Compare towns
Colrain vs Gill vs Webster vs Oakham
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).
Gill has the most people working from home (14.9%).
Webster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
Oakham has the most expensive homes ($420k 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 | Gill | Webster | Oakham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,627Lowest |
1,740 |
17,748Highest |
1,639 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.4% MA: +7.4% |
+6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-2.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.6±8.7Highest 24% above MA |
43.8±2.6 9% above MA |
39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average |
49±2.3 23% above MA |
| Colrain and Oakham 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% |
19%±8.7 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.2%±3.1 MA: 19.4% |
| Webster and Gill 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% |
21.1%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.4%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.3% MA: 47.3% |
42.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
25.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
40.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
7.1%±2.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.8%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Gill and Webster 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 |
$90,208±$14k 13% below MA |
$72,895±$6kLowest 30% below MA |
$102,000±$20kHighest about the MA average |
| Oakham and Gill 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 |
$340,100±$17k 39% below MA |
$361,500±$12k 36% below MA |
$420,100±$20kHighest 25% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,102±$77Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,193±$246 32% below MA |
$1,228±$81Highest 30% below MA |
$1,174±$81 33% below MA |
| Webster and Gill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,317 28% below MA |
$4,318Highest 28% below MA |
$3,999Lowest 33% below MA |
$4,103 32% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46%±22.8 MA: 51.8% |
62.7%±10.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±6.7 MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±69.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Gill 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% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
12.7%Highest MA: 10% |
4.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5% MA: 62.5% |
82.3% MA: 62.5% |
59.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
91.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 1 yr older than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA |
1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 15% above MA |
21 minLowest 29% below MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
39 minHighest 32% above MA |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.3 MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±8Highest MA: 18.6% |
8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
9.6%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Gill and Oakham 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 | — | — | #271 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Mohawk Trail | Gill-Montague | Webster | Quabbin |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Bartlett High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.6 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.