Reading becomes milder in the autumn, as the heat and humidity of summer relent to lower humidity and temperatures. Cycle Of Poverty Hard To Break In Poorest U.S. City : NPR At the same time, its no consolation that the city spent several years as one of the 10 poorest cities in the country. Reading, Pa., Knew It Was Poor. Now It Knows Just How Poor. The town ranks as having the 5th lowest median household income and the 11th highest incidence of poverty in the state. You might hear carolers singing classic tunes softly through the streets. Population: 33,982Rank Last Year: 7 (Down 1)Median Income: $32,403 (13th lowest)Unemployment Rate: 12.1% (9th highest)Poverty Rate: 31.4% (10th highest)More on Chester: Data|Photos. The surrounding county is home to a number of family-owned farms. Reading ranked 2nd in poorest American cities, Smallville actor released from prison for role in sex-trafficking case tied to cult-like group, Rosie ODonnell insists old friend Madonna is good at home despite reports Queen of Pop is still suffering, Robert De Niros daughter says her late son was beautiful angel in latest poignant photo tribute, Newly-single Billie Eilish is after a kiss at Paris Fashion Week, Robert De Niros daughter heart hurts like she never knew possible after death of her son, Stormcenter - School / Business Application. Michael Leifer and his family's landmark in Reading Jimmie Kramer's The Peanut Bar have lasted a century even as Reading has become the nation's 10th-poorest city. The city of 19,569 people averages the lowest median household income in Pennsylvania and the 4th highest poverty rate. Reading, PA: A City Lost in Violence | stephanab For the past five years, it has been me paying the bills, she said at the day care center, still in her waitress uniform. Established through the donation of land by Reading attorney and philanthropist Charles Evans and a subsequent financial endowment upon his death in 1847, which provided for future improvements to the grounds,[21] the cemetery became a primary gathering point for annual Memorial Day activities from the late 19th through the late 20th centuries due to the presence of the Grand Army of the Republic monument, which was dedicated there in 1887. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2006.[72]. On display are period wartime aircraft (many of which fly throughout the show) vehicles, and weapons. The first killing frost generally occurs in late October. Without a bachelors degree, forget it, said Ms. Williams, 28, who is taking classes to earn her G.E.D.. Only about 63 percent of Readings residents have a high school diploma, compared with more than 85 percent nationally. That is, the number of people living below a federally established level of income for a household of a certain size. After we collected the data for all 187 places with more than 5,000 people in Pennsylvania, we ranked each place from 1 to 187 for each of the criteria, with 1 being the poorest. To Pa.'s poorest city, and its Peanut Bar, a 'shot through the heart Indiana places as the seventh poorest city in Pennsylvania. [15] The Pennsylvanian German dialect was spoken in the area well into the 1950s. 32. From the top of the tower is a 60-mile panoramic view. An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. On October 31, 2005, Penske Racing announced after the 2006 IRL season, they would consolidate IRL and NASCAR operations at the team's Mooresville, North Carolina facility; with the flooding in Pennsylvania in 2006, the team's operations were moved to Mooresville earlier than expected. A Secret Santa went to Reading, Pennsylvania, reportedly because it was the poorest city in America. However, an extremely low cost of living prevents a good number of folks from living in poverty as the poverty rate only ranks as the 6th highest in Pennsylvania. Reading, Pa. had a 41.3 percent poverty rate in 2011, which made it the single poorest U.S. city at the time. But the past few years delivered more closings and layoffs, sending the citys poverty rate up to 41.3 percent. You've heard this story before. Reading might not be the poorest city in the country, but it still has a long way to go. Chasing Chains, LLC. [68] The 5th Avenue candy bar and York Peppermint Pattie were invented in Reading.