West Reading is a

borough A borough is an administrative division in various English language, English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-governing walled town, although in practice, official use of the term varies widely. History ...

in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States, located next to the city of Reading. The population was 4,553 at the 2020 census. It contains a vibrant main street (Penn Avenue) and the large Reading Hospital and Medical Center. It was also the site of the VF Outlet Village, one of the largest outlet malls in the United States. The VF Outlet Village was located in the buildings of the former Berkshire Knitting Mills, which was in operation from 1908 to 1975. The VF Outlet closed in 2020.

History

The borough was settled in 1873 and incorporated on March 18, 1907. It celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2007. In 2022, Samantha Kaag, West Reading’s first ever female Mayor, was elected and took office. In 2023, seven people were killed in the 2023 Pennsylvania chocolate factory explosion.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of , all land.

Demographics

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2000, there were 4,049 people, 1,666 households, and 862 families residing in the borough. The population density was . There were 1,783 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the borough was 89.33%

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, 4.03%

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, 0.22% Native American, 1.53% Asian, 0.02%

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, 3.41% from other races, and 1.46% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 7.78% of the population. There were 1,666 households, out of which 23.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.0% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 48.2% were non-families. 39.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.11 and the average family size was 2.84. In the borough, the population was spread out, with 18.7% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 28.8% from 25 to 44, 18.0% from 45 to 64, and 26.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 82.6 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 78.8 males. The median income for a household in the borough was $38,340, and the median income for a family was $43,472. Males had a median income of $31,592 versus $25,411 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the borough was $21,414. About 5.8% of families and 9.5% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 16.0% of those under age 18 and 3.6% of those aged 65 or over.

Economy

The Reading Hospital and Medical Center is the largest employer in the borough and one of the top five employers in Berks County. The parent company, Tower Health, has its headquarters in the borough.

Government

A council-manager form of government governs the Borough of West Reading. The council's president is Ryan Lineaweaver, and the Vice President is Phillip Wert. The five other members are as follows: Christopher Lincoln, Patrick Kaag, Jennifer Bressler, Denise Drobnick, and Zachary Shaver. Each council member is elected to four and two-year terms, which are on a rotating cycle. The Mayor of the Borough is Samantha Kaag. Her primary role is public safety, oversight of the police department, community involvement, and working hand-in-hand with the borough council. The Magisterial District Judge of West Reading (and Wyomissing) is Eric J. Taylor.

Notable people

* Austin Swift, (b. 1992), American actor, producer, and businessman *

Taylor Swift Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. Known for her autobiographical songwriting, artistic versatility, and Cultural impact of Taylor Swift, cultural impact, Swift is one of the Best selling artists, w ...

, (b. 1989), singer-songwriter * John Fetterman (b. 1969), politician * Al Gursky (b. 1940), former professional football player, New York Giants * Chad Henne, (b. 1985), former professional football player,

Jacksonville Jaguars The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. The team ...

, Kansas City Chiefs, and the Miami Dolphins * Michael W. Kirst (b. 1939), former president, California State Board of Education * Andrew H. Knoll, (b. 1951), natural history professor,

Harvard University Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...

Transportation

As of 2020, there were of public roads in West Reading, of which were maintained by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and were maintained by the borough. U.S. Route 422 is the main highway serving West Reading. It follows the West Shore Bypass along a northwest-to-southeast alignment across the northeastern portion of the borough. U.S. Route 422 Business follows the old alignment of US 422 along Penn Avenue through the center of the borough.

References

External links

Love West Reading

Borough of West Reading
{{authority control Populated places established in 1873 Boroughs in Berks County, Pennsylvania Keystone symbol