$169,483Average Value$113Average Price per Sq Ft2Homes For Sale
Reading city life with park access
Penn’s Common is a bustling community near the heart of Reading, Pennsylvania. “If you like inner city walkability, you’re in the right area — it’s probably the busiest part of the city,” says Jerry Buffa, a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Realty who has lived in Reading since 1996. “Reading used to be a great place. It’s slowly trying to rebuild, but it’s not quite where it should be.” The neighborhood's streets flank Reading’s City Park, a hillside green space that was established by the grandsons of Pennsylvania founder William Penn in the 18th century. In the years since then, the space has housed everything from fairgrounds to a prison. Today, the nearly 50-acre park once again serves its purpose as an outdoor recreation facility.
City Park sits at the edge of Penn's Common, with an extensive mix of amenities.
City Park offers many beautiful and quiet places to reflect.
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Accessible playground at City Park and the nearby GoggleWorks
The neighborhood’s biggest draw is its grassy centerpiece. In 2022, the city launched a $1 million renovation, expanding the park and adding walking trails, sports courts and an accessible playground with a splash zone. Sports leagues can play into the evening here, thanks to ample lighting. Locals can watch the Reading Royals hockey team play at the Santander Arena, just a few blocks west, or catch musicals at the nearby Genesius Theatre. Another nearby attraction, Buffa says, is the GoggleWorks Center for the Arts, about 1 mile west of the community. This former safety glasses factory now hosts holiday art markets, glassblowing studios and lessons for the community. A few blocks south of the community is the southeast branch of the Reading Public Library, which hosts weekly crochet classes and chess meetups. The iconic Reading Pagoda rests on top of Mount Penn, overlooking Penn’s Common and the rest of the city. Each summer, amateur drivers compete in the Pagoda Hillclimb, a race up the winding roads to the pagoda.
Kids of all ages love the playground at City Park.
City Park includes historic statues and serene walking trails.
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Early 1900s row homes in varied styles
The residential streets of Penn’s Common are packed tightly with early-1900s row homes that stand two and three stories high. “It has some great architecture and spacious row houses,” Buffa says. The facades vary widely, from red brick and stone siding to brownstone styles with Victorian-era bay windows and covered porches. There are a few detached homes as well, but row houses are most common. Prices start around $140,000 and may top out at $365,000. Most homes directly front the city sidewalks, and yards are rare. The CAP Index crime score for Penn's Common is 8 out of 10, which is double the national average of 4. Local organizations like the Community Prevention Partnership on the north side of town offer a variety of prevention services to help mitigate future risks.
In Penn's Common row houses are located directly on the sidewalk with no front yards.
Larger row houses in Penn's Common can include five bedrooms.
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Mom-and-pop shops and corner markets
Sidewalks lead from the row houses to the many eateries lining the neighborhood’s namesake street. Franklyn's Breakfast Burgers & Shakes is a family-run diner, and Florino’s Pizza & Bar specializes in cheesesteaks. Residents can fill their prescriptions at Penn Pharmacy. There are several pubs within a 1-mile radius as well, including Saucony Creek, located in the old Reading train station, and The Ugly Oyster Drafthaus, where diners can have fish and chips with their expertly poured Guinness. While West Reading has several grocery chains, such as Giant and Redner's Warehouse Markets, “there are mostly mom-and-pop shops in Penn’s Common,” Buffa says. “If you’re in the city, you go to bodegas.” Neighborhood markets like Santa Rita Grocery and Karen Food Market dot many street corners on this side of town.
Penn's Common includes a plethora of corner markets for convenient shopping.
Local businesses comprise the majority of retail offerings in Penn's Common.
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High school at the Castle on the Hill
Penn’s Common is zoned for the Reading School District, which carries an overall D-plus rating on Niche. The neighborhood is split into two zones for elementary and middle school. Some students attend 10th and Penn Elementary School, while others attend 16th and Haak Elementary School — both score D-plus on Niche. Southern Middle School and Central Middle School both earn D ratings. The C-minus-rated Reading Senior High is a prominent city landmark known locally as “The Castle on the Hill” for its towering early 20th-century building. There are also several private schools in the city. Fairview Christian School is less than 1 mile south of Penn’s Common, and it serves students in kindergarten through 12th grade. Niche notes that 100% of Fairview graduates go on to four-year colleges.
Reading Senior High School in Northeast Reading is fondly nicknamed 'The Castle on the Hill'.
Tenth and Penn Elementary School serves 345 students in grades PK-4.
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A world-class hospital and plans to improve Reading’s transportation
Reading residents live roughly 65 miles from both Philadelphia and Harrisburg. U.S. Route 222 Business passes along the southern edge of the neighborhood, linking commuters with U.S. Route 422 toward Philadelphia. The Berks Area Regional Transportation Authority, or BARTA, buses serve the community for car-free trips around town. While Reading was once a railroad hub, Amtrak now only provides a bus connection to and from Philadelphia. The Schuykill River Passenger Rail Authority has a proposal in the works to reinstate rail service to Reading. The Reading Regional Airport currently only offers flight lessons and a runway for private planes, but there are plans to add commercial flights to Orlando. Reading Hospital is less than 3 miles west, and Newsweek named it one of the World’s Best Hospitals in 2024.
BARTA buses serve residents throughout Penn's Common.
Plentiful BARTA bus stops make Penn's Common an easy place to get around.
GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
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Crime and Safety
1 - Low Crime, 10 - High Crime
Penn's Common
US
Homicide
6
4
Sexual Assault
9
4
Assault with Weapon
9
4
Robbery
8
4
Burglary
5
4
Motor Vehicle Theft
6
4
Larceny
7
4
Crime Score
9
4
Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com
Penn's Common Demographics and Home Trends
On average, homes in Penn's Common, Reading sell after 31 days on the market compared to the national average of 54 days. The median sale price for homes in Penn's Common, Reading over the last 12 months is $147,500, down 23% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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