Overall Score
Reading is a town in Berks County, Pennsylvania, the county seat.
According to the 2000 census, the city had a population of 81,207. It is thus the fifth most populous city in Pennsylvania after Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, and Erie.
Reading is located in southeastern Pennsylvania, about 105 km northwest of Philadelphia. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 26 km² of which 0.52 km² is occupied by water. The city is bounded on the west by the Schuylkill River, on the east by the Penn Mountains, and on the south by the Neversink Mountains.
Several companies are headquartered in the city. Among them are Penske Truck Leasing, Boscov’s, a department store chain, and Carpenter Technology Corporation, a metalworking company. All of these companies are major employers. In addition to them, the hospital, the county government agency, and Wal-Mart Stores provide many jobs.
In 2014, of 6,469 active working-age residents over the age of 16, 3,028 had jobs. And men had a median income of $32140 per year, compared to a median annual income of $26647 for women. In 2014, the median income per family was estimated at $29,252 and per household at $26,867. Per capita income was $13,339. 37.2% of all families in Reading and 40.1% of the total population were below the poverty line at the time of the census.
Overall Score
- Air quality: 30 US AQI Good. Air quality is satisfactory, and air pollution poses little or no risk.
- Tap water: Yes, safe to drink
- Religious government: Non-religious
- Population: 88,000 people
- GDP: $57,808 / year
- Foreigners can own real estate: Yes
- Power outlets: 115V60Hz
- Internet: 59 Mbps
- Best wireless: Verizon
- Pay without cash: Yes, cards OK almost everywhere
- Tipping: How much should I tip at a restaurant? A gratuity of 15 to 20 per cent on top of the bill (before sales tax) is standard, with 25 per cent given for topnotch service. Servers in America work hard for the money – they’re generally friendly, knowledgeable and willing to go the extra mile for customers.
- Apartment listings: AirBnb
- Apartments: Airbnb
- Hotels: Booking.com
- More hotels: Hotels.com
- Best taxi: Uber
- Online electronics shop: Amazon
- Best hospital: Reading Hospital
- Best intl air carrier: American
- Monthly costs for expat: $2400
- Monthly costs for family: $5700
- Monthly costs for local: $1600
- Meal: $15
- Small Cola: $1.7
- Beer 1 Pint: $5
- Coffee: $4
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