Compare towns
Reading vs Gorham 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%).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
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 | Gorham | Cavendish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 699Lowest |
18,300Highest |
1,242 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.1±7.6Highest 31% above U.S. |
39.4±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
45.2±5.9 16% above U.S. |
| Reading and Cavendish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.5%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Gorham and Reading 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% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest 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% |
44.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,000±$19kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$112,312±$6kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$89,063±$29k 10% above U.S. |
| Gorham 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. |
$460,900±$26kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$285,100±$40kLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Gorham 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. |
$1,680±$355Highest 19% above U.S. |
$1,000±$546Lowest 29% below U.S. |
| Gorham and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,754Highest 84% above U.S. |
$4,825 55% above U.S. |
$3,948Lowest 27% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.3%±31.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.9%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
28.9%±27Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Reading and Gorham 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% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.9%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.5%±6.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading and Gorham 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 | — | #24 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Gorham Public Schools | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 |
| High school in town | None in town | Gorham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9 |
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| 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.