Compare towns
Colrain vs Bennington vs Otis vs Halifax
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Otis has the most expensive homes ($397k median).
Halifax has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.9%).
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 | Bennington | Otis | Halifax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,627 |
15,249Highest |
1,624 |
847Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.6±8.7 28% above U.S. |
44.7±2.3 15% above U.S. |
51±3.2Highest 31% above U.S. |
40.6±13.1Lowest 4% above U.S. |
| Otis 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 U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25.4%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 30.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
28%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±7.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Colrain and Otis 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% |
36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bennington and Otis 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 |
$59,446±$7kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$108,898±$6kHighest 35% above U.S. |
$63,889±$7k 21% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $284,300±$14k 15% below U.S. |
$213,300±$15kLowest 36% below U.S. |
$396,700±$40kHighest 19% above U.S. |
$267,500±$21k 20% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,102±$77 22% below U.S. |
$1,133±$63 20% below U.S. |
$1,318±$924Highest 7% below U.S. |
$875±$154Lowest 38% below U.S. |
| Otis and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,317 38% above U.S. |
$4,513 45% above U.S. |
$2,408Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$4,991Highest 60% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46%±22.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±73.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bennington and Otis 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% |
13.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
1.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1974Highest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
33 min 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
29.9%±11.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Halifax and Otis 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 | — | #58 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Mohawk Trail | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Farmington River Reg | Halifax School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.7 |
— | — |
| 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.