Compare towns

Pittsfield vs Cornish 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

Pittsfield has the most people working from home (28.1%).
Cornish has the most homeowners (94.1%).
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.

MeasurePittsfieldCornishReading
People
Population
391Lowest
1,816Highest
699
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-7.7%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
-1.5%
U.S.: +7.4%
+3.2%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
53.8±3.5
38% above U.S.
54±8.3Highest
39% above U.S.
51.1±7.6Lowest
31% above U.S.
Cornish and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
13.6%±8.4Lowest
U.S.: 22%
14.4%±3.2
U.S.: 22%
18.5%±4.2Highest
U.S.: 22%
Reading and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
30.4%±7.1Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
27.3%±4.1Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
28.2%±3.3
U.S.: 17.2%
Pittsfield and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
45.4%
U.S.: 35.7%
40.6%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
46%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
2.8%±3.5
U.S.: 6.4%
1.4%±0.9Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
3.1%±2.5Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
Reading and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$65,852±$12kLowest
18% below U.S.
$91,821±$2kHighest
14% above U.S.
$85,000±$19k
5% above U.S.
Cornish and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$313,300±$73k
6% below U.S.
$296,000±$69kLowest
11% below U.S.
$377,200±$72kHighest
13% above U.S.
Reading and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,035±$140Lowest
27% below U.S.
$1,221±$227Highest
14% below U.S.
$1,100±$331
22% below U.S.
Cornish and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$5,181Lowest
66% above U.S.
$5,796Highest
86% above U.S.
$5,754
84% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
35.6%±43Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
40.5%±38.1
U.S.: 51.1%
63.3%±31.7Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
Reading and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
8.4%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
4.7%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
8.4%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
76.2%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
94.1%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
84.9%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1977
3 yrs older than U.S.
1980Highest
same as U.S.
1969Lowest
11 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
19 minLowest
27% below U.S.
24 min
8% below U.S.
33 minHighest
25% above U.S.
Work from home
28.1%±24.1Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
12%±4.1Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
22.9%±10.6
U.S.: 15.1%
Pittsfield and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district — Cornish School District Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76
High school in town — None in town None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story 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.