[15]. It is the root. Jon Scott, president of the Berks Economic Partnership, which helps businesses looking to stay in the area or move here, said that some of the citys job losses were in fact furloughs, and that many businesses were considering opening in Reading, including an industrial laundry company at the former Dana site. Reading experienced continuous growth until the 1930s, when its population reached nearly 120,000. The Reading School District provides elementary and middle schools for the city's children. However, we don't think that one statistic wholly encompasses what it means to be one of the "poorest places". We have a growing population of younger, less educated, less skilled people. Because the former cover a longer time frame, the sample size is larger and thus considered more accurate. Reading's City Park is home to several monuments and works of public art, including the Frederick Lauer Monument. Modesto Fiume, president of Opportunity House, the organization that runs the day care center, as well as a homeless shelter and a transitional living facility, said the number of first-time families in the shelter was up sharply: of 23 new entries in June and July, 18 were homeless for the first time. According to the US Census Bureau, 32.9% of all residents live below the poverty level, including 45.7% of those under 18. READING, Pa. The exhausted mothers who come to the Second Street Learning Center here a day care provider for mostly low-income families speak of low wages, hard jobs and an economy gone bad. Minster Street - 58. The Reading Area Water Authority was established on May 20, 1994, to take over the water system in the city. The naturalist Spencer Fullerton Baird was born in Reading in 1823. Because they are having trouble competing for jobs, they are dropping out of the labor force, leaving women to support the children. First, some background: In 2011, the Times wrote a story about poverty in Reading, citing U.S. Census Bureau statistics showing it had a poverty rate higher than any other city with a population of 65,000 or more in the U.S. With a poverty rate of 30.6%, Reading is the poorest city in Pennsylvania. On average, there are 27 days per year where the temperature exceeds 90F (32C). Interstate 176 heads south from US 422 near Reading and leads to the Pennsylvania Turnpike (Interstate 76) in Morgantown. It is currently the home of a caf and a gift shop. Students from Reading High School can apply to become a part of the exchange and travel to Reutlingen for two weeks (mid-September to early October) and in return host German exchange students in the spring. Population: 5,919Rank Last Year: 15 (Up 6)Median Income: $26,259 (2nd lowest)Unemployment Rate: 9.2% (20th highest)Poverty Rate: 31.3% (12th highest)More on Mckees Rocks: Data|Photos. Is Reading PA the poorest city in America? - Sage-Answer School Funding Inequity Forces Poor Cities Like Reading, Pa., To Take According to Mr. Beveridge, employment in the city dropped by about 10 percent between 2000 and 2010. Reading, the 'poorest city in the country,' is finally improving again The poverty rate is 32.72394241314138% and ranks near the bottom of places in the state. While some argue that more jobs are needed, others in Reading said people need to have a drive to work hard. [35][41] The Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad operates the Reading Division line from an interchange with the Norfolk Southern Railway in Reading north to Port Clinton and Packerton. So we set our sites on bringing attention to the places in Pennsylvania that could use a helping hand. PA 12 begins at US 422/US 222 in Wyomissing and heads northeast on the Warren Street Bypass before becoming Pricetown Road and leading northeast to Pricetown. Due to the collapse of its railroad system and the decline of industrialism, Reading fell into a downward spiral in 1971. Because of the recession, school districts across the country have struggled to make ends meet. Waiting outside a United Methodist Church for food and shelter in Reading, Pa. Jessica Kourkounis for The New York Times. [13] Reading's poverty rate in the five-year American Community Survey, published in 2018, showed that 35.4% of the city's residents were below the poverty line, or less "than the infamous 41.3% from 2011, when Reading was declared the poorest small city in the nation."[14]. Press reports have indicated that in 2012, about eight percent of Reading's residents have a college degree, compared to a national average of 28%.