Compare towns
Cavendish vs Berwick vs Sharon vs Reading
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cavendish has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Berwick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.7%).
Sharon has the most renters (20.3% rent).
Reading has the most people working from home (22.9%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Cavendish | Berwick | Sharon | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,242 |
8,175Highest |
1,577 |
699Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.2±5.9 16% above U.S. |
40.7±2.9Lowest 5% above U.S. |
45.6±7.7 17% above U.S. |
51.1±7.6Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Reading and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±4.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
21%±5 U.S.: 22% |
18.5%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Berwick and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.6%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.1%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Reading and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cavendish and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $89,063±$29k 10% above U.S. |
$94,771±$24kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$84,375±$17kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$85,000±$19k 5% above U.S. |
| Berwick and Cavendish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $285,100±$40kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$369,100±$19k 11% above U.S. |
$346,700±$37k 4% above U.S. |
$377,200±$72kHighest 13% above U.S. |
| Reading and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,000±$546Lowest 29% below U.S. |
$1,452±$430Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,386±$155 about the U.S. average |
$1,100±$331 22% below U.S. |
| Berwick and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,948Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$4,436 42% above U.S. |
$5,903Highest 89% above U.S. |
$5,754 84% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 28.9%±27 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±46 U.S.: 51.1% |
19.8%±17.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±31.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Reading and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.5%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.2%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.7%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #101 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | RSU 60/MSAD 60 | Sharon School District | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 18 photos → | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.



