Compare towns
Colrain vs Proctor 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 oldest population (median age 49.6).
Proctor has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.3%).
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 | Proctor | Sheldon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,627Lowest |
1,794 |
2,267Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.6±8.7Highest 28% above U.S. |
42.4±6.4 9% above U.S. |
40.9±3.5Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Colrain and Proctor 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% |
21.8%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
23.7%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Sheldon and Proctor 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% |
22.4%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
12.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
14.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Proctor 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±$10kHighest about the U.S. average |
$74,167±$12kLowest 8% below U.S. |
$78,533±$25k about the U.S. average |
| Colrain and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $284,300±$14kHighest 15% below U.S. |
$209,900±$17kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$272,400±$61k 18% below U.S. |
| Colrain and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,102±$77 22% below U.S. |
$1,029±$202Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$1,286±$379Highest 9% below U.S. |
| Sheldon and Colrain 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. |
$4,032 29% above U.S. |
$3,578Lowest 15% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46%±22.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±27Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Colrain and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
16.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
89%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
25 min 5% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.4%±4.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
13%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sheldon and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Mohawk Trail | Quarry Valley Unified Union School District #70 | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 |
| High school in town | None in town | Proctor Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.7 |
— |
| 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.