Compare towns
Colrain vs Jay vs Windham 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).
Jay has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Windham has the shortest commute (27 min average).
Leyden has the highest household income ($106k).
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 | Jay | Windham | Leyden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,627Highest |
471Lowest |
594 |
637 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.6±8.7 28% above U.S. |
52.1±10.5 34% above U.S. |
44.2±7.4Lowest 14% above U.S. |
53.2±8.2Highest 37% above U.S. |
| Leyden and Jay 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% |
14.2%±7.3 U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.8%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Colrain 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% |
15.5%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±8.1 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.9%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.5%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Colrain and Jay 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 |
$74,792±$25kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$94,500±$12k 17% above U.S. |
$105,893±$13kHighest 31% above U.S. |
| Leyden and Windham 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. |
$234,200±$45kLowest 30% below U.S. |
$353,900±$20k 6% above U.S. |
$372,900±$24kHighest 12% above U.S. |
| Leyden and Windham 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. |
— | — | $1,917±$451Highest 36% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,317 38% above U.S. |
$3,588Lowest 15% above U.S. |
$5,951Highest 91% above U.S. |
$4,651 49% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46%±22.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.9%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Colrain and Leyden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
97%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
2001Highest 21 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 27% above U.S. |
40 minHighest 50% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
33 min 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.3%±13.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
11%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Jay and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Mohawk Trail | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | — |
| 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.