Wyomissing, Pennsylvania facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Wyomissing, Pennsylvania
Borough
Atonement Lutheran Church in Wyomissing in June 2015
Location of Wyomissing in Berks County, Pennsylvania
Wyomissing, Pennsylvania Location in Pennsylvania Show map of Pennsylvania Wyomissing, Pennsylvania Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Pennsylvania
County	Berks
Incorporated	July 2, 1907
Area
• Total	4.53 sq mi (11.73 km²)
• Land	4.51 sq mi (11.68 km²)
• Water	0.02 sq mi (0.06 km²)
Elevation	338 ft (103 m)
Population (2020)
• Total	11,114
• Estimate (2022)	11,127
• Density	2,464.85/sq mi (951.70/km²)
Time zone	UTC-5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP Code	19610
Area code(s)	610 and 484
FIPS code	42-86880

Wyomissing (say it: why-uh-MISS-ing) is a town in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. It's right next to the city of Reading. A "borough" is like a small town with its own local government.

Wyomissing became an official borough on July 2, 1906. In 2020, about 11,114 people lived here. This number grew a lot after Wyomissing joined with Wyomissing Hills in 2002. Wyomissing is now the biggest borough in Berks County.

The town is known as a Tree City USA, which means it cares about its trees. Money magazine even called it a "Contender" for one of the best places to live in Pennsylvania.

Exploring Wyomissing's Location

Penn Avenue, a main road in Wyomissing

Wyomissing is in the middle of Berks County. You can find it at these coordinates: 40.332742 degrees North and -75.964603 degrees West.

Neighboring Towns and Cities

Wyomissing shares its borders with several other places. To the northeast and southeast is the city of Reading. West Reading is directly to the east.

To the south, you'll find Shillington and Cumru Township. Spring Township is to the west and northwest. Bern Township is to the north.

Many small communities are also nearby. These include Montrose Manor, Lincoln Park, West Wyomissing, West Lawn, Whitfield, and Colony Park. Just north in Bern Township is Greenfields.

Waterways in Wyomissing

The Tulpehocken Creek and a small part of the Schuylkill River form Wyomissing's northeastern border with Reading. The Wyomissing Creek flows through the southern part of the borough. It moves from the southwest to the northeast, heading towards the Schuylkill River.

Land and Water Area

The U.S. Census Bureau says Wyomissing covers about 4.5 square miles (11.65 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with only a tiny bit (about 0.02 square miles or 0.05 square kilometers) being water.

Wyomissing Weather and Climate

The weather in Wyomissing is usually warm in summer and cold in winter. In January, the average temperature is around 30.6°F (about -0.8°C). In July, it's much warmer, averaging 75.9°F (about 24.4°C). This type of weather is called a "hot-summer humid continental climate."

Wyomissing's Past: A Brief History

The first people to live in the Wyomissing area were the Lenape Native Americans. They settled along the banks of the Wyomissing Creek. The name Wyomissing comes from the Delaware language. It means "peaceful/long fish/pike."

Most of Berks County's land was given to William Penn in 1685. One of the first businesses here was the Evans Grist Mill, which ground grain. This old building is still standing today.

How Wyomissing Grew in the 1800s

In 1896, a lumber dealer named Thomas P. Merritt bought a large piece of land, about 600 acres. He teamed up with others to create the Reading Suburban Real Estate Company.

Soon after, Wyomissing Industries was started by Thun and Janssen. This company made machines for textiles (fabrics). It was located near the Reading Railroad. Ferdinand Thun, Henry K Janssen, and Gustav Oberlaender became very important figures in the area. Their companies included Narrow Fabric Co., Textile Machine Works, and Berkshire Knitting Mills. These industries helped the area grow quickly.

By 1904 and 1905, people started talking about forming a borough government. Many residents and landowners signed petitions to make Wyomissing an official borough.

Wyomissing in the 1900s and Beyond

On July 2, 1906, Wyomissing officially became a borough. Over the next few decades, more land was added to the borough. The biggest addition happened in 1949–1950, when the area called Berkshire Heights was included. This changed the borough's map a lot.

Wyomissing changed from mostly farmland to a busy community with homes and businesses. The last farm in the borough was sold in the early 1990s. This land is now a commercial area called "Woodmill Commons."

In 2002, Wyomissing joined with its smaller neighbor, Wyomissing Hills.

Wyomissing's Economy: Business and Jobs

Wyomissing is a busy place for offices and stores. This is because it's close to Reading and has good highway access. The Berkshire Mall is in Wyomissing, along with many other shopping centers, big stores, and restaurants.

