Views in vicinity of Reading. Reading Road around Flying Hill, 1870
Reading Township’s story
Reading Township in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1870 and 6 maps from 1908 on.
Explore the history →Reading TownshipPA
A town of 5,958.
Population
5,958
2025 Census estimate · +2.7% since 2020
Median home value
$276K
Census ACS
Household income
$95K
median
Median age
48.9
years
Jobs based here
330
A commuter town
TownGrade
A
#171 of 1032 in PA
Is Reading Township a good place to live?
Reading Township gives you more for your money than most places: a typical home costs about $276K, 3.3 years of the Gettysburg metro’s $84K median household income. It grades A overall, 171st of 1032 graded towns in Pennsylvania. On the plus side, crime is low: it reports less per resident than 99% of U.S. towns. 17% of the land in Reading Township is conserved, against 8.2% in Pennsylvania’s towns and 4.3% across U.S. towns. Only 68 of Pennsylvania’s 1,749 towns score lower on walkability. Reading Township's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) trails 89% of U.S. towns.
What makes Reading Township stand out
Where Reading Township beats most towns.
A commuter town
97% of working residents leave Reading Township for work
Where Reading Township’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
330jobs based in Reading Township
3%of working residents work in town
15 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Reading Township grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Pennsylvania), ordered by how far Reading Township is from typical.
Its grades run from A+ for safety (better than 99% of comparable towns) to D for walkability (better than 7%), so the A overall blends very different results.
SafetyLess crime per resident than almost any U.S. townA+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 3.8 of 20; 4.8% of households have no car; 0.4% of workers walk, bike or ride transitDOpen →Jobs & income$95K median household incomeA−Open →SchoolsBeat 70% of Pennsylvania districts on tests and graduationB+Open →Cost of livingB+Open →HealthUPMC Hanover 10.3 miles awayBOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 45% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors0 miles of trailsC−Open →HistoryC+Open →Civic life2.4 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsDOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 106 attractions →Raven Rock Mountain Complex and 41 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Reading Township. Close and well known come first.
Big draw25 mi LandmarkRaven Rock Mountain Complex
19 mi National MonumentCarlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National Monument
31 mi Theme parkHersheypark3.0M visitors a year
14 mi Ancient siteGettysburg Battlefield
14 mi LandmarkGettysburg National Cemetery
10 mi National Military ParkGettysburg National Military Park730K visitors a yearSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Raven Rock Mountain Complex: US Government, Public domain · Carlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National Monument: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain · Hersheypark: Michael Gray, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Gettysburg Battlefield: Veggies, Public domain · Gettysburg National Cemetery: Photo: Henryhartley at en.wikipedia Statue: Randolph Rogers (1825-1892), Public domain · Gettysburg National Military Park: David Dugan, CC BY-SA 3.0
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Reading Township: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Reading Township, and how to reach them.
PowerAdams Electric Cooperative15.4¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterLake Meade Muni Auth water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers95% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Reading Township’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Pennsylvania you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person until 15 days before Election Day, or by mail (received 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereAdams County Board of ElectionsAdams County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP codes17316, 17350, 1737217316 70% · 17350 28% · 17372 1%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Reading Township.
Reading Township sends most of its workers to Hanover and beyond and owes part of its health edge to its incomes, but it has a long record of flood insurance claims.
SafetyA+
Property crime in Reading Township is lower than in the typical Pennsylvania or U.S. town
Violent crime is rare: 0 reported in 2025, 0 per 1,000 residents.
No violent crime was reported in Reading Township.
99%of U.S. towns report more crimeA+Safety Grade
| Reading Township | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0 per 1,000 residents | 5.7 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0 per 1,000 residents | 0.7 | 1.6 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Reading Township0
Pennsylvania2.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Reading Township0
Pennsylvania13.6
U.S.15.5
99th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
99th
percentile among PA towns
0
violent crimes reported in 2025
0
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A−
Most of Reading Township’s workers leave town for work
Reading Township has 330 jobs for its 2,711 working residents: even if every job went to a resident, most would still commute out. The average commute takes 33.4 minutes, against 26.3 across Pennsylvania.
