West Reading, Pennsylvania facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
West Reading, Pennsylvania
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Penn Avenue
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| Etymology: December | |||
Location in Berks County, Pennsylvania
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 West Reading, Pennsylvania
Location in Pennsylvania
West Reading, Pennsylvania
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States | ||
| State | Pennsylvania | ||
| County | Berks | ||
| Incorporated | March 18, 1907 | ||
| Government | |||
| • Type | Mayor–council | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 0.60 sq mi (1.55 km2) | ||
| • Land | 0.59 sq mi (1.54 km2) | ||
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.01 km2) | ||
| Elevation | 285 ft (87 m) | ||
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 4,553 | ||
| • Density | 7,664.98/sq mi (2,957.71/km2) | ||
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) | ||
| ZIP Code |
19611
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| Area code(s) | 610 and 484 | ||
| FIPS code | 42-83928 | ||
West Reading is a small town, also called a borough, in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. It's known for its busy main street, Penn Avenue, and the large Reading Hospital and Medical Center. In 2020, about 4,553 people lived there.
West Reading was once home to the VF Outlet Village. This was a very large outlet mall in the United States. It was located in old buildings that used to be the Berkshire Knitting Mills, a factory that operated from 1908 to 1975. The VF Outlet closed its doors in 2020.
Contents
History of West Reading
West Reading was first settled in 1873. It officially became a borough on March 18, 1907. The town celebrated its 100th birthday in 2007.
In 2022, something special happened: Samantha Kaag became West Reading's first ever female Mayor. She took office that year.
In 2023, a sad event occurred when seven people died in an incident at a chocolate factory.
Geography of West Reading
West Reading is a small area of land. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the borough covers about 0.6 square miles (1.55 square kilometers) of land. There is no water area within the borough's official boundaries.
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 170 | — | |
| 1910 | 2,064 | — | |
| 1920 | 2,921 | 41.5% | |
| 1930 | 4,908 | 68.0% | |
| 1940 | 4,907 | 0.0% | |
| 1950 | 5,072 | 3.4% | |
| 1960 | 4,938 | −2.6% | |
| 1970 | 4,578 | −7.3% | |
| 1980 | 4,507 | −1.6% | |
| 1990 | 4,142 | −8.1% | |
| 2000 | 4,049 | −2.2% | |
| 2010 | 4,212 | 4.0% | |
| 2020 | 4,553 | 8.1% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2000, there were 4,049 people living in West Reading. These people lived in 1,666 homes, and 862 of those were families. The town had about 7,080 people per square mile.
Most of the people in West Reading were White (89.33%). There were also African American (4.03%), Asian (1.53%), and Native American (0.22%) residents. About 7.78% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
About 23.6% of homes had children under 18 living there. Around 36% of homes were married couples. About 14.3% of homes had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average age in West Reading was 40 years old.
Economy and Jobs
The Reading Hospital and Medical Center is the biggest employer in West Reading. It's also one of the top five employers in all of Berks County. The main office for Tower Health, which owns the hospital, is located in the borough.
Famous People from West Reading
Many notable people have connections to West Reading:
- Taylor Swift (born 1989), a very famous singer-songwriter.
- John Fetterman (born 1969), a politician.
- Al Gursky (born 1940), a former professional football player for the New York Giants.
- Chad Henne (born 1985), a former professional football player for teams like the Jacksonville Jaguars and Kansas City Chiefs.
- Michael W. Kirst (born 1939), who used to be the president of the California State Board of Education.
- Andrew H. Knoll (born 1951), a natural history professor at Harvard University.
- Austin Swift (born 1992), an American actor, producer, and businessman.
Getting Around: Transportation
As of 2020, West Reading had about 12.92 miles of public roads. Most of these roads (11.08 miles) are taken care of by the borough itself. The rest (1.84 miles) are maintained by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT).
U.S. Route 422 is the main highway that goes through West Reading. It runs along the northeastern part of the borough. There's also U.S. Route 422 Business, which follows the older path of US 422 along Penn Avenue, right through the middle of town.
Images for kids
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U.S. Route 422 eastbound in West Reading
_from_the_overpass_for_Buttonwood_Street_in_West_Reading,_Berks_County,_Pennsylvania.jpg)
See also
In Spanish: West Reading (Pensilvania) para niños
