Compare towns
Cavendish vs Reading vs Standish 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).
Reading has the most people working from home (22.9%).
Standish has the highest household income ($105k).
Sharon has the most kids (21% under 18).
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 | Reading | Standish | Sharon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,242 |
699Lowest |
10,662Highest |
1,577 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.2±5.9 16% above U.S. |
51.1±7.6Highest 31% above U.S. |
40.5±2.8Lowest 4% 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%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
18.5%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±3.1Lowest 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% |
28.2%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.2%±2.3Lowest 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% |
46%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
11.6%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $89,063±$29k 10% above U.S. |
$85,000±$19k 5% above U.S. |
$104,593±$15kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$84,375±$17kLowest 5% above U.S. |
| Standish 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. |
$377,200±$72kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$336,000±$18k about the U.S. average |
$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. |
$1,100±$331 22% below U.S. |
$983±$453Lowest 30% 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 | $3,948 27% above U.S. |
$5,754 84% above U.S. |
$3,005Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$5,903Highest 89% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 28.9%±27 U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±31.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.4%±22.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
19.8%±17.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Reading and Standish 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% |
8.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 18.5%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.6%±3.8 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 | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #18 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | Sharon School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Bonny Eagle High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.5 |
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| 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.