Compare towns
Colrain vs Mendon vs Oakham vs Heath
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).
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
Oakham has the most homeowners (91.6%).
Heath has the most people working from home (31.7%).
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 | Mendon | Oakham | Heath |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,627 |
6,325Highest |
1,639 |
765Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-2.7% MA: +7.4% |
+2.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.6±8.7 24% above MA |
44.1±4.4Lowest 10% above MA |
49±2.3 23% above MA |
53.8±11.9Highest 35% above MA |
| 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% |
22.8%±6.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.2%±3.1 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Mendon and Oakham 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% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.4%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
33.6%±8.2Highest 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%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
46.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
40.3% MA: 47.3% |
46.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.8%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±2.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Mendon and Oakham 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 |
$132,256±$33kHighest 27% above MA |
$102,000±$20k about the MA average |
$98,750±$23k 5% below MA |
| Mendon and Oakham 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 |
$616,000±$37kHighest 10% above MA |
$420,100±$20k 25% below MA |
$295,000±$45k 48% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,102±$77Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,840±$196Highest 4% above MA |
$1,174±$81 33% below MA |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,317 28% below MA |
$7,213Highest 20% above MA |
$4,103Lowest 32% below MA |
$4,438 26% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46%±22.8 MA: 51.8% |
78.7%±26Highest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±69.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
40%±100 MA: 51.8% |
| Mendon and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.2%Highest MA: 10% |
7.1% MA: 10% |
4.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.9% MA: 62.5% |
91.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
88.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 15% above MA |
30 minLowest 4% above MA |
39 minHighest 32% above MA |
35 min 20% above MA |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
15.1%±5.7 MA: 18.6% |
9.6%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
31.7%±17.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Heath and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #210 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | Mohawk Trail | Mendon-Upton | Quabbin | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.