Compare towns
Colrain vs Gill vs Upton 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 oldest population (median age 49.6).
Gill has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Halifax has the most people working from home (29.9%).
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 | Gill | Upton | Halifax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,627 |
1,740 |
8,189Highest |
847Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.6±8.7Highest 28% above U.S. |
43.8±2.6 13% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
40.6±13.1Lowest 4% above U.S. |
| Colrain and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19%±8.7 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
25.4%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Halifax and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 30.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±7.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Colrain and Halifax 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% |
42.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.1%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $80,673±$10k about the U.S. average |
$90,208±$14k 12% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$63,889±$7kLowest 21% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $284,300±$14k 15% below U.S. |
$340,100±$17k about the U.S. average |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$267,500±$21kLowest 20% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,102±$77 22% below U.S. |
$1,193±$246Highest 16% below U.S. |
$948±$599 33% below U.S. |
$875±$154Lowest 38% below U.S. |
| Gill and Colrain 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. |
$4,318 38% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$4,991 60% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46%±22.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.7%±10.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±73.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gill and Halifax 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% |
5.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.3%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. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 27% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
33 min 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.9%±8 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
29.9%±11.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Halifax and Upton 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 | — | — | #46 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Mohawk Trail | Gill-Montague | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Halifax School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.2 |
— |
| 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.