Compare towns
Cavendish vs Salisbury 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 shortest commute (19 min average).
Salisbury has the highest household income ($112k).
Reading has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.2%).
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 | Salisbury | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,242 |
1,609Highest |
699Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.2±5.9Lowest 16% above U.S. |
51.5±4.5Highest 32% above U.S. |
51.1±7.6 31% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±9.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.5%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Salisbury and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.6%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.9%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Reading and Salisbury 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% |
37.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.5 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±$29k 10% above U.S. |
$111,591±$17kHighest 38% above U.S. |
$85,000±$19kLowest 5% above U.S. |
| Salisbury 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. |
$363,400±$47k 9% above U.S. |
$377,200±$72kHighest 13% above U.S. |
| Reading and Salisbury 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. |
$1,917±$632Highest 36% above U.S. |
$1,100±$331 22% below U.S. |
| Salisbury 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. |
$5,859Highest 88% above U.S. |
$5,754 84% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 28.9%±27 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±31.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Reading and Cavendish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
32 min 21% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.5%±6.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.3%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±10.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Salisbury and Reading 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 | Merrimack Valley 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.