Compare towns
Cavendish vs Townsend vs Baltimore 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).
Townsend has the most expensive homes ($433k median).
Baltimore has the most affordable homes ($219k median).
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.
| Measure | Cavendish | Townsend | Baltimore | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,242 |
9,100Highest |
361Lowest |
699 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +3.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.2±5.9 16% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
51.2±10.3Highest 32% above U.S. |
51.1±7.6 31% above U.S. |
| Baltimore 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% |
21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
8.9%±6.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.5%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Townsend 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% |
17.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±4.2Lowest 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
25.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.2%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Townsend 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. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$107,500±$16k 33% above U.S. |
$85,000±$19kLowest 5% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Baltimore 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. |
$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$219,400±$27kLowest 34% below U.S. |
$377,200±$72k 13% above U.S. |
| Townsend 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. |
$1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
— | $1,100±$331 22% below U.S. |
| Townsend 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. |
$6,031Highest 93% above U.S. |
$4,329 39% above U.S. |
$5,754 84% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 28.9%±27 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
26.7%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±31.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Reading and Townsend 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% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
1.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 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. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
21 min 21% below U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.5%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.8%±4.4Lowest 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 | — | #136 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | North Middlesex | — | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 |
| High school in town | None in town | North Middlesex Regional | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1 |
— | — |
| 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.