Compare towns
Cavendish vs Durham 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 most affordable homes ($285k median).
Durham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.8%).
Reading has the most people working from home (22.9%).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Durham | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,242 |
15,080Highest |
699Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.2±5.9 16% above U.S. |
20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
51.1±7.6Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Reading and Cavendish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.5%±4.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Reading and Cavendish 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% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Reading and Cavendish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
55.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $89,063±$29k 10% above U.S. |
$124,056±$21kHighest 54% above U.S. |
$85,000±$19kLowest 5% above U.S. |
| Durham 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. |
$504,300±$41kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$377,200±$72k 13% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,000±$546Lowest 29% below U.S. |
$1,429±$143Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,100±$331 22% below U.S. |
| Durham and Reading 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. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,754 84% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 28.9%±27Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±16Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±31.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
15.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
64.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 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. |
19 min 27% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.5%±6.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.4%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading and Durham 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 | — | #9 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Oyster River Coop School District | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 |
| High school in town | None in town | Oyster River High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.3 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | 51 photos → | 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.