Compare towns
Buckland vs Gill vs Colrain
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Buckland has the most renters (25.4% rent).
Gill has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.4%).
Colrain has the most affordable homes ($284k 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 | Buckland | Gill | Colrain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,036Highest |
1,740 |
1,627Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-3.9% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.5±5.4 24% above MA |
43.8±2.6Lowest 9% above MA |
49.6±8.7Highest 24% above MA |
| Colrain and Buckland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±3.9 MA: 19.4% |
19%±8.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.3%±4.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Gill and Buckland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.4%±4.1 MA: 17.9% |
21.1%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
30.4%±4.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Colrain and Buckland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
42.3% MA: 47.3% |
37.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
7.1%±2.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.8%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $82,877±$6k 20% below MA |
$90,208±$14kHighest 13% below MA |
$80,673±$10kLowest 22% below MA |
| Gill and Buckland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $321,400±$25k 43% below MA |
$340,100±$17kHighest 39% below MA |
$284,300±$14kLowest 49% below MA |
| Gill and Buckland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,111±$213 37% below MA |
$1,193±$246Highest 32% below MA |
$1,102±$77Lowest 37% below MA |
| Gill and Buckland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,761Highest 21% below MA |
$4,318 28% below MA |
$4,317Lowest 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58%±20.9 MA: 51.8% |
62.7%±10.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
46%±22.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Gill and Buckland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13%Highest MA: 10% |
5.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82.3% MA: 62.5% |
86.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 5% above MA |
21 minLowest 29% below MA |
34 minHighest 15% above MA |
| Work from home | 14.1%±5.6 MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±8Highest MA: 18.6% |
8.4%±2.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Gill and Buckland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Mohawk Trail | Gill-Montague | Mohawk Trail |
| High school in town | Mohawk Trail Regional School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5 |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.