Compare towns
Colrain vs Gardner vs Clarksburg
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 highest household income ($81k).
Gardner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.2%).
Clarksburg has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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 | Gardner | Clarksburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,627Lowest |
21,148Highest |
1,667 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-2.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.6±8.7 24% above MA |
43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
49.8±7.1Highest 25% above MA |
| Clarksburg and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±4.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.5%±4 MA: 19.4% |
| Gardner and Clarksburg 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% |
19.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
28.8%±1.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Colrain and Clarksburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
29.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
| Gardner and Clarksburg 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 22% below MA |
$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
$77,143±$11k 26% below MA |
| Colrain and Clarksburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $284,300±$14k 49% below MA |
$301,600±$20kHighest 46% below MA |
$239,900±$18kLowest 57% below MA |
| Gardner and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,102±$77Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,109±$51 37% below MA |
$1,125±$190Highest 36% below MA |
| Clarksburg and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,317Highest 28% below MA |
$4,150 31% below MA |
$2,993Lowest 50% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46%±22.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
65.2%±56.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Clarksburg and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.2% MA: 10% |
13.7%Highest MA: 10% |
4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
84.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Highest 1 yr older than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1955 9 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 15% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
24 minLowest 18% below MA |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.3 MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
5.6%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Gardner and Colrain 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 | — | #273 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Mohawk Trail | Gardner | Clarksburg |
| High school in town | None in town | Gardner High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.5 |
— |
| 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.