19602 ZIP Code — Reading, PA

Berks County, Pennsylvania

ZIP code 19602 is located in Reading, Pennsylvania, within Berks County. It covers approximately 2.04 square miles and serves a population of 17,953 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Eastern (ET) timezone, served by area code 484/610.

About ZIP code 19602

The housing stock consists of a mix of housing types. Most homes were built in the pre-1940, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $61,700. Renters make up the majority at 71%, typical of denser urban areas.

Median household income is $37,615. Poverty affects 36% of residents, above the national average. SNAP benefit usage at 51% of households reflects economic stress in the area. 32% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.

The dominant occupation class is production, transportation, and material moving, with manufacturing as the leading industry. The average commute of 27 minutes is near the national average.

College attainment at 11% is below the national average, consistent with a trades and production-oriented local economy.

Health indicators show elevated rates of obesity (47%), diabetes (17%), smoking (26%) compared to national benchmarks.

Notable community characteristics include Spanish spoken in 27% of households.

Overall, ZIP code 19602 reflects a community defined by a trades-oriented workforce, economic challenges above the national average, a significant Social Security-dependent population, and elevated reliance on food assistance.

17,953

population

2.04

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Eastern (ET)

timezone

19602 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 19602

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 19602. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Reading	Acceptable
Reading	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

19611 Reading (1.2 mi) 19604 Reading (2.5 mi) 19601 Reading (2.7 mi) 19610 Reading (3.3 mi) 19607 Reading (3.4 mi) 19606 Reading (3.6 mi) 19609 Reading (4.2 mi) 19560 Temple (5.6 mi) 19605 Reading (5.9 mi) 19608 Reading (6.2 mi) 19540 Mohnton (6.6 mi) 19508 Birdsboro (6.9 mi)

Demographics updated 06/2026

Population
Total population	17,953
Population density	8,800 / sq mi
State FIPS	42
County FIPS	011

Geography
Land area	2.04 sq mi
Water area	0.08 sq mi
Latitude	40.3245
Longitude	-75.9170
Timezone	Eastern (ET)
Area code	484/610

Total population by age

Gender

Race & ethnicity

Economics updated 06/2026

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	65.8%	37.5%	39.8%
$50k – $100k	28.2%	32.2%	30.8%
$100k – $200k	5.9%	24.6%	22.4%
Over $200k	0.1%	5.7%	7.1%

Demographics & statistics

17,953

Population

8,800

People per sq mi

32.9

Median age

$37,615

Median household income

$18,724

Per capita income

$61,700

Median home value

$915

Median monthly rent

29.4%

Home ownership

35.9%

Poverty rate

13.7%

Unemployment

2,997

Housing units

11.1%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

776

Under 5

743

651

5–9

622

716

10–14

686

714

15–19

683

795

20–24

760

1,198

25–34

1,146

1,157

35–44

1,108

1,187

45–54

1,136

413

55–59

396

584

60–64

559

646

65–74

619

267

75–84

255

85+

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	5,116	28.5%
18 and over	12,837	71.5%
65 and over	1,923	10.7%
Median age	32.9 years

Race & ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino 32.3%

White 25.2%

Two or more races 18.7%

Other race 16.6%

Black or African American 6.2%

Asian 0.6%

American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%

Group	Count	%
Hispanic or Latino	8,565	32.3%
White	6,683	25.2%
Two or more races	4,966	18.7%
Other race	4,409	16.6%
Black or African American	1,631	6.2%
Asian	146	0.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native	118	0.4%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	65.8%	37.5%	39.8%
$50k – $100k	28.2%	32.2%	30.8%
$100k – $200k	5.9%	24.6%	22.4%
Over $200k	0.1%	5.7%	7.1%

Under $10k 10.8%

$10k–$15k 13.8%

$15k–$25k 15.6%

$25k–$35k 8.6%

$35k–$50k 14.8%

$50k–$75k 16.3%

$75k–$100k 10.7%

$100k–$150k 7.6%

$150k–$200k 1.4%

$200k+ 0.4%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	10.8%
$10k–$15k	13.8%
$15k–$25k	15.6%
$25k–$35k	8.6%
$35k–$50k	14.8%
$50k–$75k	16.3%
$75k–$100k	10.7%
$100k–$150k	7.6%
$150k–$200k	1.4%
$200k+	0.4%
Median income	$37,615

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 38.9%

$50k–$100k 36.8%

$100k–$150k 11.8%

$150k–$200k 6.2%

$200k–$300k 5.5%

$300k–$500k 0.2%

$500k–$1M 0.7%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$61,700
Median rent / month	$915
Owner occupied	29.4%
Renter occupied	70.6%
Vacant	13.0%
Single-family detached	7.1%
Large apartment buildings	13.2%
Mobile homes	0.1%
Median rooms	5.2
Avg household size (owned)	2.99

