Compare towns
Cavendish vs Gorham vs Reading vs Ludlow
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).
Gorham has the highest household income ($112k).
Reading has the most people working from home (22.9%).
Ludlow has the most renters (28.1% rent).
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 | Gorham | Reading | Ludlow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,242 |
18,300Highest |
699Lowest |
1,990 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.2±5.9 16% above U.S. |
39.4±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
51.1±7.6 31% above U.S. |
52.2±6.2Highest 34% above U.S. |
| Ludlow and Reading 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% |
20.9%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.5%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Gorham and Reading 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% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
31.1%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ludlow and Reading 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% |
44.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±6.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gorham and Ludlow 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. |
$112,312±$6kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$85,000±$19k 5% above U.S. |
$54,885±$14kLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Gorham 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. |
$460,900±$26kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$377,200±$72k 13% above U.S. |
$370,200±$46k 11% above U.S. |
| Gorham 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. |
$1,680±$355Highest 19% above U.S. |
$1,100±$331 22% below U.S. |
$1,112±$151 21% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,948Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$4,825 55% above U.S. |
$5,754Highest 84% above U.S. |
$4,890 57% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 28.9%±27Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.9%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±31.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.2%±25.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Reading and Ludlow 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% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
20 min 24% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.5%±6.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.3%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading and Ludlow 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 | — | #24 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Gorham Public Schools | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Ludlow Mt. Holly Unified Union School District #83 |
| High school in town | None in town | Gorham High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9 |
— | — |
| 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.