Compare towns
Colrain vs Brookfield 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
Colrain has the oldest population (median age 49.6).
Brookfield has the highest household income ($99k).
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 | Brookfield | Halifax |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,627Highest |
1,486 |
847Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.6±8.7Highest 28% above U.S. |
47±5.9 21% above U.S. |
40.6±13.1Lowest 4% above U.S. |
| Colrain and Brookfield 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% |
18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
25.4%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Halifax and Brookfield 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% |
29.7%±6.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±7.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Colrain and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookfield and Colrain 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 |
$98,500±$23kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$63,889±$7kLowest 21% below U.S. |
| Brookfield 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. |
$339,300±$15kHighest about the U.S. average |
$267,500±$21kLowest 20% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,102±$77Highest 22% below U.S. |
$975±$306 31% below U.S. |
$875±$154Lowest 38% below U.S. |
| Colrain and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,317Lowest 38% above U.S. |
$4,560 46% above U.S. |
$4,991Highest 60% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46%±22.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
30.4%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±73.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Halifax and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 27% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
33 minLowest 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.3%±10.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
29.9%±11.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Halifax and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Mohawk Trail | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Halifax School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.