West Reading, Pennsylvania
West Reading is a borough of 4,562 people in Berks County, Pennsylvania, founded in March 18, 1907.
Why visit West Reading
Townapedia lists 42 museums and landmarks, 23 parks and trails, 49 places to eat, 7 places to stay and 8 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Lindbergh Viaduct, Reading Movies 11 and IMAX, Reading Public Museum and Astor Theatre.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 86°F; January lows average 23°F.
Weather in West Reading
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About West Reading
West Reading is a borough 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.
From the Wikipedia article West Reading, Pennsylvania (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do8
Lindbergh Viaduct
Bridge · National Register of Historic Places · 2.5 mi
Bridge in Reading, Pennsylvania, United States of America
Alvernia University
School · 1.8 mi
Catholic university in Reading, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Museums and landmarks42
Reading Public Museum
Museum · 0.5 mi
Museum in West Reading, Pennsylvania
500 Museum Road, Reading
Mo-Su 11:00-17:00
Astor Theatre
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.2 mi
Former movie theater in Reading, Pennsylvania, United States
Charles S. Foos Elementary School
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.1 mi
School building in Reading, Pennsylvania, United States of America
City Hall
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.4 mi
Seat of government in Reading, Pennsylvania, United States
GoggleWorks
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
Non-profit organization in the USA
Grimshaw Silk Mill
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.1 mi
Historic Factory
Hampden Firehouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.8 mi
Historic fire station located at Reading, Berks County, Pennsylvania
Hotel Abraham Lincoln
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.0 mi
Historic building in Reading, Pennsylvania, United States
John Updike Childhood Home
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.4 mi
Childhood home of American novelist and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner John Updike
Keystone Hook and Ladder Company
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
Historic fire station located at Reading, Pennsylvania
Liberty Fire Company No. 5
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.1 mi
Fire station in Pennsylvania, United States of America
_at_Fifth_Avenue_in_West_Reading,_Berks_County,_Pennsylvania.jpg){kind=link}
_from_the_overpass_for_the_rail_line_between_South_Second_Avenue_and_U.S._Route_422_(West_Shore_Bypass)_in_West_Reading,_Berks_County,_Pennsylvania.jpg){kind=link}
_from_the_overpass_for_the_rail_line_between_South_Second_Avenue_and_U.S._Route_422_(West_Shore_Bypass)_in_West_Reading,_Berks_County,_Pennsylvania.jpg){kind=link}
Livingood House-Stryker Hospital
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.0 mi
Single-family detached home in Pennsylvania, United States of America
30 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds23
11 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes49
B2 Bistro + Bar
Restaurant · American, Mediterranean · 0.4 mi
Cafe hours: Mo-Fr 07:00-14:00; Sa-Su 07:00-15:00
701 Reading Avenue
Mo-Th 11:00-22:00; Fr 11:00-23:00; Sa 10:00-23:00; Su 09:00-21:00
