Compare towns
Cavendish vs Lyndeborough vs Reading vs Sharon
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).
Lyndeborough has the highest household income ($117k).
Reading has the most people working from home (22.9%).
Sharon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.9%).
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 | Lyndeborough | Reading | Sharon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,242 |
1,616Highest |
699Lowest |
1,577 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.2±5.9Lowest 16% above U.S. |
50±3.2 29% above U.S. |
51.1±7.6Highest 31% above U.S. |
45.6±7.7 17% above U.S. |
| Reading and Lyndeborough 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% |
14.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.5%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
21%±5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Sharon 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% |
22.6%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.1%±3.6 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% |
40.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cavendish and Lyndeborough 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. |
$116,964±$17kHighest 45% above U.S. |
$85,000±$19k 5% above U.S. |
$84,375±$17kLowest 5% above U.S. |
| Lyndeborough 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. |
$390,900±$26kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$377,200±$72k 13% above U.S. |
$346,700±$37k 4% above U.S. |
| Lyndeborough 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. |
$1,482±$457Highest 5% above U.S. |
$1,100±$331 22% below U.S. |
$1,386±$155 about the U.S. average |
| Lyndeborough 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. |
$7,133Highest 129% above U.S. |
$5,754 84% above U.S. |
$5,903 89% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 28.9%±27 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.9%±90 U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±31.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
19.8%±17.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Reading and Lyndeborough 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.7%Lowest 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. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
39 minHighest 48% above U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 18.5%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.7%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.7%±3.7Lowest 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 | ||||
| School district | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Wilton-Lyndeborough Cooperative School District | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Sharon School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 18 photos → | 6 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.