health insurance coverage | 14.3% ±5.3 pts | 14.7% |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 71.5% ±11.0 pts | 72.0% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 7.9% ±4.9 pts | 11.4% |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 3.7% ±3.2 pts | 3.6% |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 79.4% ±8.5 pts | 84.0% |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Census Tract 21 earn?
Half of the 1,076 households in Census Tract 21 earn less than $58,500 a year (±$13,994), against $79,777 across Berks County: 83rd highest of the county's 105 tracts with a reliable estimate. 30.5% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Tract 21 | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $58,500 ±$13,994 | $44,091 |
| Mean household income | $64,599 ±$10,495 | $60,456 |
| Per capita income | $20,418 ±$2,755 | $21,406 |
| People below the poverty line | 30.5% ±11.1 pts | 28.7% |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 42.9% ±19.3 pts | 39.0% |
| Households receiving SNAP | 33.2% ±10.0 pts | 38.2% |
| Households with a computer | 96.7% ±3.0 pts | 92.1% |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 90.5% ±6.6 pts | 86.5% |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Census Tract 21?
Owners occupy 45.8% of Census Tract 21's occupied homes and renters 54.2%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $62,100 by its owner (±$16,087). The median renter pays $1,344 a month including utilities, and 38.2% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Tract 21 | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $62,100 ±$16,087 | $121,300 |
| Median gross rent | $1,344 ±$304 | $1,067 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 38.2% ±14.8 pts | 49.5% |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,006 ±$341 | $1,218 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 45.8% ±14.6 pts | 40.6% |
| Renter-occupied homes | 54.2% ±14.6 pts | 59.4% |
| Housing units | 1,149 ±138 | 36,032 |
| Single-family detached homes | 2.3% ±2.9 pts | 11.8% |
| Mobile homes | 0.0% ±2.8 pts | 0.3% |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±2.8 pts | 0.1% |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 0.5% ±0.8 pts | 1.4% |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 70.9% ±10.8 pts | 56.9% |
| Households with no vehicle | 13.4% ±7.3 pts | 23.3% |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Census Tract 21 get to work?
53.5% of Census Tract 21's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 27.0 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 16.4%.
| Measure | Tract 21 | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 74.1% ±7.2 pts | 62.6% |
| Unemployment rate | 16.4% ±6.0 pts | 13.7% |
| Drove alone to work | 53.5% ±13.5 pts | 61.6% |
| Carpooled | 22.6% ±11.9 pts | 18.1% |
| Public transportation | 2.4% ±3.0 pts | 3.4% |
| Walked | 10.0% ±10.1 pts | 4.7% |
| Worked from home | 1.8% ±2.0 pts | 6.4% |
| Mean travel time to work | 27.0 min ±3.2 | 24.1 min |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
How does Census Tract 21 compare with the other tracts in Berks County?
Among Berks County's tracts with a reliable estimate, Census Tract 21 ranks as shown below (1 = highest).
| Measure | In Berks County | In Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 71st of 107 | 13th of 28 |
| Residents per square mile | 11th of 107 | 11th of 28 |
| Median household income | 83rd of 105 | 8th of 27 |
| Per capita income | 93rd of 106 | 16th of 28 |
| Median home value | 104th of 104 | 26th of 26 |
| Median gross rent | 36th of 95 | 4th of 25 |
| Poverty rate | 13th of 76 | 13th of 26 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 94th of 98 | 16th of 20 |
| Median age | 105th of 107 | 27th of 28 |
| Owner-occupied share | 89th of 106 | 13th of 28 |
The tracts next to it on Berks County's income ladder
| Tract | Rank | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 3 | 80th | $61,047±$9,975 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 111.01 | 81st | $59,825±$12,995 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 141.02 | 82nd | $59,143±$23,043 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 21 | 83rd | $58,500±$13,994 |
| Tract 16 | 84th | $57,519±$14,634 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 132 | 85th | $56,723±$2,992 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 138 | 86th | $55,446±$16,466 · within the margin of this tract |
"Within the margin": the two incomes differ by less than their combined 90% margins, so the survey cannot say which is higher and the ranks between them are not firm.
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Census Tract 21?
2 of the 18 figures for Census Tract 21 on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
A census tract's figures rest on a few hundred sampled households over five years, so its margins are wider than a city's. Two tracts differ only when the gap between them is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins). How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · Check it at data.census.gov
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections