Compare towns
Colrain vs Gorham vs Halifax vs Leyden
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).
Gorham has the most affordable homes ($162k median).
Halifax has the most people working from home (29.9%).
Leyden has the highest household income ($106k).
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 | Gorham | Halifax | Leyden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,627 |
2,682Highest |
847 |
637Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.6±8.7 28% above U.S. |
53.9±3.6Highest 39% above U.S. |
40.6±13.1Lowest 4% above U.S. |
53.2±8.2 37% above U.S. |
| Gorham and Leyden 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% |
12.5%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25.4%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.8%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 30.4%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
31.7%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±7.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.6%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Gorham and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
20.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±2.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.2%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.5%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $80,673±$10k about the U.S. average |
$61,275±$7kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$63,889±$7k 21% below U.S. |
$105,893±$13kHighest 31% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $284,300±$14k 15% below U.S. |
$161,600±$49kLowest 51% below U.S. |
$267,500±$21k 20% below U.S. |
$372,900±$24kHighest 12% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,102±$77 22% below U.S. |
$838±$83Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$875±$154 38% below U.S. |
$1,917±$451Highest 36% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,317Lowest 38% above U.S. |
$4,334 39% above U.S. |
$4,991Highest 60% above U.S. |
$4,651 49% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46%±22.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±20.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±73.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.9%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Halifax and Colrain 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% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
33 min 23% above U.S. |
33 min 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
1.7%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
29.9%±11.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #57 of 120 in NH | — | — |
| School district | Mohawk Trail | Gorham Randolph Shelburne Cooperative School District | Halifax School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Gorham High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.0 |
— | — |
| 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.