HousingPermits

Metro area in Pennsylvania · part of the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD combined area

Reading, PA

The Reading metro area authorized 582 new housing units in 2025. The housing bust cut annual permits by 82%, from 1,640 at the 2004–2006 high to 289 in 2012, the third-deepest drop among the 32 metro areas based in the Middle Atlantic states. Per 1,000 residents it authorized 1.0 units a year in 2021–2025, 22% of the national rate of 4.7.

05001,0001,5002,0002004: 1,640 units (1,493 single-family, 27 in 2–4 unit, 120 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 1,368 units (1,273 single-family, 20 in 2–4 unit, 75 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 1,173 units (1,063 single-family, 74 in 2–4 unit, 36 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 1,288 units (1,009 single-family, 36 in 2–4 unit, 243 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 659 units (614 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 39 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 400 units (372 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 28 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 415 units (350 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 65 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 306 units (267 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 35 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 289 units (253 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 24 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 500 units (344 single-family, 40 in 2–4 unit, 116 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 458 units (322 single-family, 24 in 2–4 unit, 112 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 416 units (343 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 71 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 436 units (366 single-family, 7 in 2–4 unit, 63 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 411 units (399 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 600 units (380 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 216 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 628 units (350 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 276 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 515 units (466 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 45 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 493 units (375 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 108 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 386 units (372 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 8 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 352 units (231 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 105 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 397 units (214 single-family, 18 in 2–4 unit, 165 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 582 units (335 single-family, 68 in 2–4 unit, 179 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252004 high · 1,6402012 low · 28906001,2001,8002004: 1,640 units (1,493 single-family, 27 in 2–4 unit, 120 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 1,368 units (1,273 single-family, 20 in 2–4 unit, 75 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 1,173 units (1,063 single-family, 74 in 2–4 unit, 36 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 1,288 units (1,009 single-family, 36 in 2–4 unit, 243 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 659 units (614 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 39 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 400 units (372 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 28 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 415 units (350 single-family, 0 in 2–4 unit, 65 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 306 units (267 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 35 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 289 units (253 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 24 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 500 units (344 single-family, 40 in 2–4 unit, 116 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 458 units (322 single-family, 24 in 2–4 unit, 112 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 416 units (343 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 71 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 436 units (366 single-family, 7 in 2–4 unit, 63 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 411 units (399 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 600 units (380 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 216 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 628 units (350 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 276 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 515 units (466 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 45 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 493 units (375 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 108 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 386 units (372 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 8 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 352 units (231 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 105 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 397 units (214 single-family, 18 in 2–4 unit, 165 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 582 units (335 single-family, 68 in 2–4 unit, 179 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252004 high · 1,640

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Boom, bust and since

Reading authorized the most units in 2004 (1,640); 2025 reached 36% of that. Its peak year is shared by 98 other metro areas, among them Santa Maria, Manchester, Vallejo. The 2021–2025 pace of 442 units a year is 68% below the 2004–2006 pace. From 2024 to 2025 the count rose 47%.

The wider Philadelphia-Reading-Camden region

The Census Bureau groups Reading with 4 neighboring metro areas in the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD combined area. Metro areas in it authorized 21,397 units a year in 2021–2025 (micropolitan parts not counted); Reading accounted for 2.1%. The others, with their yearly averages: Philadelphia (17,962), Atlantic City (1,532), Dover (1,299), Vineland (161).

Houses or apartments

In Reading, 69% of the units authorized in 2021–2025 were single-family houses and 26% were in buildings of five or more units, against 34% nationally. The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Albany, OR (26% in five-plus buildings). That share has risen sharply since 2004–2006, when it stood at 5.5%. Duplexes to fourplexes are unusually common here: 5.3% of units, against 3.5% nationally. Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2019 (276), single-family houses in 2004 (1,493).

2021–202569.1%69%5.3%25.6%26%2004–200691.6%92%2.9%5.5%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202569.1%69%5.3%25.6%26%2004–200691.6%92%2.9%5.5%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 59 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Lower Heidelberg township, with 191 units or 8.6% of the total, followed by Sinking Spring borough with 190. Among the three largest, Sinking Spring borough put 100% of its units in five-plus buildings, Ontelaunee township 0%.

  • Lower Heidelberg township8.6% (191 units)
  • Sinking Spring borough8.6% (190 units)
  • Ontelaunee township8.2% (182 units)
  • Muhlenberg township6.3% (140 units)
  • Exeter township5.1% (113 units)
  • Robeson township4.4% (97 units)
  • Caernarvon township4.2% (92 units)
  • Douglass township3.4% (76 units)

Share of the units authorized in the metro area, 2021–2025.

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Salem, OR1,4264.649%
Ocala, FL5,98514.89%
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA1,3712.252%
Reading, PA5821.026%
Savannah, GA5,3719.026%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Reading beside Savannah

Every yearly figure behind the chart, split by building size: yearly-units.csv. State view: Pennsylvania. Counting rules.