Municipal Demographic Profile




County:       Berks

Municipality: West Reading borough


Total Population 4,142 SEX Male 1,757 Female 2,385 AGE Under 5 years 207 5 to 17 years 414 18 to 20 years 218 21 to 24 years 297 25 to 44 years 1,082 45 to 54 years 323 55 to 59 years 174 60 to 64 years 224 65 to 74 years 485 75 to 84 years 463 85 years and over 255 Median age 41.5 Under 18 years 621 Percent of total population 15.0 65 years and over 1,203 Percent of total population 29.0 HOUSEHOLDS BY TYPE Total households 1,685 Family households (families) 973 Married-couple families 763 Percent of total households 45.3 Other family, male householder 54 Other family, female householder 156 Nonfamily households 712 Percent of total households 42.3 Householder living alone 594 Householder 65 years and over 283 Persons living in households 3,596 Persons per household 2.13 GROUP QUARTERS Persons living in group quarters 546 Institutionalized persons 386 Other persons in group quarters 160 RACE AND HISPANIC ORIGIN White 4,016 Black 60 Percent of total population 1.4 American Indian, Eskimo, or Aleut 9 Percent of total population 0.2 Asian or Pacific Islander 19 Percent of total population 0.5 Other race 38 Hispanic Origin (any race) 81 Percent of total population 2.0 OCCUPANCY AND TENURE Total housing units 1,778 Occupied housing units 1,685 Owner occupied 1,040 Percent owner occupied 61.7 Renter occupied 645 Vacant housing units 93 For seasonal, recreational, or occasional use 0 Homeowner vacancy rate (percent) 1.0 Rental vacancy rate (percent) 6.5 Persons per owner-occupied unit 2.3 Persons per renter-occupied unit 1.9 Units with over 1 person per room 5 UNITS IN STRUCTURE 1-unit, detached 144 1-unit, attached 1,060 2 to 4 units 290 5 to 9 units 76 10 or more units 171 Mobile home, trailer, other 37 VALUE Specified owner-occupied units 934 Less than $50,000 197 $50,000 to $99,999 688 $100,000 to $149,999 41 $150,000 to $199,999 5 $200,000 to $299,999 1 $300,000 or more 2 Median (dollars) 65,600 CONTRACT RENT Specified renter-occupied units paying cash 620 Less than $250 87 $250 to $499 440 $500 to $749 90 $750 to $999 3 $1,000 or more 0 Median (dollars) 381 RACE AND HISPANIC ORIGIN OF HOUSEHOLDER Occupied housing units 934 White 924 Black 2 Percent of occupied units 0.2 American Indian, Eskimo, Aleut 1 Percent of occupied units 0.1 Asian or Pacific Islander 3 Percent of occupied units 0.3 Other race 4 Hispanic origin (of any race) 14 Percent of occupied units 1.5 Source: Census of Population and Housing, 1990: Summary Tape File 1 Prepared by: The Pennsylvania State Data Center, Penn State Harrisburg Date Prepared: January, 1997