Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Pittsburgh, PA
VS
Reading, PA
🏆 Pittsburgh leads 13 of 23 categories
Pittsburgh
Pennsylvania
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
94.4
Median Household Income
$60,187 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
112⚠ High
Population
303,843 ✓ Larger
Reading
Pennsylvania
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
92.5 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$42,852
Violent Crime Index
89 ✓ Safer
Population
94,601
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Pittsburgh, PA
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 5.6 pts lower (5.7%)
Households earn $17,335 more per year on average
More college-educated — 46.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 94.4)
Smaller class sizes — 11.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Snowy winters — about 44" of snow per year
Reading, PA
Pros
Homes cost $75k less ($96,900 vs $171,800)
21% less violent crime than Pittsburgh
Rent averages $211/mo less ($942 vs $1,153)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 92.5)
Cons
Median income trails Pittsburgh by $17,335/yr
Higher unemployment (11.3% vs 5.7%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Pittsburgh
Median Income
$17,335
$60,187 vs $42,852/yr
Pittsburgh
Unemployment
5.6 pp lower
5.7% vs 11.3% unemployment
Reading
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 92.5 vs 94.4 (100 = US avg)
Reading
Violent Crime
21% lower
337.2 vs 427.2 per 100k
Reading
Median Home Value
$75k less
$96,900 vs $171,800
Reading
Summer Heat
3.5°F warmer
July avg high 86.5°F vs 83.0°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Pittsburgh, PA | Reading, PA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 94.4 | 92.5 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $171,800 | $96,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,153 | $942 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $60,187 ✓ Higher | $42,852 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 11.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.4 min ✓ Shorter | 24.3 min |
| Work From Home % | 17.5% ✓ Higher | 4.2% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 111⚠ High | 81 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 112⚠ High | 89 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 109⚠ High | 68 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) ✓ Better | C (80) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 11.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 15.2:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 46.7% ✓ Higher | 11.7% |
| High School or Higher | 93.9% ✓ Higher | 71.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Pittsburgh SD | Reading SD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 36.6°F | 38.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 83.0°F | 86.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 41.3" ✓ Drier | 49.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 44.1" | 27.2" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 303,843 ✓ Larger | 94,601 |
| Median Age | 33.5 ✓ Older | 31.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 47.4% ✓ Higher | 39.3% |
| Under 18 | 14.6% | 28.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 15.1% ✓ More | 10.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Pittsburgh's cost of living index is 94.4 vs Reading's 92.5 (US average = 100).
Reading is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Pittsburgh leads 13 of 23 categories. Pittsburgh wins 13 and Reading wins 10. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Pittsburgh to Reading or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($171,800 vs $96,900 median home), income ($60,187 vs $42,852), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Pittsburgh, PA and Reading, PA are about 213 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.