Compare towns
Cavendish vs Eliot 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).
Eliot has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
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 | Eliot | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,242 |
7,146Highest |
699Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.2±5.9Lowest 16% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9 31% above U.S. |
51.1±7.6Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Reading and Eliot 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% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest 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%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Reading and Eliot 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% |
43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cavendish and Reading 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. |
$101,522±$10kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$85,000±$19kLowest 5% above U.S. |
| Eliot 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. |
$498,900±$62kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$377,200±$72k 13% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Reading 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. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,100±$331 22% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,948Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$4,549 46% above U.S. |
$5,754Highest 84% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 28.9%±27Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±31.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Reading and Eliot 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% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.5%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading and Cavendish 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 | — | #19 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 18 photos → | 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.