Compare towns
Colrain vs Cabot vs Heath vs Leyden
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 housing (typical home built 1963).
Cabot has the most kids (27.2% under 18).
Heath has the most people working from home (31.7%).
Leyden has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.2%).
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 | Cabot | Heath | Leyden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,627Highest |
1,579 |
765 |
637Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.6±8.7 28% above U.S. |
40.3±6.6Lowest 4% above U.S. |
53.8±11.9Highest 38% above U.S. |
53.2±8.2 37% above U.S. |
| Heath and Leyden 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% |
27.2%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
13.8%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 30.4%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±6.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.6%±8.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.6%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±2.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.5%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Heath 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 |
$77,031±$16kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$98,750±$23k 22% above U.S. |
$105,893±$13kHighest 31% above U.S. |
| Leyden 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±$14k 15% below U.S. |
$268,500±$77kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$295,000±$45k 11% below U.S. |
$372,900±$24kHighest 12% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,102±$77Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,243±$354 12% below U.S. |
— | $1,917±$451Highest 36% above U.S. |
| Leyden and Cabot 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. |
$4,639 49% above U.S. |
$4,438 42% above U.S. |
$4,651Highest 49% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46%±22.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±26.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.9%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Colrain and Cabot 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% |
9% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 27% above U.S. |
30 minLowest 13% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 32% above U.S. |
33 min 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.4%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
31.7%±17.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Heath and Cabot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Mohawk Trail | — | — | — |
| High school 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.