Compare towns
Colrain vs Oakham vs Sheldon
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 renters (13.5% rent).
Oakham has the most expensive homes ($420k median).
Sheldon has the most people working from home (13%).
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 | Oakham | Sheldon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,627Lowest |
1,639 |
2,267Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.6±8.7Highest 28% above U.S. |
49±2.3 26% above U.S. |
40.9±3.5Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
23.7%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Sheldon and Oakham 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% |
21.4%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
12.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
14.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Oakham 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±$10k about the U.S. average |
$102,000±$20kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$78,533±$25kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Oakham and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $284,300±$14k 15% below U.S. |
$420,100±$20kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$272,400±$61kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,102±$77Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,174±$81 17% below U.S. |
$1,286±$379Highest 9% below U.S. |
| Sheldon and Oakham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,317Highest 38% above U.S. |
$4,103 32% above U.S. |
$3,578Lowest 15% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46%±22.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
27.8%±69.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±27Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Colrain and Oakham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
89% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 27% above U.S. |
39 minHighest 46% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.6%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
13%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sheldon and Oakham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Mohawk Trail | Quabbin | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 |
| 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 |
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.