Compare towns
Colrain vs Brookline vs Ripton vs Otis
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 most affordable homes ($284k median).
Brookline has the most kids (20% under 18).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Otis has the most people working from home (22.3%).
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 | Brookline | Ripton | Otis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,627Highest |
531 |
508Lowest |
1,624 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.6±8.7 28% above U.S. |
45.1±2.7Lowest 16% above U.S. |
47.7±14.2 23% above U.S. |
51±3.2Highest 31% 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% |
20%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
28%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ripton 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
48%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $80,673±$10kLowest about the U.S. average |
$80,833±$16k about the U.S. average |
$112,917±$15kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$108,898±$6k 35% above U.S. |
| Ripton and Otis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $284,300±$14kLowest 15% below U.S. |
$290,700±$37k 13% below U.S. |
$394,400±$61k 19% above U.S. |
$396,700±$40kHighest 19% above U.S. |
| Otis and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,102±$77Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,732±$232Highest 23% above U.S. |
— | $1,318±$924 7% below U.S. |
| Brookline and Otis 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. |
$5,000Highest 60% above U.S. |
$4,915 58% above U.S. |
$2,408Lowest 23% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46%±22.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.8%±94.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Otis and Ripton 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% |
6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
1.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.6%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Otis and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Mohawk Trail | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Farmington River Reg |
| 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 | 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.