An image reading apparatus includes an image data compression unit, an attribute data compression unit, and a memory. Of image data and attribute data generated by image reading, the image data compression unit compresses the image data. The attribute data compression unit compresses the attribute data. In the memory, a page memory region for storing the image data compressed by the image data compression unit and the attribute data compressed by the attribute data compression unit is secured. And, one of the compressed image data and the compressed attribute data is successively written from the beginning of the page memory region toward the end thereof, while the other of the compressed image data and the compressed attribute data is successively written from the end of the page memory region toward the beginning thereof.