Beneficial Society Victor Emmanuel II
Restaurant · 1.5 mi
Members only
311 Hazel Street, Reading
Mo,Th-Fr 16:30-21:00; Tu-We off; Sa 15:30-21:00; Su 11:30-21:00
Café de Colombia Restaurant and Bakery
Restaurant · Spanish, Cafe · 1.2 mi
645 Penn Street, Reading
Tu-Sa 08:00-19:00; Su 09:00-16:00; Mo off
Carlos Pizza
Restaurant · Italian · 0.9 mi
1147 Penn Avenue, Reading
Mo off; Tu-Th 10:30-21:30; Fr-Sa 10:30-22:00; Su 12:00-21:00
Chen's Vegetarian House
Restaurant · Chinese
709 Penn Avenue, West Reading
Mo off; Tu-Sa 11:00-19:30; Su 12:00-19:00
G.N.A. Ristorante
Restaurant · Italian, Pizza
421 Penn Avenue, Reading
Mo off; Tu-Th 10:00-21:00; Fr-Sa 10:00-22:00; Su 11:00-21:00
Judy's on Cherry
Restaurant · Pasta, Salad, Dessert, Seafood, French, Italian · 0.9 mi
30 South 4th Street
Mo-Tu,Su off; We-Sa 17:00-21:00
Kimberton Cafe'
Cafe · Coffee Shop, Juice · 0.5 mi
810 Knitting Mills Way, Wyomissing
Mo-Sa 08:00-18:00; Su 08:00-15:00
LongHorn Steakhouse
Restaurant · Steak House · 1.5 mi
1085 Woodland Road, Reading
Mo-Th,Su 11:00-22:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-23:00
Mimmo's
Restaurant · Italian · 1.4 mi
290 Morgantown Road, Reading
Mo off; Tu-Th,Su 11:00-21:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-22:00
Mom Chaffe's Cellarette
Restaurant · Italian
148 Tulpehocken Avenue, West Reading
Mo-Th 17:00-20:30; Fr 16:30-21:00; Sa 16:30-21:30; Su off
Nonno Alby’s Wood Oven Pizza
Restaurant · Italian, Pizza
701 Penn Avenue, West Reading
Tu-Th 11:00-21:00; Sa-Su 11:00-21:30; Mo closed
37 more on the map.
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.
From the History section of West Reading, Pennsylvania on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay7
Churches and places of worship50
Trinity Lutheran Church
Church · Lutheran · National Register of Historic Places · 1.1 mi
527 Washington Street, Reading
Bethel A.M.E. Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 1.5 mi
Nativity of Blessed Virgin Mary Ukrainian Catholic Church
Church · Ukrainian Greek Catholic · 1.4 mi
504 Summit Avenue, Reading
Shopping11
Gas and EV charging9
Schools, colleges and libraries61
Berks Catholic High School
School · 0.7 mi
955 East Wyomissing Boulevard, Reading
Healthcare5
Tower Health Medical Group Obstetrics & Gynecology - Wyomissing Reed Ave
Clinic and pharmacy · 0.9 mi
1040 Reed Ave, Reading
Map of West Reading
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 39°F | 23°F | 3.0 in |
| Feb | 42°F | 24°F | 2.6 in |
| Mar | 51°F | 32°F | 3.5 in |
| Apr | 63°F | 42°F | 3.4 in |
| May | 74°F | 52°F | 3.5 in |
| Jun | 82°F | 61°F | 4.8 in |
| Jul | 86°F | 66°F | 4.8 in |
| Aug | 84°F | 64°F | 4.5 in |
| Sep | 77°F | 57°F | 4.9 in |
| Oct | 65°F | 45°F | 3.8 in |
| Nov | 54°F | 35°F | 3.0 in |
| Dec | 43°F | 28°F | 3.5 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Reading Spaatz Fld (2 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Berks County has had 13 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2020-03-30: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2016-03-23: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm (Snowstorm)
- 2012-10-29: Hurricane Sandy (Hurricane)
- 2011-09-12: Tropical Storm Lee (Flood)
- 2011-09-08: Remnants Of Tropical Storm Lee (Flood)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Reading Municipal Airport (RDG) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 3 miles away.
