Compare towns
Colrain vs Needham vs Oakham
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).
Needham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Oakham has the most homeowners (91.6%).
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 | Needham | Oakham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,627Lowest |
32,459Highest |
1,639 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-2.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.6±8.7Highest 24% above MA |
43.1±1.6Lowest 8% above MA |
49±2.3 23% above MA |
| Colrain and Oakham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±4.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.2%±3.1 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 30.4%±4.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.4%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
40.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Needham 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 |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$102,000±$20k about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $284,300±$14kLowest 49% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$420,100±$20k 25% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,102±$77Lowest 37% below MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,174±$81 33% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,317 28% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,103Lowest 32% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46%±22.8 MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±69.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Needham 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% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5% MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
91.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 15% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
39 minHighest 32% above MA |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
9.6%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #19 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Mohawk Trail | Needham | Quabbin |
| High school in town | None in town | Needham High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.9 |
— |
| 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.