Compare towns

Colrain vs Leyden vs Upton

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).
Leyden has the most homeowners (93.4%).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).

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.

MeasureColrainLeydenUpton
People
Population
1,627
637Lowest
8,189Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-3.9%Lowest
MA: +7.4%
+3.2%
MA: +7.4%
+6.1%Highest
MA: +7.4%
Median age
49.6±8.7
24% above MA
53.2±8.2Highest
33% above MA
46.4±4.8Lowest
16% above MA
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
MA: 19.4%
13.8%±3.6Lowest
MA: 19.4%
23.2%±4.5Highest
MA: 19.4%
Upton 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
MA: 17.9%
28.6%±2.7
MA: 17.9%
20.7%±4.9Lowest
MA: 17.9%
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
MA: 47.3%
40%
MA: 47.3%
53.5%Highest
MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
2.8%±1.1Highest
MA: 7.9%
0.5%±2.3Lowest
MA: 7.9%
2.4%±1.3
MA: 7.9%
Colrain and Upton 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
22% below MA
$105,893±$13k
about the MA average
$155,508±$33kHighest
50% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$284,300±$14kLowest
49% below MA
$372,900±$24k
34% below MA
$576,700±$41kHighest
about the MA average
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,102±$77
37% below MA
$1,917±$451Highest
9% above MA
$948±$599Lowest
46% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,317Lowest
28% below MA
$4,651
22% below MA
$8,376Highest
40% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
46%±22.8
MA: 51.8%
42.9%±100Lowest
MA: 51.8%
52.8%±31Highest
MA: 51.8%
Upton and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
7.2%
MA: 10%
10.8%Highest
MA: 10%
3.2%Lowest
MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
86.5%Lowest
MA: 62.5%
93.4%Highest
MA: 62.5%
86.7%
MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year
1963Lowest
1 yr older than MA
1976
12 yrs newer than MA
1981Highest
17 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
34 min
15% above MA
33 minLowest
12% above MA
35 minHighest
22% above MA
Work from home
8.4%±2.3Lowest
MA: 18.6%
11%±5
MA: 18.6%
22.8%±5.3Highest
MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading — — #46 of 282 in MA
School district Mohawk Trail — Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton
High school in town None in town — Blackstone Valley
Students per teacherat that high school — —
11.2
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.