Census tract · Berks County
Census Tract 26, Berks County, Pennsylvania
Census Tract 26, GEOID 42011002600, in Berks County, Pennsylvania, mostly within Reading (96% of its census blocks). 3,313 residents in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±591); the 2020 Census counted 3,456.
Residents, 2020-2024
3,313
±591 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 3,456
Median household income
$35,577
±$7,871 (90% margin)
Berks County: $79,777
Median home value
$172,900
±$30,409 (90% margin)
Berks County: $257,300
Median gross rent
$1,012
±$98 (90% margin)
Berks County: $1,181
Where is Census Tract 26?
Census Tract 26 is one of 107 census tracts in Berks County, Pennsylvania. It covers 0.60 square miles of land, 5,731 residents per square mile in 2020. Its GEOID, 42011002600, names it uniquely (how tract numbers and GEOIDs work).
| Place | Share of the tract |
|---|---|
| Reading | 96% |
| Cumru Township | 4% |
5 census tracts border Census Tract 26: Tract 25 ($17,081), Tract 27 ($74,224), Tract 29 ($68,897), Tract 112 ($65,885) and Tract 113 ($86,705). 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 26?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Census Tract 26's population at 3,313 (±591) in 1,230 households; the 2020 Census counted 3,456 residents and 1,199 housing units.
| Measure | Tract 26 | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Total population | 3,313 ±591 | 95,242 |
| Households | 1,230 ±230 | 33,164 |
| Average household size | 2.54 ±0.29 | 2.78 |
| Housing units | 1,367 ±197 | 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 26?
The median resident of Census Tract 26 is 28.0 years old; 34.1% are under 18 and 12.6% are 65 or older. The largest group is Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 70.1%, then non-Hispanic white residents at 25.3%. 6.1% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Tract 26 | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 28.0 ±3.1 | 31.9 |
| Under 18 years | 34.1% ±6.6 pts | 28.4% |
| 65 years and over | 12.6% ±4.1 pts | 10.7% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 70.1% ±8.4 pts | 70.8% |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 25.3% ±7.7 pts | 18.5% |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 3.3% ±3.0 pts | 7.7% |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.7% ±1.1 pts | 0.5% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.0 pts | 0.0% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.0 pts | 0.0% |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 0.6% ±1.0 pts | 2.1% |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.0 pts | 0.5% |
| Born outside the United States | 6.1% ±3.5 pts | 25.4% |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 51.6% ±9.8 pts | 59.7% |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 2.9% ±2.6 pts | 3.1% |
| With a disability | 13.7% ±5.2 pts | 17.4% |
| No health insurance coverage | 7.2% ±6.1 pts | 14.7% |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 82.0% ±7.8 pts | 72.0% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 14.2% ±6.5 pts | 11.4% |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 9.1% ±5.9 pts | 3.6% |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 91.0% ±5.4 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 26 earn?
Half of the 1,230 households in Census Tract 26 earn less than $35,577 a year (±$7,871), against $79,777 across Berks County: 99th highest of the county's 105 tracts with a reliable estimate. 54.4% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Tract 26 | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $35,577 ±$7,871 | $44,091 |
| Mean household income | $48,562 ±$13,806 | $60,456 |
| Per capita income | $19,129 ±$5,977 | $21,406 |
| People below the poverty line | 54.4% ±12.5 pts | 28.7% |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 81.5% ±13.4 pts | 39.0% |
| Households receiving SNAP | 43.7% ±11.4 pts | 38.2% |
| Households with a computer | 88.4% ±9.1 pts | 92.1% |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 75.0% ±13.8 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 26?
Owners occupy 20.2% of Census Tract 26's occupied homes and renters 79.8%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $172,900 by its owner (±$30,409). The median renter pays $1,012 a month including utilities, and 39.5% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Tract 26 | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $172,900 ±$30,409 | $121,300 |
| Median gross rent | $1,012 ±$98 | $1,067 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 39.5% ±18.3 pts | 49.5% |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,262 ±$267 | $1,218 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 20.2% ±8.3 pts | 40.6% |
| Renter-occupied homes | 79.8% ±8.3 pts | 59.4% |
| Housing units | 1,367 ±197 | 36,032 |
| Single-family detached homes | 9.8% ±5.5 pts | 11.8% |
| Mobile homes | 0.0% ±2.3 pts | 0.3% |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±2.3 pts | 0.1% |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 3.4% ±5.6 pts | 1.4% |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 29.1% ±12.9 pts | 56.9% |
| Households with no vehicle | 20.7% ±10.1 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 26 get to work?
79.9% of Census Tract 26's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 17.3 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 13.9%.
| Measure | Tract 26 | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 49.9% ±7.9 pts | 62.6% |
| Unemployment rate | 13.9% ±8.8 pts | 13.7% |
| Drove alone to work | 79.9% ±10.7 pts | 61.6% |
| Carpooled | 14.6% ±10.1 pts | 18.1% |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±3.5 pts | 3.4% |
| Walked | 0.0% ±3.5 pts | 4.7% |
| Worked from home | 5.5% ±4.7 pts | 6.4% |
| Mean travel time to work | 17.3 min ±5.1 | 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 26 compare with the other tracts in Berks County?
Among Berks County's tracts with a reliable estimate, Census Tract 26 ranks as shown below (1 = highest).
| Measure | In Berks County | In Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 75th of 107 | 16th of 28 |
| Residents per square mile | 25th of 107 | 23rd of 28 |
| Median household income | 99th of 105 | 21st of 27 |
| Per capita income | 97th of 106 | 20th of 28 |
| Median home value | 81st of 104 | 4th of 26 |
| Median gross rent | 79th of 95 | 20th of 25 |
| Poverty rate | 2nd of 76 | 2nd of 26 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 84th of 98 | 8th of 20 |
| Median age | 102nd of 107 | 24th of 28 |
| Owner-occupied share | 104th of 106 | 26th of 28 |
The tracts next to it on Berks County's income ladder
| Tract | Rank | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 10 | 96th | $39,564±$7,818 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 14 | 97th | $36,332±$20,236 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 23 | 98th | $36,021±$4,380 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 26 | 99th | $35,577±$7,871 |
| Tract 22 | 100th | $35,486±$18,510 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 7 | 101st | $32,433±$18,533 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 2 | 102nd | $25,000±$8,388 · 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 26?
3 of the 18 figures for Census Tract 26 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