What stands out worked out from the figures below

Colrain has the most renters (13.5% rent).

Peru has the most people working from home (10.3%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Colrain	Peru
People
Population	1,627Highest	630Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-3.9% MA: +7.4%	-3.9% MA: +7.4%
Median age	49.6±8.7Lowest 24% above MA	52.6±4.8Highest 32% above MA
	Peru and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	15.3%±4.2Lowest MA: 19.4%	16.3%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4%
	Peru 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 MA: 17.9%	29.7%±6.9Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Colrain and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	37.3%Highest MA: 47.3%	28%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.8%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9%	3.2%±2Highest MA: 7.9%
	Peru 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	$90,750±$18kHighest 13% below MA
	Peru 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±$14kHighest 49% below MA	$267,400±$15kLowest 52% below MA
	Colrain and Peru 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	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,317Highest 28% below MA	$3,805Lowest 36% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46%±22.8Highest MA: 51.8%	0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Colrain and Peru 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%	3.2%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	86.5%Lowest MA: 62.5%	98.2%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA	1983Highest 19 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	34 minHighest 15% above MA	31 minLowest 7% above MA
Work from home	8.4%±2.3Lowest MA: 18.6%	10.3%±4.8Highest MA: 18.6%
	Peru and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	Mohawk Trail	—
High school in town	None in town	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.