Compare towns
Cavendish vs Gray 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).
Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
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 | Gray | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,242 |
8,429Highest |
699Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.2±5.9 16% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5Lowest 12% above 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%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.5%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Gray 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% |
19.3%±4Lowest 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% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Cavendish 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. |
$95,236±$8kHighest 18% above U.S. |
$85,000±$19kLowest 5% above U.S. |
| Gray 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. |
$363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
$377,200±$72kHighest 13% above U.S. |
| Reading and Gray 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. |
$1,371±$89Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,100±$331 22% below U.S. |
| Gray and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,948 27% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$5,754Highest 84% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 28.9%±27Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±31.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Reading and Gray 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% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.5%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest 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 | — | #10 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 |
| High school in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5 |
— |
| 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.