Compare towns
Colrain vs Heath vs Webster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
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%).
Webster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
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 | Webster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,627 |
765Lowest |
17,748Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.4% MA: +7.4% |
+6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.6±8.7 24% above MA |
53.8±11.9Highest 35% above MA |
39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average |
| 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 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Webster 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 MA: 17.9% |
33.6%±8.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| 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% MA: 47.3% |
46.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
25.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±2.8 MA: 7.9% |
5.8%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Webster and Heath 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 22% below MA |
$98,750±$23kHighest 5% below MA |
$72,895±$6kLowest 30% below MA |
| Heath and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $284,300±$14kLowest 49% below MA |
$295,000±$45k 48% below MA |
$361,500±$12kHighest 36% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,102±$77Lowest 37% below MA |
— | $1,228±$81Highest 30% below MA |
| Webster and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,317 28% below MA |
$4,438Highest 26% below MA |
$3,999Lowest 33% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46%±22.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
40%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±6.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Colrain and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.2% MA: 10% |
6.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
12.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5% MA: 62.5% |
88.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
59.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 1 yr older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 15% above MA |
35 minHighest 20% above MA |
31 minLowest 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.3 MA: 18.6% |
31.7%±17.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #271 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Mohawk Trail | — | Webster |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Bartlett High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.6 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.