Compare towns
Colrain vs Barre vs Heath
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Colrain has the shortest commute (34 min average).
Barre has the most expensive homes ($394k median).
Heath has the most people working from home (31.7%).
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 | Colrain | Barre | Heath |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,627 |
5,572Highest |
765Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.6±8.7 24% above MA |
43.8±8.5Lowest 9% above MA |
53.8±11.9Highest 35% above MA |
| Heath and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±4.2 MA: 19.4% |
15.8%±5.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Barre and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.4%±4.1 MA: 17.9% |
19%±5.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
33.6%±8.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Heath and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.3% MA: 47.3% |
31.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
46.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±3.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±2.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Barre and Heath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,673±$10kLowest 22% below MA |
$107,727±$13kHighest 4% above MA |
$98,750±$23k 5% below MA |
| Barre and Heath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $284,300±$14kLowest 49% below MA |
$394,300±$55kHighest 30% below MA |
$295,000±$45k 48% below MA |
| Barre and Heath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,102±$77Highest 37% below MA |
$1,030±$713Lowest 42% below MA |
— |
| Colrain and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,317Lowest 28% below MA |
$5,163Highest 14% below MA |
$4,438 26% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46%±22.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
38.2%±27.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
40%±100 MA: 51.8% |
| Colrain and Heath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.2% MA: 10% |
8.2%Highest MA: 10% |
6.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5% MA: 62.5% |
75.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
88.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minLowest 15% above MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
35 min 20% above MA |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
11.2%±4.6 MA: 18.6% |
31.7%±17.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Heath and Barre 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 | — | #134 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Mohawk Trail | Quabbin | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Quabbin Regional High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.