Compare towns
Colrain vs Chester 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 highest household income ($81k).
Chester has the shortest commute (28 min average).
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 | Chester | Halifax |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,627 |
2,992Highest |
847Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.6±8.7 28% above U.S. |
49.7±4.7Highest 28% above U.S. |
40.6±13.1Lowest 4% above U.S. |
| Chester 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% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25.4%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 30.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.8%±7.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±7.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Colrain and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
33.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Chester 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±$10kHighest about the U.S. average |
$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$63,889±$7k 21% below U.S. |
| Colrain and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $284,300±$14kHighest 15% below U.S. |
$232,900±$44kLowest 30% below U.S. |
$267,500±$21k 20% below U.S. |
| Colrain and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,102±$77Highest 22% below U.S. |
$960±$44 32% below U.S. |
$875±$154Lowest 38% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,317 38% above U.S. |
$4,262Lowest 37% above U.S. |
$4,991Highest 60% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46%±22.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest 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% |
7% U.S.: 12.5% |
6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
33 min 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
29.9%±11.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Halifax and Chester 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 | — | #49 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Mohawk Trail | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Halifax School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Green Mountain Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.7 |
— |
| 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.