Compare towns
Colrain vs Plympton 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).
Plympton has the most people working from home (19.3%).
Leyden has the oldest population (median age 53.2).
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 | Plympton | Leyden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,627 |
2,935Highest |
637Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.6±8.7 24% above MA |
46.4±4.2Lowest 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% |
21.6%±5Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.8%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Plympton 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% |
22.7%±5Lowest 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% |
38.4% MA: 47.3% |
40%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
3.2%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
0.5%±2.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Plympton 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 |
$126,736±$20kHighest 22% above MA |
$105,893±$13k about the MA average |
| Plympton and Leyden 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 |
$517,800±$52kHighest 8% below MA |
$372,900±$24k 34% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,102±$77 37% below MA |
$555±$148Lowest 69% below MA |
$1,917±$451Highest 9% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,317Lowest 28% below MA |
$6,628Highest 11% above MA |
$4,651 22% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46%±22.8 MA: 51.8% |
50.8%±40.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
42.9%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Plympton and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
10.3% MA: 10% |
10.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
93.1% MA: 62.5% |
93.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 15% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
33 minLowest 12% above MA |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±6Highest MA: 18.6% |
11%±5 MA: 18.6% |
| Plympton and Leyden 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 | — | #110 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Mohawk Trail | Plympton | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| 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.