West Reading, located in Berks County, Pennsylvania, is a beautiful and vibrant community. With easy access to plenty of restaurants, parks, shopping centers, and other amenities, it's no wonder many people make this their home. The health and well-being of the people who live here is a top priority for the local leaders. In West Reading there are numerous medical facilities and hospitals that provide residents with quality healthcare services. These include Reading Hospital – Tower Health which offers emergency care as well as general medical services; St. Joseph Medical Center which provides comprehensive primary care; and Penn State Health St. Joseph which offers both primary care and specialty care. Additionally, there are several smaller local clinics that offer individualized healthcare service focusing on preventative medicine. With all these resources available, the citizens of West Reading can rest assured that they have access to quality health services in their own community.
The health of a city has many different factors. It can refer to air quality, water quality, risk of getting respiratory disease or cancer. The people you live around can also affect your health as some places have lower or higher rates of physical activity, increased alcohol intake, smoking, obesity, and cancer rates.
Physicians per Capita
There are 169 physicians per 100,000 population in West Reading. The US average is 210 per 100,000 people.
Health Cost Index
The annual BestPlaces Health Cost Index for the West Reading area is 117.9 (lower=better). The US average is 100.
117.9 / 100
Example: 110 = 10% more expensive than national average.
Water Qualtiy Index
The annual BestPlaces Water Quality Index for the West Reading area is 40 (100=best). The US average is 55.
40 / 100
Note that this is a measure of Watershed quality, not the water that comes from your faucet. The EPA has stated that a healthy watershed is closely related to drinking water quality. The EPA has a complex method of measuring watershed quality using 15 indicators such as pH, chemicals, metals, and bacteria.
Superfund Index
The annual BestPlaces Superfund Index for the West Reading area is 69 (100=best). The US average is 87.
69 / 100
The EPA's Superfund program is responsible for cleaning up some of our nation's most contaminated land. Our index is based on the number of active Superfund sites (over 15,000 in the United States), with particular attention paid to those on the National Priorities List which pose the greatest health danger.
Quick Facts
Commuting can effect your health. The average person in West Reading commutes 18.1 minutes one-way, which is shorter than the US average of 26.4 minutes.
Air Quality Index
The annual BestPlaces Air Quality Index for the West Reading area is 19 (100=best). The US average is 58.
19 / 100
This is based on new measures of hazardous air pollutants from the EPA, called the National Air Toxics Assessment. This analysis models respiratory illness and cancer risk down to the zip code level, providing better detail and insight than the previous analysis based solely on results from air monitoring stations.