[65]. Poverty Rate: 30.6%. The count includes only cities with populations of 65,000 or more, and has a margin of error that makes it difficult to declare a winner or, perhaps more to the point, a loser. Population: 88,232Rank Last Year: 3 (No Change)Median Income: $32,176 (10th lowest)Unemployment Rate: 12.9% (4th highest)Poverty Rate: 32.7% (7th highest)More on Reading: Data|Photos. ThefotosoloNo1/Shutterstock.com You can read about the poorest cities in the US in 2017 in one of our previous articles - 25 Poorest Cities in America in 2017 . Crime had increased, and education rates had been incredibly low. For more Pennsylvania reading, check out: Population: 19,569Rank Last Year: 1 (No Change)Median Income: $24,561 (lowest)Unemployment Rate: 13.9% (2nd highest)Poverty Rate: 38.4% (4th highest)More on Johnstown: Data|Photos. The team most recently played in the first PDL Championship in team history in 2018. Notable alumni include multiple players with United States men's national soccer team experience, including Matt Hedges, Alex Bono, CJ Sapong, Ben Sweat, and Keegan Rosenberry. Reading's concentrated poverty rate is the highest in Pennsylvania The city has recovered, but thats largely because the economy as a whole has improved since 2010. Population: 13,346Rank Last Year: 4 (Down 3)Median Income: $30,647 (7th lowest)Unemployment Rate: 10.0% (17th highest)Poverty Rate: 39.3% (2nd highest)More on Indiana: Data|Photos. [11], According to 2010 U.S. census data, Reading had the highest share of citizens living in poverty in the nation among cities with populations exceeding 65,000. [18] The Reading Brewing Company was also established around this same time, and was officially chartered in 1886. At the time, jobs were plentiful, but now work is scarce and low-income families lives have become hectic balancing acts to keep the few benefits they have. [71], GoggleWorks Center for the Arts is a community art and cultural resource center located in Reading, Pennsylvania. For those without a high school diploma, the rate was 40 percent. If youre lucky, youll be walking in light snow that crunches under your feet as you take in the hustle of Readings own miniature Christmas village. [36] Transport Azumah provides bus service from the InterCity Bus Terminal to New York City. Just two years ago, Reading earned the dubious title of poorest city in the U.S. Lenape people, also known as Delaware Indians, inhabited the Reading area prior to European settlement of the region in the 17th century. Chapter 1:Detroit was once the richest city in America, what - Medium When you click through real estate links on our site, we earn an affiliate commission. Sept. 28, 2011. [citation needed] Department staffing is only two firefighters per apparatus.[64]. If you do not have money, you are in trouble and we do not have money up here anymore. Required fields are marked *. Melissa Block speaks with Reading, Pa., Mayor Thomas McMahon about the recent U.S. Census Poverty Report that ranks Reading as the city with the highest rate of residents living in poverty . Taking its name from Reading, Berkshire, England, the town was established in 1748. Hessian prisoners from the Battle of Trenton were also detained here. Reading, Pa., Knew It Was Poor. [40], Freight rail service in Reading is provided by the Norfolk Southern Railway, the Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad, and the East Penn Railroad. Since then, there have been repeated calls for the resumption of the services. But that changed after the visit. Like we said earlier, when we set out to identify the poorest places in Pennsylvania, we weren't sure what we'd encounter, but it ended up being some of the best places to live in Pennsylvania. The Colony of Pennsylvania was a 1680 land grant from King Charles II of England to William Penn. People had to get by, but it still managed to work out. The Astor, Embassy, Loew's Colonial, and Rajah Shrine Theater were grand monuments of architecture and entertainment. Editors Note: This article is an opinion based on facts and is meant as infotainment. Her case attracted tremendous sympathy; 20,000 viewers came to view her hanging, swamping the 3,000 inhabitants. [33], As of 2013, there were 157.48 miles (253.44km) of public roads in Reading, of which 25.33 miles (40.76km) were maintained by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and 132.15 miles (212.67km) were maintained by the city. There has been more crime, but that doesnt make Reading a bad city. Brand New App to watch all of WFMZ-TV News and Syndicated Programing 24/7 on your Streaming App enabled TV. The Philadelphia and Reading Railroad (P&R) was incorporated in 1833. What you may not know is that just eight minutes away lies Penn Street in center-city Reading, which holds