Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Reading, Pennsylvania
A $110,000 home here costs
$1,135per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.40% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $48,500 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $609. The real number is $526 higher every month, 86% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Berks County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Reading against Berks County and Pennsylvania
| Measure | Reading | Berks County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $109,800 | $239,700 |
| Median property tax | $1,820 | $4,238 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.658% | 1.768% |
| Median gross rent | $1,018 | $1,143 |
| Population | 94,836 | 429,989 |
The weather behind that power bill
Reading sits in Berks County, which averages a high of 86.4°F in its hottest month and a low of 21.8°F in its coldest, with 47.36" of precipitation a year and 31% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 981 cooling and 5,293 heating degree days, which is what sets the $177 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Berks County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Berks County
Full Berks County cost breakdown · Every county in Pennsylvania
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Reading averages. What one specific house costs to own, or what it would sell for today, depends on the street and the condition of the place. We will connect you with one licensed local agent who works Reading every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Reading I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Reading?
A $110,000 home in Reading, Pennsylvania costs approximately $1,135 per month with 20% down at 7.4%. That is $609 principal and interest, $152 property tax, $37 homeowners insurance, $245 utilities and $92 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Reading?
Reading has an effective property tax rate of 1.658%, based on a median home value of $109,800 and median real estate taxes of $1,820. That is lower than the Berks County average of 1.768%.
What is the average home price in Reading?
The median owner-occupied home value in Reading, Pennsylvania is $109,800, against $239,700 across Berks County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Reading?
Median gross rent in Reading is $1,018 a month, against $1,135 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
What salary do you need to buy a home in Reading?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Reading, Pennsylvania at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $48,500 a year. That covers the full $1,135 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Reading, US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance, NAIC average premium for Pennsylvania.
- Electricity price, EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
- Mortgage rate, Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
- Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.