Erie vs Reading
Erie, Pennsylvania versus Reading, Pennsylvania: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Erie edges out Reading on overall objective livability (53 vs 44 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Erie | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $43k | $43k |
| Cost of Living | $41k | $46k |
| Home Value | $102k | $97k |
| Monthly Rent | $809 | $942 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 2.42% | 1.82% |
| Income Tax | 4.70% | 4.95% |
| Sales Tax | 6.34% | 6.34% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 12.48% | 11.17% |
| Unemployment | 6.8% | 11.3% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 28°F | 31°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 72°F | 76°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.0 in | 49.3 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 104.3 in | 27.2 in |
| Sunny Days | 206 days | 223 days |
| Summer Humidity | 62°F | 63°F |
| Comfortable Days | 98 days | 81 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 6.1 | 59.6 |
| Air Quality | 49 AQI | 55 AQI |
| School Quality | 96.7 | 63.2 |
| Violent Crime | 1793/100k | 1818/100k |
| Property Crime | 2284/100k | 1401/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 94,826 | 94,601 |
| Median Age | 35.0 | 31.1 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.48 | 0.73 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.97 | 0.92 |
| Political Leaning | Even | Even |
| White (%) | 67.2% | 21.0% |
| Black (%) | 15.7% | 8.3% |
| Hispanic (%) | 8.3% | 67.2% |
| Asian (%) | 2.5% | 1.0% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 6.4% | 2.6% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 18 min | 24 min |
| Walkability | 15.1/20 | 9.4/20 |
| Airport Distance | 89 mi | 48 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 83.5% | 79.4% |
| Amenities Nearby | 40.39 | 26.64 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Erie or Reading more affordable?
- Erie has the lower cost of living: its index is $41k, compared with Erie's $41k and Reading's $46k. Median rent is $809 in Erie versus $942 in Reading.
- Is Erie or Reading safer?
- Erie has the lower violent crime rate. Erie reports 1793/100k and Reading reports 1818/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Erie or Reading?
- The median home value is $102k in Erie and $97k in Reading, so homes are more affordable in Reading.