- Wyomissing 1 mi west, about 2 min by car
- Reading 1 mi east, about 2 min by car
- Kenhorst 2 mi south, about 3 min by car
- Colony Park 2 mi northwest, about 3 min by car
- Shillington 2 mi southwest, about 4 min by car
- West Lawn 2 mi west, about 4 min by car
- Grill 3 mi south, about 4 min by car
- West Wyomissing 3 mi west, about 4 min by car
- Lincoln Park 3 mi southwest, about 4 min by car
- Mount Penn 3 mi east, about 5 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- US 422 BUS EB at 6th Avenue West Reading, Dough4872, Public domain
- West Reading Borough Hall, Nimbesi, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2022-08-24 11 09 55 View west along U.S. Route 422 Business (Penn Avenue) at Fifth Avenue in West Reading, Berks County, Pennsylvania, Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- West Reading, PA theater, July 2025, Mr. Matté (if there is an issue with this image, contact me using this image's Commons talk page , my Commons user talk page , or my English Wikipedia user talk page ; I'll know about it a lot faster), CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2022-08-24 11 01 10 View west along U.S. Route 422 Business (Penn Avenue) from the overpass for the rail line between South Second Avenue and U.S. Route 422 (West Shore Bypass) in West Reading, Berks..., Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2022-08-24 11 01 00 View east along U.S. Route 422 Business (Penn Avenue) from the overpass for the rail line between South Second Avenue and U.S. Route 422 (West Shore Bypass) in West Reading, Berks..., Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Reading City Church, West Reading, PA, July 2025, Mr. Matté (if there is an issue with this image, contact me using this image's Commons talk page , my Commons user talk page , or my English Wikipedia user talk page ; I'll know about it a lot faster), CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2022-08-24 15 33 36 View east along U.S. Route 422 Business (Penn Avenue) at the exit for U.S. Route 422 WEST (Lebanon) in West Reading, Berks County, Pennsylvania, Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- US 422 Business eb in West Reading, PA, July 2025, Mr. Matté (if there is an issue with this image, contact me using this image's Commons talk page , my Commons user talk page , or my English Wikipedia user talk page ; I'll know about it a lot faster), CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2022-08-24 14 34 35 View east along U.S. Route 422 (West Shore Bypass) just west of the exit for U.S. Route 222 Business (Lancaster Avenue) in West Reading, Berks County, Pennsylvania, Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2022-09-01 11 41 53 View east along U.S. Route 422 (West Shore Bypass) from the overpass for Buttonwood Street in West Reading, Berks County, Pennsylvania, Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2022-08-24 15 24 06 View east along U.S. Route 422 Business (Penn Avenue) just east of Eighth Avenue in West Reading, Berks County, Pennsylvania, Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2022-09-01 11 33 25 View west along U.S. Route 422 (West Shore Bypass) from the overpass for Buttonwood Street in West Reading, Berks County, Pennsylvania, Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2022-08-24 14 29 18 View east along U.S. Route 422 (West Shore Bypass) at the exit for U.S. Route 422 Business WEST (Penn Avenue, West Reading) in West Reading, Berks County, Pennsylvania, Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- US 422 wb at Buttonwood Street, West Reading, PA, Nov. 2023, Mr. Matté (if there is an issue with this image, contact me using this image's Commons talk page , my Commons user talk page , or my English Wikipedia user talk page ; I'll know about it a lot faster), CC BY 4.0