Many companies moved their offices from Reading to Wyomissing in the 1990s. Wyomissing has newer office buildings and is easy to reach from major highways like U.S. Routes 422 and 222. These highways connect Wyomissing to the rest of the Philadelphia and Berks County region.

Major Companies and Job Growth

Several large companies have their main offices in Wyomissing. These include Penn Entertainment, a big gaming company, and Boscov's, a family-owned department store chain. Carpenter Technology Corporation also has its headquarters here.

Companies like UGI and VF Corporation have important operations in the borough. Wyomissing has seen a lot of job growth, more than other parts of Southeastern Pennsylvania. Big financial companies like Merrill Lynch, Goldman Sachs, and Citibank have also set up data centers here. This is because the area is close to important fiber optic lines along the East Coast.

In 2024, Macy's opened its first store in Berks County right here in Wyomissing.

People of Wyomissing: Demographics

Wyomissing has grown steadily over the years.

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1910	985	—
1920	2,062	109.3%
1930	3,111	50.9%
1940	3,320	6.7%
1950	4,187	26.1%
1960	5,044	20.5%
1970	7,136	41.5%
1980	6,551	−8.2%
1990	7,332	11.9%
2000	8,587	17.1%
2010	10,461	21.8%
2020	11,114	6.2%
U.S. Decennial Census

In 2000, there were 8,587 people living in Wyomissing. Most residents were White (94.76%). There were also African American (1.50%), Asian (1.90%), and other groups. About 1.83% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

The average age in Wyomissing in 2000 was 46 years old. Many older adults live here, with 28.8% of the population being 65 or older. About 18.2% were under 18.

The median income for a household in 2000 was $54,681. For families, it was $78,112. This means that half of the households earned more than this amount, and half earned less.

Learning in Wyomissing: Education

Wyomissing Area Junior/Senior High School in Wyomissing

Students in Wyomissing attend schools in the Wyomissing Area School District. This district includes:

Wyomissing Hills Elementary Center (grades K–4)
West Reading Elementary Center (grades 5–6)
Wyomissing Area Junior/Senior High School (grades 7–12)

A small part of the borough, Berkshire Heights, is served by the Wilson School District.

There are also several Catholic schools nearby. These include St. Ignatius Loyola (K–8) and Sacred Heart (K–8). For high school, students can attend Berks Catholic High School (grades 9–12), which opened in 2011.

Getting Around: Transportation and Utilities

Wyomissing has a good network of roads. In 2019, there were almost 60 miles of public roads. Most of these are managed by the borough itself.

Roads and Highways

US Route 222 South at PA Route 12 and US Route 422 in Wyomissing

Wyomissing is located where two major U.S. Routes meet: Route 222 and Route 422. These highways help people travel to places like Lancaster, Allentown, Lebanon, and Pottstown.

Route 12 also starts in Wyomissing. U.S. Route 422 Business goes through the center of town on Penn Avenue. Other important local roads include Park Road and Paper Mill Road.

Public Transportation

The Berks Area Regional Transportation Authority (BARTA) provides bus service in Wyomissing. Several bus routes connect the borough's homes and businesses to the BARTA Transportation Center in Reading and other areas in Berks County.

Railways

Norfolk Southern Railway (NS) runs freight trains through Wyomissing. The town is home to the Wyomissing Junction, where two important railway lines meet. There have been discussions about bringing passenger train service back to Reading and Wyomissing in the future.

Home Services: Utilities

Most homes in Wyomissing get their electricity from PPL Corporation. Some parts, like Berkshire Heights, get electricity from Met-Ed. Natural gas is provided by UGI Utilities.

The borough's Public Works Department provides water service to most of Wyomissing. They buy water from the Western Berks Water Authority. Wyomissing Hills gets its water from Pennsylvania American Water. The borough also handles sewer services, trash, and recycling for residents.

Famous People from Wyomissing

Many talented people have lived in Wyomissing, including:

Alex Anzalone (born 1994), a professional football player for the Detroit Lions
Douglas Carter Beane, a playwright
Randy Cohen, a former newspaper columnist
Kerry Collins (born 1972), a former professional football player
Megan Gallagher (born 1960), an actress
Jon Gosselin (born 1977), a reality television star
Chad Henne (born 1985), a professional football player
Matt Lytle (born 1975), a former professional football player
Craig MacGregor (1949–2018), a rock music bassist for the band Foghat
Jillian Murray, an actress
Der Scutt (1934–2010), an architect
Taylor Swift (born 1989), a famous singer-songwriter and winner of many Grammy Awards
Ross Tucker (born 1979), a professional football player