City comparison
Erie, PA is about 250 miles (400 km) from Reading, PA in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 300 miles, or about 5 h 15 min behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Erie, PA to Reading, PA takes about 30 min, covering roughly 250 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Erie has a population of 94,826, vs 94,601 in Reading — about the same size. By land area, Erie covers about 19 sq mi vs 9.8 sq mi for Reading.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Erie | Reading | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $809/mo | $942/mo | 16.4% higher in Reading |
| Median home value | $101,500 | $96,900 | 4.7% higher in Erie |
| Median household income | $43,135 | $42,852 | 0.7% higher in Erie |
| Groceries index | 100.7 | 100.7 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 106.1 | 107.4 | 1.2% higher in Reading |
| Transportation index | 97.6 | 97.6 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 98.3 | 98.3 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Erie, you'd need $114,054 in Reading to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Erie, PA is about 12.3% cheaper overall than Reading, PA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 47% higher in Reading than in Erie. If you earn $80,000 in Erie, you'd need about $91,243 in Reading to keep the same standard of living.