Cost of Living: State College borough, PA vs Reading, PA

Quick rent-and-take-home comparison

Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $4,337/mo in State College borough, PA versus $4,337/mo in Reading, PA. In the model, rent is about 17.91% of gross in State College borough, PA versus 14.83% in Reading, PA, so Reading, PA tends to feel more affordable for rent.

Take-home in State College borough, PA
$4,337/mo
Income level: above
Take-home in Reading, PA
$4,337/mo
Income level: above
Rent share (1BR) in State College borough, PA
17.91%
COLI tier: mid-range
Rent share (1BR) in Reading, PA
14.83%
COLI tier: mid-range

Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between State College borough, PA and Reading, PA.

At a glance

  • Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Reading, PA
  • Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Reading, PA
  • Lower home prices: Reading, PA
  • Higher median household income: State College borough, PA

Cost of Living Index

State College borough, PA: 100 (U.S. = 100) · Reading, PA: 100 (U.S. = 100)

Both cities have the same cost-of-living index (U.S. average = 100).

Median Rent

State College borough, PA: $1,168/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Reading, PA: $967/mo

Median rent in State College borough, PA is $201/mo higher than in Reading, PA.

Median Home Price

State College borough, PA: $414,400 · Reading, PA: $109,800

Median home price in State College borough, PA is $304,600 higher than in Reading, PA.

Median Household Income

State College borough, PA: $47,132 · Reading, PA: $45,599

State College borough, PA has a higher median household income than Reading, PA by $1,533.

State College borough, PA overview · Reading, PA overview · Popular comparisons