Reading Township: 3% of working residents work locally, below both the Pennsylvania town median (6.3%) and the median of U.S. towns (8%). Its average trip to work is 33 minutes. Jobs in Reading Township grew by 115 from 2013 to 2023, reaching 330. The share of residents in Reading Township who live below the poverty line: 4.2%.
3%work in town
| Reading Township | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 33 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 4.2% | 7.6% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $95,000 | $81,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 3% | 6.3% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Reading Township3%
Hanover7%
West Manchester Township5%
Penn Township5%
Huntington Township3%
15 mi
median commute distance
330
jobs based in Reading Township
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
D
Walkability grade: more walkable than 6% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
OutdoorsC−
For the outdoors, Reading Township earns a C−
The biggest park or preserve is State Game Lands Number 249, at 63 acres. Parks and preserves in Reading Township: 2, covering 64 acres.
17.1%conserved
17.1%
conserved · 2,910 of 17,022 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. State Game Lands Number 249 | — | 63 |
| 2. Sunset Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Climate
Expect four seasons and pleasant summers in Reading Township
Expect July afternoons of 86° and January nights of 22°, with about 29 inches of snow a winter.
29″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter24–42°
Spring40–63°
Summer62–84°
Fall44–66°
Oct 27
typical first frost
Apr 15
typical last frost
+1.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HealthB
On CDC estimates, Reading Township is healthier than 57% of U.S. towns
Against the 9,238 U.S. towns with household incomes like Reading Township’s, it is less healthy than 59%: its national edge comes with its incomes.
18% of adults binge drink in Reading Township. In Reading Township, 36% of adults have obesity, and 38% sleep under 7 hours.
57%healthier than U.S. townsBHealth Grade
| Reading Township | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 18% | 16% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 36% | 35% | 35% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 38% | 36% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 16% | 17% |
26 measures vs. Pennsylvania
0 better25 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Reading Township | PA |
|---|---|---|
| More uninsured adults | 7% | 5.8% |
UPMC Hanover
10.3 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
49th
percentile among PA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B−
Reading Township has a moderate natural-hazard risk, chiefly from inland flooding
156 flood insurance claims have been filed here, and 16 properties have flooded more than once.
Since 1978, 156 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Reading Township. Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 55% of U.S. communities. FEMA puts 70% of the town’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding, and 10% to hurricanes.
45risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingHurricanesDrought
156
paid flood claims since 1978
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Reading Township
19pages on Reading Township
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
3 within 15 miles of the center of Reading Township
Gettysburg CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Gettysburg13.1 mi$66,640 tuitionUnited Lutheran SeminaryUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Gettysburg13.6 miMessiah UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Mechanicsburg14.5 mi$42,240 tuition
About 3 of every 100 Reading Township residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Pennsylvania.
About Reading Township
Township in Pennsylvania, US
Reading Township ( RED-ing) is a township in Adams County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 5,780 at the 2010 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 27 sq mi
Reading Township’s neighbors
10 towns share a border with Reading Township.
It grades higher overall than all 3 graded towns on its borders; Straban Township (A) comes closest.
Hamilton TownshipLatimore TownshipTyrone TownshipHuntington TownshipHamptonStraban TownshipEast BerlinLake MeadeMount Pleasant TownshipWashington TownshipReading Township
How the neighbors grade
| Town | PA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reading Township | #171 | A | B+ | A+ | B+ | B |
| Hamilton Township | #528 | B | B− | — | B+ | B− |
| Latimore Township | #493 | B+ | C | A+ | B+ | B− |
| Tyrone Township | — | — | B+ | — | B+ | B− |
| Huntington Township | — | — | B+ | — | B+ | B− |
| Hampton | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Straban Township | #247 | A | B | — | B+ | B |
| East Berlin | — | — | B | — | B+ | B− |
Tyrone Township, Huntington Township and East Berlin have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. Hamilton Township, Tyrone Township, Huntington Township, Straban Township and East Berlin report no FBI crime data of their own. Hampton isn’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Reading Township with a neighbor →
Questions about Reading Township
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Reading Township, PA a good place to live?
By most measures, yes. Reading Township grades A overall, better than 91% of U.S. towns and #171 of 1032 in Pennsylvania. It grades B for health, A+ for safety and B+ for schools. Walkability is its weak spot, with a D.
Is Reading Township, PA expensive?
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B+.