$145,985Average Value$134Average Price per Sq Ft3Homes For Sale
City center named after defunct railroad company
Downtown Reading offers comparatively lower-priced homes close to shopping and dining, as well as three blocks featuring over 30 murals by local artists. The fourth-largest city in Pennsylvania, it was named after the now-defunct Reading Railroad Company. The city saw a lot of success during the Industrial Revolution, and while Reading has lost a lot of industry since, it still offers employment options for its nearly 100,000 residents. "Carpenter Steel is still a major force, but Reading Hospital is also a major employer, and we have three colleges in the city or right outside of it where people can work," says Brad Smith, an archivist and associate director at Berks History Center, as well as an adjunct professor at Alvernia University.
Downtown Reading offers comparatively lower-priced homes close to shopping and dining.
Downtown Reading is within walking distance of shops, dining and attractions.
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Rowhouses starting in the $100,000s
Traditional, yet colorful, rowhouses line the streets of Downtown Reading. Most downtown rowhomes were built in the early 20th century, and many are multi-unit residences. These houses are primarily attached to one another with brick facades, and some homes feature covered front porches. "Reading is very affordable compared to the areas around it, including the counties," says Liz Egner, team lead of The Liz Egner Group at RE/MAX of Reading, who’s been selling homes in Reading for over 30 years. Houses in Downtown Reading typically sell for $100,000 to $300,000. The CAP Index gives Downtown Reading a crime score of 8 out of 10, which is above the national average of 4. In September 2024, the Reading Police Department noted a 21% decline in overall crime for the first six months of the year. To combat crime, officers regularly meet with residents and patrol areas of known concern.
Traditional, yet colorful, rowhouses line the streets of Downtown Reading.
Most of the rowhomes in Downtown Reading were built in the early 20th century.
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Popular local restaurants include La Casa del Chimi
Popular local restaurants include La Casa del Chimi with Dominican dishes, The Peanut Bar for American favorites and Judy's on Cherry, a Mediterranean-inspired fine-dining restaurant with seasonal menus. The Ugly Oyster Drafthaus, an Irish tavern, serves more than 80 beers. Bravo Supermarkets is along Penn Street for groceries.
La Casa del Chimi comes alive with Downtown Reading residents during the busy lunch hours.
The Peanut Bar has been serving the Downtown Reading neighborhood for 100 years.
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Events downtown and at the Mid Atlantic Air Museum
In April, downtown hosts the West Reading Craft Pretzel & Beer Fest, which has live music, pretzel vendors and dozens of regional brews to sample. Reading Liederkranz Oktoberfest is a five-day event offering classic German food, beer and live music. The Mid Atlantic Air Museum hosts WWII Weekend in June, featuring hundreds of aircraft and military vehicles, reenactors, live entertainment and over 200 military flea market vendors.
Student exchange program at Reading Senior High
Students may start at Tyson-Schoener Elementary, which has a D-plus from Niche, before going to Southwest Middle, which gets a D. Reading Senior High, which receives a C-minus, is the largest high school in the state with roughly 5,500 students. Reading is a sister city with Reutlingen, Germany, which allows high schoolers to apply to be part of the student exchange program. Reading students travel to Reutlingen for two weeks in the fall, while German exchange students will come to Reading in the spring.
Local students attend the Southwest Middle School in Downtown Reading.
Local students attend the Tyson-Schoener School in Southeast Reading.
Reading Senior High School in Northeast Reading is fondly nicknamed The Castle on the Hill.
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Outdoor recreation spots and indoor attractions
Riverfront Park is in the south end of downtown with a playground, baseball field and basketball courts. The Schuylkill River Trail is an 18-mile path from downtown to Yarnell Park at Five Locks. The trail is part of a planned 140-mile path that will connect Schuylkill County to Fort Mifflin in Philadelphia. The Reading Skatepark, which opened in 2024, is just south along Canal Street. For indoor attractions, residents can head to the Santander Performing Arts Center to hear the Reading Symphony Orchestra. Right in the heart of the city, GoggleWorks Center for the Arts offers installations from regional, national and international contemporary artists. Second Street has an IMAX movie theater. The Reading Royals play hockey at Santander Arena and the Fightin Phils play minor league baseball at FirstEnergy Stadium.
Schuylkil River Trail provides a scenic walk along the river for Reading residents.
Reading Skatepark opened in August 2024 to much fanfare from local skaters.
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BARTA buses, quick highway access
Downtown Reading gets a high walkability score because of its compact, urban layout. The Berks Area Regional Transportation Authority, called BARTA, operates a fleet of hybrid electric buses from the downtown transportation center. Commuters can take U.S. Route 422, known locally as the West Shore Bypass, to travel 50 miles west to Harrisburg. U.S. Route 222 is also nearby, connecting residents 30 miles south to Lancaster. Reading Regional Airport is 4 miles north. Reading Hospital is less than a mile south.
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.
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On average, homes in Downtown Reading, Reading sell after 143 days on the market compared to the national average of 52 days. The median sale price for homes in Downtown Reading, Reading over the last 12 months is $253,490, up 56% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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