a 260-year-long history of successes, struggles, riches, and rags. Sixty-two percent of young fathers in the United States earned less than $20,000 in 2002, according to Timothy Smeeding, a professor at the University of Wisconsin, citing the most recent data available from the National Survey of Family Growth. Passenger trains ran between Pottsville, Reading, Pottstown, and Philadelphia along the Pottsville Line until July 27, 1981, when transit operator SEPTA curtailed commuter service to electrified lines. . The mechanical ice cream scoop was invented in Reading by William Clewell in 1876. U.S. Route 222 bypasses the city to the west, leading southwest to Lancaster and northeast to Allentown. During the Long Depression following the Panic of 1873, a statewide railroad strike in 1877 over delayed wages led to a violent protest and clash with the National Guard in which six Reading men were killed. Forgive me for being a little. As of the American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates, Reading had a population of 80,997. Ashley Kelleher supports her family on the $900 a month she earns as a waitress at an International House of Pancakes. Reading is part of the Delaware Valley, also known as the Philadelphia metropolitan area, a region that also includes Philadelphia, Upper Darby, Camden, Atlantic City, Wilmington, and other Philadelphia-area cities and counties. 10 Poorest Cities in Every State in the US - Insider Monkey Only 44 percent of Hispanics had a high school diploma. When you click through real estate links on our site, we earn an affiliate commission. According to the facts, Johnstown is the poorest place in Pennsylvania for 2021. Comprising more than 45,000 square miles (120,000 km2), it was named for his father, Sir William Penn. U.S. Route 422, the major eastwest artery, circles the western edge of the city and is known locally as The West Shore Bypass. The Reading Glove and Mitten Manufacturing Company founded in 1899, just outside Reading city limits, in West Reading and Wyomissing boroughs changed its name to Vanity Fair in 1911 and is now the major clothing manufacturer VF Corp. My City Photos What's the poorst city in Pennsylvania? The City of Reading, located in southeastern Pennsylvania, is the principal city of the Greater Reading Area and the county seat for Berks County. The City of Reading and Reutlingen, Germany are sister cities which participate in student exchanges. Their budgets have been ravaged, their arts classes shot, and, in some cases, their school buses consolidated. Johnstown, unfortunately, ranks as the poorest place in Pennsylvania thanks to combination of low pay and and a lack of jobs. Reading is the birthplace of graphic artist Jim Steranko, guitar virtuoso Richie Kotzen, novelist and poet John Updike, and poet Wallace Stevens. Last year, it appeared that the city might be turning things around, but new poverty statistics for this year show that Reading is once again heading in the wrong direction. The city had a population of 95,112 at the 2020 census and is the fourth-largest city in Pennsylvania after Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Allentown. Again, this isn't a commentary on the people that live there or the vibrant culture and traditions of these places. In 2010, the Census Bureau also released three-year surveys in addition to the one-year surveys. Im almost finished talking about numbers. According to Becker, culture and community had been the core values of Reading. Lower education generally means higher poverty. Reading, Pennsylvania: Poorest U.S. City Loses Pre - HuffPost This city has had a large influx of Hispanics over the past decade. Artist Keith Haring[67] was born in Reading. Marching band composer and writer John Philip Sousa, the March King, died in Reading's Abraham Lincoln Hotel in 1932. Built in 1939 for fire department and forestry observation, the tower is 120 feet tall, and rises 950 feet above the intersection of fifth and Penn Streets. With the help of friends Jerry Orr and Costa Mantis, Adlestein created the Reading Documentary Project. In 2011, 41.6% of its residents were living below the poverty line, after which, Reading came to be . We need jobs. Spring temperatures vary widely between freezing temperatures and the 80s or even 90s (around 30C) later in spring. This is our seventh time ranking the poorest places in Pennsylvania. [50][51] Natural gas service in the city is provided by UGI Utilities. Homeless retirees, Fight for Bidens student loan forgiveness plan