Health Profile of Reading, Pennsylvania
Reading Health Score
The Map AI Health Index is a score that reflects local life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and physical environment to help you quickly compare the overall health and well-being of different areas.
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C
Reading Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Reading | Pennsylvania Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 75.0 | 78.4 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 14.7% | 5.6% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 26.7% | 15.7% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Reading is 75.0 years, about 3.5 years shorter than the Pennsylvania average of 78.4 years. The uninsured rate is 14.7%, higher than the Pennsylvania average of 5.6%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 26.7% of residents, higher than the Pennsylvania average of 15.7%.
Population by Age
Older residents
24,388 residents in Reading are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 1,183 282 men · 901 women
- 75–84 2,837 1,123 men · 1,714 women
- 65–74 5,709 2,597 men · 3,112 women
- 50–64 14,659 6,874 men · 7,785 women
Younger residents
26,342 residents in Reading are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 7,894 3,801 boys · 4,093 girls
- 7–12 7,870 3,804 boys · 4,066 girls
- 3–7 6,097 2,913 boys · 3,184 girls
- 0–3 4,480 2,170 boys · 2,310 girls
About 4,042 residents in Reading (4.3% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 75.0 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Reading | Pennsylvania Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 15.0% | 11.0% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 4.8% | 7.2% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 7.1% | 7.4% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 45.5% | 34.5% | 34.3% |
The rate of diabetes in Reading is about 36% higher than in Pennsylvania. The rate of cancer in Reading is about 34% lower than in Pennsylvania. The rate of obesity in Reading is about 32% higher than in Pennsylvania.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Reading | Pennsylvania Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 24.7% | 20.1% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 16.8% | 18.3% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 38.8% | 25.3% | 25.1% |
The rate of sedentary lifestyle in Reading is about 54% higher than in Pennsylvania. The rate of smoking in Reading is about 23% higher than in Pennsylvania.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 168,010 cigarettes a day, 5.0 million a month, or 61.3 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 1.8 million minutes a day and 674.6 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Reading is 75.0 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.05 lifetimes a day, or 17 lifetimes a year.
* Source: Shaw M, Mitchell R, Dorling D. "Time for a smoke? One cigarette reduces your life by 11 minutes." BMJ. 2000;320:53.
Illustrative only. This is not an estimate of how many people actually die from smoking each day or year - it's a rough, order-of-magnitude comparison meant to help grasp the scale of smoking in this area. We take no responsibility for any decisions made based on this figure.
Air Quality
| Metric | Reading | Pennsylvania Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 7.75 | 6.88 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 7.8 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Reading is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Reading, Pennsylvania has an overall health index grade of C, making it somewhat worse than Pennsylvania, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Reading, Pennsylvania.
How healthy is Reading, Pennsylvania?
Reading, Pennsylvania has a Map AI Health Index grade of C, based on life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment; a C grade means residents are close to the U.S. average.
What is the average lifespan in Reading, Pennsylvania?
People in Reading, Pennsylvania can expect to live 75.0 years on average, 3.5 years shorter than the Pennsylvania average of 78.4.
How many people lack health insurance in Reading, Pennsylvania?
14.7% of residents in Reading, Pennsylvania have no health insurance, about 1 in 7 people, 9.1 points above the Pennsylvania rate of 5.6%.
What is the obesity rate in Reading, Pennsylvania?
45.5% of adults in Reading, Pennsylvania are classified as obese, about 1 in 2, 11.0 points above the Pennsylvania rate of 34.5%.
What health issue is more common in Reading, Pennsylvania than elsewhere?
Compared with Pennsylvania as a whole, physical inactivity stands out most: the adult rate here is 38.8%, about 54% higher than the Pennsylvania rate of 25.3%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Reading, Pennsylvania go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 168,010 cigarettes a day, 5.0 million a month, or 61.3 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 1.8 million minutes a day and 674.6 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Reading is 75.0 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.05 lifetimes a day, or 17 lifetimes a year.
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