Question 1

What is the cost of living in Reading, PA?

Accepted Answer

Reading, PA's overall price level (BEA Regional Price Parity) is 97.06, where 100 equals the U.S. average. That means everyday goods, services, and housing cost about 2.9% less than the national average. HUD's Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom is $1,575/month.

Question 2

What is the average salary in Reading, PA?

Accepted Answer

Across the 100 BLS-tracked occupation categories with published data in Reading, PA, the average median wage is $101,091. The single highest-paying occupation here is Chief Executives at $229,740/year (BLS OEWS).

Question 3

What are the highest-paying jobs in Reading?

Accepted Answer

Based on BLS OEWS data, the top-paying occupations in Reading, PA are: 1) Chief Executives at $229,740; 2) Architectural and Engineering Managers at $159,720; 3) Dentists, General at $151,850; 4) Computer and Information Systems Managers at $148,550; 5) Pharmacists at $143,210. Click any occupation above to see the full wage breakdown (10th to 90th percentile).

Question 4

How much does it cost to rent a 2-bedroom apartment in Reading?

Accepted Answer

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Fair Market Rent (FMR) for a 2-bedroom unit in Reading, PA is $1,575/month. FMR is the rent level HUD uses to administer housing assistance and reflects the 40th percentile of standard-quality rentals, updated annually.

Question 5

Where does AffordMap's Reading data come from?

Accepted Answer

Salary figures come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. Cost of living comes from the Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities (RPP). Rent comes from HUD Fair Market Rents. All three are federal datasets, updated annually, and free to use. AffordMap pairs them so you can see what a salary actually buys after local costs.

Rank	Occupation	Category	Median salary	Hourly
71	Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary	Education	$84K	N/A
72	Education Teachers, Postsecondary	Education	$84K	N/A
73	Urban and Regional Planners	Science	$84K	$40.2/hr
74	Budget Analysts	Business & Finance	$84K	$40.15/hr
75	English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary	Education	$83K	N/A
76	Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary	Education	$83K	N/A
77	Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers	Repair & Maintenance	$82K	$39.52/hr
78	Chemists	Science	$82K	$39.19/hr
79	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education	Education	$81K	N/A
80	First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers	Sales	$81K	$38.9/hr

Top Paying Jobs in Reading, PA

Highest paying careers in Reading

Affordability snapshot: Reading