isnt over, says Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. The 10 Richest Cities In Pennsylvania For 2023 - HomeSnacks Using 2016 Census data - the most recent data available - PennLive compiled a list of the 35 communities with the highest percentage of its residents living in poverty. In 1748, William Penns sons, Thomas and Richard Penn, founded the city of Reading and chose its name after their fathers county seat in Berkshire, England. Pennsylvania's poorest city may be on the brink of losing its newspaper. But Readings margin of error was 4.9%, meaning the poverty rate could have been as high as 46.2% or as low as 36.4%. Penske Truck Leasing is still based in Reading. Reading, PA: Can you believe THIS is the poorest city in America? You will see little restaurants and one-of-a-kind stores filled with happy people itching to finish their Christmas shopping. Adlestein explained, Reading had been going through major changes. Reading: America's Poorest City - PoliticsPA Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. A parent thinks so. 56.3% were Hispanic or Latino of any race, with 33.5% being of Puerto Rican descent. Ms. Kelleher, 23, said she had been supporting her three children as well as the father of two of them. Visiting the sixth poorest city in the USReading, PA The region was settled by emigrants from southern and western Germany, who bought land from the Penns. By Clare Malone Filed under 2016 Election Published Oct. 17, 2016 READING, Pa. By 2044, the U.S. will be a majority minority nation. The city had been limping for most of the past decade, since the plants that sustained it including Lucent Technologies and the Dana Corporation, a car parts manufacturer withered. But policies to address Readings poverty havent been put in place. Males had a median income of $28,114 versus $21,993 for females. You can download the data here. McKeesport ranks as the fourth poorest place in Pennsylvania. They even want a degree to be a secretary, said Ms. Santiago, picking up her 8-year-old son at the center. Earning more than $10 an hour means losing health insurance, she said, though her children remain covered through Medicaid. Raised in Reading, he previously worked at the Easton Express-Times and the Ballard News-Tribune in Seattle. [70] Locally, it is called the "Pagoda". Feel free to check out the best places in Pennsylvania or the most dangerous. The first Amish community in the New World was established in Greater Reading, Berks County. Reading played host to a stop on the PGA Tour, the Reading Open, in the late 1940s and early 1950s. They moved from New York and other large cities, drawn by cheaper rent and the promise of a better life. "I like my job, but I feel bad for other people that cannot afford to pay the rent. In 2013 the theatre and arena were rebranded as the Santander Performing Arts Center and Santander Arena respectively after Santander Bank purchased Sovereign. People seem to have a fear of Reading these days. According to the story, Reading beat out cities like Camden, N.J.; Flint, Mich.; and Brownsville, Texas, for the distinction of poorest city in the nation. Extended periods of heat and high humidity occur. Beginning in 1990, the museum has hosted "World War II Weekend Air Show", scheduled to coincide with D-Day. Reading ranked 2nd in poorest American cities - WFMZ Located in the former Willson Goggle Factory building, GoggleWorks Center for the Arts features eight teaching studios in ceramics, hot and warm glass, metalsmithing, photography, printmaking, woodworking and virtual reality; 35 juried artist studios; and headquarters of over 40 cultural organizations. How Reading, One of the Poorest Cities in the Country, Hopes to Make The average January high is 38.6F (3.7C); the average January low is 23.0F (5.0C), but it is quite common for winter temperatures to undergo much variance from the averages. Poorest Cities In Pennsylvania For 2021 - RoadSnacks holds Independence Day parade, Tractor-trailer driver cited in crash that closed Route 22 for hours, left trash and debris across highway, Bethlehem Twp. [58], As of the 2020 United States census, Reading had a population of 95,112. [61], As of the census of 2000, there were 30,113 households, out of which 33.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.4% were married couples living together, 20.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.8% were non-families. Gone are the days when families in the Rust Belt could count on a manufacturing job out of high school.