Compare towns
Colrain vs Gardner vs Granville
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).
Gardner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.2%).
Granville has the most expensive homes ($356k median).
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 | Granville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,627Lowest |
21,148Highest |
1,846 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-1.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.6±8.7 24% above MA |
43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
50.1±3.5Highest 25% above MA |
| Granville 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%±3.7 MA: 19.4% |
| Gardner and Granville 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% |
24.9%±2.8 MA: 17.9% |
| Colrain and Granville 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% |
34.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Gardner 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±$10k 22% below MA |
$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
$84,375±$14kHighest 19% below MA |
| Granville 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±$14kLowest 49% below MA |
$301,600±$20k 46% below MA |
$356,300±$25kHighest 37% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,102±$77Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,109±$51 37% below MA |
$1,292±$781Highest 27% below MA |
| Granville 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 |
$4,150Lowest 31% below MA |
$4,284 29% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46%±22.8 MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
23.1%±51.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Gardner and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
13.7%Highest MA: 10% |
10.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5% MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
93.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 1 yr older than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1966Highest 2 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 15% above MA |
31 minLowest 5% above MA |
39 minHighest 34% above MA |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
15.3%±6.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Granville and Gardner 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 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Gardner High | — |
| 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.