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.3%
2010–2019	0.7%
2000–2009	0.4%
1990–1999	3.7%
1980–1989	2.6%
1970–1979	13.2%
1960–1969	7.9%
1950–1959	7.6%
1940–1949	8.2%
1939 or earlier	55.5%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	8.9%
1 bedroom	22.6%
2 bedrooms	21.9%
3 bedrooms	27.1%
4 bedrooms	11.2%
5+ bedrooms	8.2%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	31.5%
1 vehicle	43.2%
2 vehicles	19.9%
3 or more	5.5%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	45.3%
Electricity	36.2%
Propane / LP gas	1.0%
Fuel oil	16.6%
No fuel used	0.2%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	1,437	21.3%
Cohabiting couple	850	12.6%
Male householder, no spouse	1,872	27.7%
Female householder, no spouse	2,591	38.4%
Households with children under 18	2,453	36.3%
Households with seniors (65+)	1,706	25.3%
Average household size	2.64

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	56.9%	45.1%
Married	24.8%	25.0%
Separated	4.3%	5.7%
Widowed	1.5%	5.5%
Divorced	12.6%	18.7%

Education

Less than 9th grade 11.4%

Some HS, no diploma 17.6%

HS graduate 42.2%

Some college, no degree 12.6%

Associate's degree 5.0%

Bachelor's degree 8.1%

Graduate / professional 3.1%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	71.0%
Bachelor's or higher	11.1%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	267	5.9%
Kindergarten	380	8.4%
Elementary school	1,812	39.9%
High school	1,465	32.2%
College / grad school	623	13.7%

Employment

Industry of employment

Manufacturing 25.4%

Education & healthcare 23.6%

Retail trade 11.2%

Arts, food & hospitality 7.9%

Professional & management 7.5%

Transportation & utilities 6.0%

Other services 3.8%

Finance & real estate 3.7%

Construction 3.5%

Public administration 2.8%

Agriculture & mining 2.6%

Wholesale trade 1.9%

Information 0.1%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	14.7%
Service	24.5%
Sales & office	19.4%
Natural resources & construction	6.6%
Production & transportation	34.8%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	87.6%
Government	8.1%
Self-employed	3.2%
Unpaid family workers	1.1%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	61.9%
Carpool	15.3%
Public transit	9.7%
Walk	5.2%
Work from home	2.7%
Other means	5.2%
Avg commute (minutes)	26.6

Poverty

All people 35.9%

Under 18 years 46.1%

18 and over 31.9%

Married-couple families 21.5%

Female-led households 45.3%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	31.6%
Retirement income	13.7%
Supplemental Security	16.5%
Cash public assistance	12.2%
Food stamps / SNAP	50.6%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	47.3%
High blood pressure	34.6%
High cholesterol	30.9%
Diabetes	16.5%
Heart disease	7.7%
Stroke	4.3%
Asthma	11.6%
Arthritis	26.4%
Kidney disease	4.0%
Pulmonary disease	9.7%
Cancer	4.8%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	26.1%
Binge drinking	16.5%
No physical activity	40.8%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	39.8%
Depression	22.5%
Fair or poor health	28.9%
Poor mental health	19.1%
Poor physical health	16.7%
No health insurance	28.2%
Visited doctor (checkup)	76.0%
Visited dentist	46.3%
Cholesterol screening	82.8%
Teeth loss	29.4%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	547	4.3%

Disability	%
Any disability	21.2%
Under 18	12.0%
18–64 years	20.7%
65 and over	48.4%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	32.0%
Public insurance	63.8%
No insurance	10.3%
Uninsured under 19	1.9%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	16,434	91.5%
Spanish	4,382	26.7%
Other Indo-European	4,221	25.7%
Asian & Pacific Islander	65	0.4%
Other languages	96	0.6%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	15,179	84.5%
Born in same state	11,703	65.2%
Born in different state	8,258	46.0%
Foreign born	3,476	19.4%
Naturalized citizen	2,774	15.5%
Not a US citizen	859	31.0%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
Italian	823	4.6%
Arab	562	3.1%
French	362	2%

Ancestry	Count	%
English	61	0.3%
Irish	26	0.1%
Norwegian	25	0.1%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	37.6%
Internet access	88.1%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 estimates.

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 19602

What city is ZIP code 19602 in?

ZIP code 19602 is primarily assigned to Reading, Pennsylvania.

What county is ZIP code 19602 in?

ZIP code 19602 falls within Berks County, Pennsylvania.

What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 19602?

36% of residents in ZIP code 19602 live below the poverty line, above the national average.

Is ZIP code 19602 mostly rentals?

71% of occupied units in ZIP code 19602 are renter-occupied.

Is Spanish widely spoken in ZIP code 19602?

Approximately 27% of households in ZIP code 19602 speak Spanish as a primary language.

How educated is the population of ZIP code 19602?

11% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher — below the national average of ~33%, consistent with a trades-oriented local economy.

What timezone is ZIP code 19602 in?

ZIP code 19602 observes the EST timezone.