Compare towns
Colrain vs Dedham 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).
Dedham has the most people working from home (20%).
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 | Dedham | Leyden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,627 |
25,237Highest |
637Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.6% MA: +7.4% |
+3.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.6±8.7 24% above MA |
44.6±1.6Lowest 12% 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% |
18.6%±1.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.8%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Dedham and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.4%±4.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±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% |
55%Highest MA: 47.3% |
40% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
0.5%±2.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,673±$10kLowest 22% below MA |
$128,955±$10kHighest 24% above MA |
$105,893±$13k about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $284,300±$14kLowest 49% below MA |
$661,800±$16kHighest 18% above MA |
$372,900±$24k 34% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,102±$77Lowest 37% below MA |
$2,042±$182Highest 16% above MA |
$1,917±$451 9% above MA |
| Dedham 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 |
$7,918Highest 32% above MA |
$4,651 22% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46%±22.8 MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8% |
42.9%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Dedham 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% |
5.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
10.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5% MA: 62.5% |
73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
93.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 1 yr older than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 15% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
33 min 12% above MA |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
11%±5 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #119 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Mohawk Trail | Dedham | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Dedham High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4 |
— |
| 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.