Compare towns
Colrain vs Halifax vs Plainfield vs Whitingham
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 highest household income ($81k).
Halifax has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.9%).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Whitingham has the most affordable homes ($262k 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 | Halifax | Plainfield | Whitingham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,627Highest |
847Lowest |
1,314 |
1,368 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.6±8.7Highest 28% above U.S. |
40.6±13.1Lowest 4% above U.S. |
48.1±5.5 24% above U.S. |
46.4±7.1 19% above U.S. |
| Colrain and Plainfield 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% |
25.4%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Halifax and Whitingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 30.4%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±7.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31.1%±2.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Whitingham 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% |
44.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.2%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Colrain and Whitingham 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 about the U.S. average |
$63,889±$7kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$69,250±$31k 14% below U.S. |
$70,625±$11k 13% below U.S. |
| Colrain and Whitingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $284,300±$14k 15% below U.S. |
$267,500±$21k 20% below U.S. |
$318,400±$34kHighest 4% below U.S. |
$262,300±$30kLowest 21% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,102±$77 22% below U.S. |
$875±$154 38% below U.S. |
$1,153±$103Highest 18% below U.S. |
$673±$150Lowest 52% below U.S. |
| Plainfield 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. |
$4,991 60% above U.S. |
$4,806 54% above U.S. |
$5,055Highest 62% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46%±22.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±73.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.7%±47.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Whitingham 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% |
6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
15.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1974Highest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 27% above U.S. |
33 min 23% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
38 minHighest 44% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
29.9%±11.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.7%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Halifax and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Mohawk Trail | Halifax School District | — | Twin Valley Unified School District #75 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | Twin Valley Middle High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 7.8 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.