- 2022-08-24 14 32 31 View east along U.S. Route 422 (West Shore Bypass) at the exit for U.S. Route 422 Business EAST (Penn Street, Reading) in West Reading, Berks County, Pennsylvania, Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2022-08-24 11 54 43 View west along U.S. Route 422 (West Shore Bypass) just west of the exits for U.S. Route 422 Business in West Reading, Berks County, Pennsylvania, Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2022-09-01 11 54 29 View west along U.S. Route 422 (West Shore Bypass) from the overpass for U.S. Route 422 Business (Penn Avenue) in West Reading, Berks County, Pennsylvania, Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2022-08-24 11 49 12 View west along U.S. Route 422 (West Shore Bypass) at the exit for U.S. Route 422 Business EAST (Penn Street, Reading) in West Reading, Berks County, Pennsylvania, Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2022-08-24 11 51 59 View west along U.S. Route 422 (West Shore Bypass) at the exit for U.S. Route 422 Business WEST (Penn Avenue, West Reading) in West Reading, Berks County, Pennsylvania, Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2022-09-01 11 55 09 View east along U.S. Route 422 (West Shore Bypass) from the overpass for U.S. Route 422 Business (Penn Avenue) in West Reading, Berks County, Pennsylvania, Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- US 422 Business eb entering West Reading, PA, July 2025, Mr. Matté (if there is an issue with this image, contact me using this image's Commons talk page , my Commons user talk page , or my English Wikipedia user talk page ; I'll know about it a lot faster), CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2022-08-24 10 57 13 View west along U.S. Route 422 Business (Penn Avenue) at the exit for U.S. Route 422 EAST (Pottstown) in West Reading, Berks County, Pennsylvania, Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2022-08-24 14 24 26 View east along U.S. Route 422 (West Shore Bypass) just east of the exit for North Wyomissing Boulevard in West Reading, Berks County, Pennsylvania, Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2022-08-24 10 56 10 View west along U.S. Route 422 Business (Penn Avenue) at the exit for U.S. Route 422 WEST (Lebanon) in West Reading, Berks County, Pennsylvania, Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Reading Art Museum, Smallbones, CC0
- Trinity Lutheran Reading PA, Smallbones, CC0
- Wanner Mansion, Smallbones, CC0
- Lindbergh Bridge Reading PA, Smallbones, Public domain
- Keystone HnL, Smallbones, CC0
- Foos School Reading, Smallbones, CC0
- Silkmill, Smallbones, CC0
- Sterling Reading, Smallbones, CC0
- Speckled Hen Reading, Smallbones, CC0
- HOTEL ABRAHAM LINCOLN, READING, BERKS COUNTY, PA, JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ, M.D., CC BY-SA 4.0
- Hampden Firehouse, Smallbones, CC0
- Livingood House Reading, Smallbones, CC0
- Reading PA City Hall, Smallbones, CC0
- Bethel AME REading, Smallbones, CC0
- Liberty No 5 Reading PA, Smallbones, CC0
_at_the_exit_for_U.S._Route_422_WEST_(Lebanon)_in_West_Reading,_Berks_County,_Pennsylvania.jpg){kind=link}
_just_west_of_the_exit_for_U.S._Route_222_Business_(Lancaster_Avenue)_in_West_Reading,_Berks_County,_Pennsylvania.jpg){kind=link}
_from_the_overpass_for_Buttonwood_Street_in_West_Reading,_Berks_County,_Pennsylvania.jpg){kind=link}
_just_east_of_Eighth_Avenue_in_West_Reading,_Berks_County,_Pennsylvania.jpg){kind=link}
_from_the_overpass_for_Buttonwood_Street_in_West_Reading,_Berks_County,_Pennsylvania.jpg){kind=link}
_at_the_exit_for_U.S._Route_422_Business_WEST_(Penn_Avenue,_West_Reading)_in_West_Reading,_Berks_County,_Pennsylvania.jpg){kind=link}
_at_the_exit_for_U.S._Route_422_Business_EAST_(Penn_Street,_Reading)_in_West_Reading,_Berks_County,_Pennsylvania.jpg){kind=link}
_just_west_of_the_exits_for_U.S._Route_422_Business_in_West_Reading,_Berks_County,_Pennsylvania.jpg){kind=link}
_from_the_overpass_for_U.S._Route_422_Business_(Penn_Avenue)_in_West_Reading,_Berks_County,_Pennsylvania.jpg){kind=link}
_at_the_exit_for_U.S._Route_422_Business_EAST_(Penn_Street,_Reading)_in_West_Reading,_Berks_County,_Pennsylvania.jpg){kind=link}
_at_the_exit_for_U.S._Route_422_Business_WEST_(Penn_Avenue,_West_Reading)_in_West_Reading,_Berks_County,_Pennsylvania.jpg){kind=link}
_from_the_overpass_for_U.S._Route_422_Business_(Penn_Avenue)_in_West_Reading,_Berks_County,_Pennsylvania.jpg){kind=link}
_at_the_exit_for_U.S._Route_422_EAST_(Pottstown)_in_West_Reading,_Berks_County,_Pennsylvania.jpg){kind=link}
_just_east_of_the_exit_for_North_Wyomissing_Boulevard_in_West_Reading,_Berks_County,_Pennsylvania.jpg){kind=link}
_at_the_exit_for_U.S._Route_422_WEST_(Lebanon)_in_West_Reading,_Berks_County,_Pennsylvania.jpg){kind=link}
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.