Compare towns
Colrain vs Fairlee vs Halifax 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).
Fairlee has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Halifax has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.9%).
Heath has the highest household income ($99k).
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 | Fairlee | Halifax | Heath |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,627Highest |
1,066 |
847 |
765Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.6±8.7 28% above U.S. |
56.2±8.7Highest 44% above U.S. |
40.6±13.1Lowest 4% above U.S. |
53.8±11.9 38% above U.S. |
| Fairlee and Heath 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% |
12.2%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25.4%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±2.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 30.4%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.4%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±7.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.6%±8.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Heath and Fairlee 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% |
46.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±3.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Fairlee and Heath 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 |
$74,760±$10k 7% below U.S. |
$63,889±$7kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$98,750±$23kHighest 22% above U.S. |
| Heath and Colrain 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. |
$274,200±$39k 18% below U.S. |
$267,500±$21kLowest 20% below U.S. |
$295,000±$45kHighest 11% below U.S. |
| Heath and Colrain 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. |
$1,083±$242 23% below U.S. |
$875±$154Lowest 38% below U.S. |
— |
| Colrain and Fairlee 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. |
$5,617Highest 80% above U.S. |
$4,991 60% above U.S. |
$4,438 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46%±22.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
89.2%±71.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±73.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Fairlee and Halifax 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% |
14.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 27% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
33 min 23% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 32% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15%±7.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
29.9%±11.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
31.7%±17.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Heath and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Mohawk Trail | Rivendell Interstate School District | Halifax School District | — |
| High school in town | None 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.