Compare towns
Reading vs Mendon vs Cornish vs Andover
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 kids (18.5% under 18).
Mendon has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Cornish has the most affordable homes ($296k median).
Andover has the most people working from home (29.6%).
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 | Mendon | Cornish | Andover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 699 |
1,113 |
1,816Highest |
616Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 51.1±7.6 31% above U.S. |
53.4±10.5 37% above U.S. |
54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
49.2±5.1Lowest 26% above U.S. |
| Cornish and Mendon 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% |
14.6%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
11.5%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Reading and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 28.2%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
29%±1.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.7%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Mendon and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46% U.S.: 35.7% |
49.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $85,000±$19kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$100,524±$23k 25% above U.S. |
$91,821±$2k 14% above U.S. |
$102,500±$38kHighest 27% above U.S. |
| Andover and Mendon 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. |
$357,000±$44k 7% above U.S. |
$296,000±$69kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$382,900±$68kHighest 15% above U.S. |
| Andover and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,100±$331Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,230±$651 13% below U.S. |
$1,221±$227 14% below U.S. |
$1,389±$364Highest about the U.S. average |
| Andover and Mendon 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. |
$5,342 71% above U.S. |
$5,796Highest 86% above U.S. |
$5,190Lowest 66% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.3%±31.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
88.6%±42.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.5%±38.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
69.4%±47.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Andover 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% |
8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
25 min 5% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.9%±10.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.5%±8.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
29.6%±12.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Andover and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | — | Cornish School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.