Compare towns
Colrain vs Leyden vs Plainfield
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).
Leyden has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.2%).
Plainfield has the most people working from home (16.4%).
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 | Leyden | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,627Highest |
637Lowest |
1,314 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.6±8.7 28% above U.S. |
53.2±8.2Highest 37% above U.S. |
48.1±5.5Lowest 24% 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% |
13.8%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield 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% |
28.6%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest 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% |
40% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.5%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Colrain and Plainfield 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 |
$105,893±$13kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$69,250±$31kLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $284,300±$14kLowest 15% below U.S. |
$372,900±$24kHighest 12% above U.S. |
$318,400±$34k 4% below U.S. |
| Leyden and Plainfield 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. |
$1,153±$103 18% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,317Lowest 38% above U.S. |
$4,651 49% above U.S. |
$4,806Highest 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46%±22.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.9%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Colrain 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% |
10.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
33 min 23% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plainfield and Leyden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Mohawk Trail | — | — |
| High school 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.