Compare towns
Colrain vs Proctor vs Wolcott vs Heath
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Proctor has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Wolcott has the most renters (20.5% rent).
Heath has the most people working from home (31.7%).
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 | Wolcott | Heath |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,627 |
1,794Highest |
1,507 |
765Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.6±8.7 28% above U.S. |
42.4±6.4Lowest 9% above U.S. |
42.4±5.9Lowest 9% above U.S. |
53.8±11.9Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Heath 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 U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Wolcott and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 30.4%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.4%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
11.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.6%±8.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Heath and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Proctor and Wolcott 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 |
$74,167±$12k 8% below U.S. |
$70,259±$10kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$98,750±$23kHighest 22% above U.S. |
| Heath 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. |
$209,900±$17kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$221,300±$23k 33% below U.S. |
$295,000±$45kHighest 11% below U.S. |
| Heath and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,102±$77Highest 22% below U.S. |
$1,029±$202Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$1,059±$118 25% below U.S. |
— |
| Colrain and Wolcott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,317 38% above U.S. |
$4,032 29% above U.S. |
$3,930Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$4,438Highest 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46%±22.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.3%±16.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
75.7%±21.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wolcott and Colrain 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% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 27% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
35 minHighest 32% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.4%±4.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
31.7%±17.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Heath and Wolcott 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 | Wolcott School District | — |
| 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 | 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.