Compare towns
Cavendish vs Marblehead 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).
Marblehead has the most expensive homes ($944k median).
Ludlow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.6%).
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 | Marblehead | Reading | Ludlow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,242 |
20,413Highest |
699Lowest |
1,990 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.2±5.9Lowest 16% above U.S. |
49.1±2 26% above U.S. |
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% |
22.3%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.5%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Marblehead 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% |
22.7%±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% |
78.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±6.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ludlow 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. |
$182,132±$28kHighest 126% above U.S. |
$85,000±$19k 5% above U.S. |
$54,885±$14kLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $285,100±$40kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$943,900±$31kHighest 184% above U.S. |
$377,200±$72k 13% above U.S. |
$370,200±$46k 11% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,000±$546Lowest 29% below U.S. |
$1,764±$147Highest 25% 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. |
$8,309Highest 166% above U.S. |
$5,754 84% above U.S. |
$4,890 57% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 28.9%±27Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.5%±8.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±31.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.2%±25.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Reading and Marblehead 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% |
4.4%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% |
85.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S. |
1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
20 min 24% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.5%±6.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
34%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±10.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.3%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Marblehead and Reading 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 | — | #47 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Marblehead | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Ludlow Mt. Holly Unified Union School District #83 |
| High school in town | None in town | Marblehead High | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
— | — |
| 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.