Compare towns
Colrain vs Heath vs Sharon
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 most affordable homes ($284k median).
Heath has the most people working from home (31.7%).
Sharon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.9%).
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 | Heath | Sharon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,627Highest |
765Lowest |
1,577 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.6±8.7 28% above U.S. |
53.8±11.9Highest 38% above U.S. |
45.6±7.7Lowest 17% above U.S. |
| Heath 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% |
13.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21%±5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Sharon and Colrain 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% |
33.6%±8.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.1%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Heath 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±2.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Heath 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±$10kLowest about the U.S. average |
$98,750±$23kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$84,375±$17k 5% above U.S. |
| Heath and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $284,300±$14kLowest 15% below U.S. |
$295,000±$45k 11% below U.S. |
$346,700±$37kHighest 4% above U.S. |
| Sharon and Heath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,102±$77Lowest 22% below U.S. |
— | $1,386±$155Highest about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,317Lowest 38% above U.S. |
$4,438 42% above U.S. |
$5,903Highest 89% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46%±22.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
19.8%±17.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Colrain and Heath 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% |
6.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 27% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 32% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
31.7%±17.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.7%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Heath and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Mohawk Trail | — | Sharon School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.