Compare towns
Colrain vs Barton vs Oakham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Colrain has the shortest commute (34 min average).
Barton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.2%).
Oakham has the most expensive homes ($420k 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 | Colrain | Barton | Oakham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,627Lowest |
2,815Highest |
1,639 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.6±8.7Highest 28% above U.S. |
44.9±6.5Lowest 15% above U.S. |
49±2.3 26% above U.S. |
| Colrain and Oakham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.7%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Barton and Oakham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.5%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.4%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Colrain and Barton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
32.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Oakham and Barton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,673±$10k about the U.S. average |
$66,250±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$102,000±$20kHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Oakham and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $284,300±$14k 15% below U.S. |
$201,200±$28kLowest 40% below U.S. |
$420,100±$20kHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,102±$77 22% below U.S. |
$793±$70Lowest 44% below U.S. |
$1,174±$81Highest 17% below U.S. |
| Oakham and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,317Highest 38% above U.S. |
$3,355Lowest 8% above U.S. |
$4,103 32% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46%±22.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.6%±12.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
27.8%±69.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Colrain and Barton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minLowest 27% above U.S. |
35 min 33% above U.S. |
39 minHighest 46% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±5.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.6%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Barton and Oakham 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 | — | #38 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Mohawk Trail | Lake Region Union Elementary Middle School District · Lake Region Union High School District #24 | Quabbin |
| High school in town | None in town | Lake Region Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.5 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.