Compare towns
Colrain vs Castleton vs Leyden vs Heath
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).
Castleton has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Leyden has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.2%).
Heath has the most people working from home (31.7%).
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 | Castleton | Leyden | Heath |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,627 |
4,453Highest |
637Lowest |
765 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.6±8.7 28% above U.S. |
38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
53.2±8.2 37% above U.S. |
53.8±11.9Highest 38% 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% |
18.8%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.8%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Castleton 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% |
20.7%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.6%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.6%±8.2Highest 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% |
37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
40% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.5%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $80,673±$10k about the U.S. average |
$73,854±$23kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$105,893±$13kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$98,750±$23k 22% 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. |
$224,800±$71kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$372,900±$24kHighest 12% above U.S. |
$295,000±$45k 11% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,102±$77Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$1,917±$451Highest 36% above U.S. |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,317 38% above U.S. |
$3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
$4,651Highest 49% above U.S. |
$4,438 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46%±22.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.9%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and Colrain 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% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
79%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 27% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
33 min 23% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 32% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
31.7%±17.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Heath and Leyden 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 | — | #39 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Mohawk Trail | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | — | — |
| High school 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.