Cost of living in Reading research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Reading is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Ohio, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Reading is 95, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Reading is 0.9x lower than the national average.
Reading ranks as the #175 cheapest in Ohio out of 289.
Reading ranks as the #1,954 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Reading is $230,021.
The median income in Reading is $60,167.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Reading has an overall cost of living index of 95, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Ohio, Reading has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than Ohio's index of 93.
The standard of living in Reading ranks as #175 most affordable out of the 289 places we measured in Ohio. By definition, that implies Reading ranks as the #114 most expensive place in the Buckeye State.
For more reading on life in Reading, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Reading. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Reading is 104.
The Groceries index in Reading is 102.
The Health index in Reading is 104.
The Housing index in Reading is 75.
The Transportation index in Reading is 100.
The Utilities index in Reading is 99.
| Living Expense | Reading | Ohio | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 95 | 93 | 100 | |
| Services | 104 | 101 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 102 | 103 | 100 | |
| Health | 104 | 97 | 100 | |
| Housing | 75 | 74 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 100 | 102 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 99 | 100 | 100 | |
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Ohio, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Reading is $230,021.
The Median Rent in Reading is $871.
The Median Income in Reading is $60,167.
The Home Value To Income in Reading is 3.8x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Reading is 0.17x.
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Reading. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Mason, OH has a cost of living index of 121, 1.3x Reading.
Monfort Heights, OH has a cost of living index of 97, 1.0x Reading.
Mack, OH has a cost of living index of 109, 1.1x Reading.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mason, OH | 35,148 | 121 | 1.3x |
| Monfort Heights, OH | 12,203 | 97 | 1.0x |
| Mack, OH | 11,444 | 109 | 1.1x |
| Forestville, OH | 11,213 | 107 | 1.1x |
| Montgomery, OH | 10,816 | 128 | 1.3x |
| Madeira, OH | 9,454 | 118 | 1.2x |
| Wyoming, OH | 8,712 | 121 | 1.3x |
| Dry Run, OH | 7,765 | 119 | 1.3x |
| Covedale, OH | 6,306 | 96 | 1.0x |
| Deer Park, OH | 5,380 | 94 | 1.0x |