Compare towns
Colrain vs Canton vs Leyden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Colrain has the most affordable homes ($284k median).
Canton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
Leyden has the most homeowners (93.4%).
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 | Canton | Leyden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,627 |
24,748Highest |
637Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+13%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.6±8.7 24% above MA |
42.6±2.3Lowest 7% above MA |
53.2±8.2Highest 33% above MA |
| Leyden 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 MA: 19.4% |
22.9%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.8%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 30.4%±4.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
28.6%±2.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Colrain and Leyden 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 MA: 47.3% |
67.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
40% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
0.5%±2.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Canton 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±$10kLowest 22% below MA |
$143,381±$9kHighest 38% above MA |
$105,893±$13k about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $284,300±$14kLowest 49% below MA |
$710,600±$27kHighest 26% above MA |
$372,900±$24k 34% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,102±$77Lowest 37% below MA |
$2,315±$178Highest 31% above MA |
$1,917±$451 9% above MA |
| Canton and Leyden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,317Lowest 28% below MA |
$6,560Highest 9% above MA |
$4,651 22% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46%±22.8 MA: 51.8% |
52.4%±9.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
42.9%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Canton and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.2% MA: 10% |
5.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
10.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5% MA: 62.5% |
73.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
93.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 15% above MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
33 minLowest 12% above MA |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
25.7%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
11%±5 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #81 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Mohawk Trail | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Canton High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1 |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.