Compare towns
Colrain vs Halifax vs Upton vs Otis
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%).
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k median).
Otis has the most homeowners (89.7%).
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 | Upton | Otis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,627 |
847Lowest |
8,189Highest |
1,624 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.6±8.7 28% above U.S. |
40.6±13.1Lowest 4% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
51±3.2Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Otis 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% |
23.2%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±4.8Lowest 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% |
22.6%±7.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Colrain and Otis 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% |
44.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Otis 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. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$108,898±$6k 35% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $284,300±$14k 15% below U.S. |
$267,500±$21kLowest 20% below U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$396,700±$40k 19% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,102±$77 22% below U.S. |
$875±$154Lowest 38% below U.S. |
$948±$599 33% below U.S. |
$1,318±$924Highest 7% below U.S. |
| Otis and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,317 38% above U.S. |
$4,991 60% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$2,408Lowest 23% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46%±22.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±73.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Otis 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% |
6% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7%Highest 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. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 27% above U.S. |
33 minLowest 23% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
34 min 27% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
29.9%±11.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.7 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 | Halifax School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Farmington River Reg |
| 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.