Compare towns

Cavendish vs Plainfield 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 most affordable homes ($285k median).
Plainfield has the highest household income ($123k).
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.

MeasureCavendishPlainfieldReading
People
Population
1,242
2,522Highest
699Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+1.8%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+4%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+3.2%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
45.2±5.9
16% above U.S.
38.9±6.5Lowest
about the U.S. average
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%
23.4%±5.8Highest
U.S.: 22%
18.5%±4.2
U.S.: 22%
Plainfield 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%
19.8%±4.5Lowest
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%
46.7%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
46%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
4.3%±1.9
U.S.: 6.4%
4.8%±2.3Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
3.1%±2.5Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Plainfield 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.
$122,656±$13kHighest
52% above U.S.
$85,000±$19kLowest
5% above U.S.
Plainfield 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.
$442,400±$47kHighest
33% above U.S.
$377,200±$72k
13% above U.S.
Plainfield 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.
$1,674±$181Highest
18% above U.S.
$1,100±$331
22% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$3,948Lowest
27% above U.S.
$7,904Highest
153% above U.S.
$5,754
84% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
28.9%±27Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
31.8%±23.1
U.S.: 51.1%
63.3%±31.7Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
Reading and Plainfield 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%
5.2%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
8.4%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
81.3%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
87.3%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
84.9%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1968Lowest
12 yrs older than U.S.
1977Highest
3 yrs older than U.S.
1969
11 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
19 minLowest
30% below U.S.
22 min
17% below U.S.
33 minHighest
25% above U.S.
Work from home
18.5%±6.6
U.S.: 15.1%
18.1%±8.5Lowest
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 — #19 of 120 in NH —
School district Green Mountain Unified School District #77 Plainfield School District Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76
High school in town None in town None in town None in town
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.