Compare towns
Colrain vs Millis vs Upton vs Leyden
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).
Millis has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Leyden has the most homeowners (93.4%).
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 | Millis | Upton | Leyden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,627 |
8,888Highest |
8,189 |
637Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+3.2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.6±8.7 24% above MA |
46.4±3Lowest 16% above MA |
46.4±4.8Lowest 16% above MA |
53.2±8.2Highest 33% 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% |
18.4%±2.8 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.8%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Millis 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% |
23.5%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
28.6%±2.7 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% |
54.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
40% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
0.5%±2.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Millis 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 22% below MA |
$155,996±$9kHighest 50% above MA |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$105,893±$13k about the MA average |
| Millis and Upton 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 |
$603,500±$31kHighest 7% above MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$372,900±$24k 34% below MA |
| Millis and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,102±$77 37% below MA |
$1,696±$279 4% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,917±$451Highest 9% above MA |
| Leyden and Millis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,317Lowest 28% below MA |
$9,344Highest 56% above MA |
$8,376 40% above MA |
$4,651 22% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46%±22.8 MA: 51.8% |
56.5%±16.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
42.9%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Millis and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.2% MA: 10% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
10.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5% MA: 62.5% |
83.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
93.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 15% above MA |
31 minLowest 5% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
33 min 12% above MA |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.5%±4.2 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
11%±5 MA: 18.6% |
| Upton and Millis 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 | — | #63 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Mohawk Trail | Millis | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Millis High School | Blackstone Valley | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7Lowest |
11.2Highest |
— |
| 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.