Compare towns
Reading vs Mount Desert 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%).
Mount Desert has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.5%).
Cavendish has the most affordable homes ($285k median).
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 | Mount Desert | Cavendish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 699Lowest |
1,671Highest |
1,242 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.1±7.6 31% above U.S. |
54.9±8.2Highest 41% above U.S. |
45.2±5.9Lowest 16% above U.S. |
| Mount Desert and Reading 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% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest 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%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.1%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.6%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Mount Desert 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% |
64.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±4.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cavendish and Mount Desert 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. |
$92,813±$9kHighest 15% above U.S. |
$89,063±$29k 10% above U.S. |
| Mount Desert 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. |
$522,100±$66kHighest 57% above U.S. |
$285,100±$40kLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,100±$331 22% below U.S. |
$1,341±$89Highest 5% below U.S. |
$1,000±$546Lowest 29% below U.S. |
| Mount Desert 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. |
$3,512Lowest 13% above U.S. |
$3,948 27% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.3%±31.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.9%±31.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
28.9%±27Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Reading and Mount Desert 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% |
7.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Highest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1969Highest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
19 min 30% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.9%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.1%±9.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.5%±6.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading and Mount Desert 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 | Mount Desert Public Schools | 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.