Compare towns
Colrain vs Oakham vs Spencer
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).
Oakham has the highest household income ($102k).
Spencer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.6%).
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 | Oakham | Spencer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,627Lowest |
1,639 |
12,008Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
-2.7% MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.6±8.7Highest 24% above MA |
49±2.3 23% above MA |
48.9±6.8Lowest 22% 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% |
18.2%±3.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.4%±3.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Oakham and Spencer 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% |
21.4%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26%±4.4 MA: 17.9% |
| Colrain and Spencer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.3% MA: 47.3% |
40.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
29.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Spencer 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±$10k 22% below MA |
$102,000±$20kHighest about the MA average |
$80,533±$11kLowest 23% below MA |
| 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±$14kLowest 49% below MA |
$420,100±$20kHighest 25% below MA |
$382,000±$22k 32% below MA |
| Oakham and Spencer 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 |
$1,174±$81Highest 33% below MA |
$1,078±$161Lowest 39% below MA |
| Oakham and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,317 28% below MA |
$4,103Lowest 32% below MA |
$4,387Highest 27% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46%±22.8 MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±69.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
50.6%±10.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Spencer and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.2% MA: 10% |
4.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
11%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5% MA: 62.5% |
91.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
63%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minLowest 15% above MA |
39 minHighest 32% above MA |
34 min 18% above MA |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
9.6%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
15%±7.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Spencer and Oakham 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 | — | — | #261 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Mohawk Trail | Quabbin | Spencer-E Brookfield |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | David Prouty High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.9 |
| 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.