Running a carpentry business in Reading, PA
The Reading, PA metro area has about 760 carpenters. The median wage is $26.41 an hour, so half earn more and half earn less. That's 7% below the Pennsylvania median of $28.54. Nationally, the median is $29.12, so Reading pays 9% less.
Market snapshot
- Carpenters employed in the metro area
- 760
- Median hourly wage
- $26.41
- Middle 50% earn
- $22.60 to $29.57 an hour
- Median annual wage
- $54,930
- Pennsylvania median hourly wage
- $28.54
- U.S. median hourly wage
- $29.12
- Job concentration
- 1.00× the national share
- Finish carpentry contractors in the metro area
- 40
- Reading population
- 95,242
- Median year homes were built in Reading
- 1938
Job concentration compares the share of local jobs held by carpenters with the share nationwide. Above 1 means the trade is more concentrated here than average.
How Reading ranks in Pennsylvania
- #8 of 16 Pennsylvania metros for the number of carpenters
- #12 of 16 for median hourly wage
Carpentry in nearby cities
| City | Workers in the metro | Median hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| Lebanon, PA | 310 | $26.81 |
| Lancaster, PA | 2,750 | $26.77 |
| Allentown, PA | 1,390 | $28.63 |
| Philadelphia, PA | 14,260 | $29.70 |
| York, PA | 1,190 | $29.40 |
| Harrisburg, PA | 1,320 | $27.74 |
How Tradesman helps carpentry businesses in Reading
Materials and labor on one estimate
Separate labor lines from materials, add your scope of work, and send a clean PDF the customer can approve online.
Track every hour on custom work
Clock time against each job so you know how long built-ins really take and can price the next one with confidence.
Keep an order list
Add lumber and hardware to a shared order list for the job, then mark it ordered and received.
Questions about carpentry in Reading
How much do carpenters make in Reading?
In May 2025, the median wage for carpenters in the Reading, PA metro area was $26.41 an hour. The middle half earned between $22.60 and $29.57 an hour.
How many carpenters work in Reading?
About 760 carpenters worked in the Reading, PA metro area in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
How many finish carpentry contractors are in Reading?
The Reading, PA metro area had 40 establishments classified as finish carpentry contractors in 2023, according to the Census Bureau's County Business Patterns.
Sources
Figures cover the Reading, PA metro area unless they name Reading. Wages are for employees, not business owners.
Run your carpentry business in Reading from one place.
Estimates, scheduling, dispatch and payments in one app. Setup takes about five minutes.