Compare towns
Reading vs Ashby vs Cavendish
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Reading has the most people working from home (22.9%).
Ashby has the highest household income ($116k).
Cavendish has the shortest commute (19 min average).
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 | Reading | Ashby | Cavendish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 699Lowest |
3,211Highest |
1,242 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.1±7.6Highest 31% above U.S. |
50.5±3 30% above U.S. |
45.2±5.9Lowest 16% above U.S. |
| Reading and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.5%±4.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Reading and Cavendish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.2%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.5%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.6%±2 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+ | 46%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.9Highest 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 | $85,000±$19kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$115,598±$9kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$89,063±$29k 10% above U.S. |
| Ashby and Cavendish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $377,200±$72k 13% above U.S. |
$390,500±$30kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$285,100±$40kLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Ashby and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,100±$331 22% below U.S. |
$1,200±$484Highest 15% below U.S. |
$1,000±$546Lowest 29% below U.S. |
| Ashby and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,754 84% above U.S. |
$6,034Highest 93% above U.S. |
$3,948Lowest 27% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.3%±31.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
36.4%±53.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
28.9%±27Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Reading and Ashby 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% |
2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1970Highest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.9%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.5%±6.6 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 | — | #200 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | North Middlesex | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 18 photos → |
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.