Compare towns
Cavendish vs Orange 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).
Orange has the most affordable homes ($246k median).
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 | Orange | Reading | Sharon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,242 |
7,573Highest |
699Lowest |
1,577 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.2±5.9 16% above U.S. |
41.8±2.2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
51.1±7.6Highest 31% above U.S. |
45.6±7.7 17% above U.S. |
| Reading and Sharon 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% |
22.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.5%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
21%±5 U.S.: 22% |
| Orange and Sharon 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% |
20.3%±3.1Lowest 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% |
15.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±0.9Lowest 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±$29kHighest 10% above U.S. |
$55,824±$10kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$85,000±$19k 5% above U.S. |
$84,375±$17k 5% above U.S. |
| Cavendish and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $285,100±$40k 14% below U.S. |
$245,900±$18kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$377,200±$72kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$346,700±$37k 4% above U.S. |
| Reading and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,000±$546 29% below U.S. |
$775±$233Lowest 45% below U.S. |
$1,100±$331 22% below U.S. |
$1,386±$155Highest about the U.S. average |
| Sharon and Reading 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. |
$4,136 33% above U.S. |
$5,754 84% above U.S. |
$5,903Highest 89% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 28.9%±27 U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±11.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±31.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
19.8%±17.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Reading and Orange 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% |
22.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
70%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1966Lowest 14 yrs older 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. |
33 min 24% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 18.5%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.7%±3.7 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 | — | #275 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Sharon School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.0 |
— | — |
| 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.