Compare towns
Colrain vs Middlesex 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 most affordable homes ($284k median).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Leyden has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.2%).
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 | Middlesex | Leyden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,627 |
1,943Highest |
637Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.6±8.7 28% above U.S. |
44.4±3.9Lowest 14% above U.S. |
53.2±8.2Highest 37% 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% |
21.3%±3.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.8%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Middlesex 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% |
20.6%±3.7Lowest 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% |
54.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.5%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Middlesex and Colrain 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 about the U.S. average |
$109,632±$13kHighest 36% above U.S. |
$105,893±$13k 31% above U.S. |
| Middlesex and Leyden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $284,300±$14kLowest 15% below U.S. |
$376,300±$40kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$372,900±$24k 12% above U.S. |
| Middlesex and Leyden 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. |
$1,333±$359 6% below U.S. |
$1,917±$451Highest 36% above U.S. |
| Leyden and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,317Lowest 38% above U.S. |
$6,483Highest 108% above U.S. |
$4,651 49% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46%±22.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
27 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
33 min 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| School district | Mohawk Trail | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | — |
| High school in town | None 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.