Home › Pennsylvania › Reading

Reading, Pennsylvania

Located in Berks County, Pennsylvania, Reading was founded in 1748. The Reading Railroad in Monopoly is named after the real railroad based in Reading, PA. Reading was named the poorest city of its size in 2011 by the Census Bureau.
Trending in Reading
Latest updates coming soon
2 hours ago
More local news on the way
5 hours ago
Founded 1748 | Population 95,000 | Peak 95,000 (2024) | County Berks County

Top 10 Most Important Events for Reading, Pennsylvania

undefined
1748Founded by Thomas Penn: Named for Reading, England.
undefined
1828Reading Railroad: Famous railroad immortalized in Monopoly board game.
undefined
1870Industrial Peak: Iron, steel, and textile manufacturing hub.
undefined
2011Poorest U.S. City: Census data names Reading poorest city of its size.
undefined
2023Revival Efforts: Downtown revitalization and arts scene growing.
🧠
How Well Do You Know Reading?
5 questions • 2 minutes
Take the Quiz →

Latest News in Reading

News articles will appear here as they're published.

Complete Historical Timeline

1748 Culture
Founded by Thomas Penn
1828 Transport
Reading Railroad
1870 Industry
Industrial Peak
2011 Business
Poorest U.S. City
2023 Business
Revival Efforts

Did You Know?

1
The Reading Railroad in Monopoly is named after the real railroad based in Reading, PA.
2
Reading was named the poorest city of its size in 2011 by the Census Bureau.
3
The city has a growing arts and food scene driven by its large Latino community.
4
Reading is located in Berks County, Pennsylvania.
5
Reading was founded in 1748.
See something that needs correcting?
We take accuracy seriously. Help us keep Reading's history right.