Compare towns
Colrain vs Halifax vs Townsend 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).
Halifax has the most people working from home (29.9%).
Townsend has the most expensive homes ($433k median).
Leyden has the most homeowners (93.4%).
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 | Townsend | Leyden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,627 |
847 |
9,100Highest |
637Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.6±8.7 28% above U.S. |
40.6±13.1Lowest 4% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3 5% above U.S. |
53.2±8.2Highest 37% above U.S. |
| Leyden and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
25.4%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
13.8%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Halifax and Townsend 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% |
22.6%±7.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.6%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Colrain and Leyden 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.2%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.5%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Townsend 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 about the U.S. average |
$63,889±$7kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$105,893±$13k 31% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Leyden 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±$21kLowest 20% below U.S. |
$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$372,900±$24k 12% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,102±$77 22% below U.S. |
$875±$154Lowest 38% below U.S. |
$1,469±$313 4% above U.S. |
$1,917±$451Highest 36% above U.S. |
| Leyden and Townsend 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. |
$6,031Highest 93% above U.S. |
$4,651 49% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46%±22.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±73.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.9%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Halifax and Townsend 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% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 27% above U.S. |
33 minLowest 23% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
33 minLowest 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
29.9%±11.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
11%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #136 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Mohawk Trail | Halifax School District | North Middlesex | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | North Middlesex Regional | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 13.1 |
— |
| 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.