Compare towns
Colrain vs Rowe vs Heath
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 shortest commute (34 min average).
Rowe has the most kids (23% under 18).
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 | Rowe | Heath |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,627Highest |
453Lowest |
765 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
— | +2.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.6±8.7 24% above MA |
48.9±6.4Lowest 22% above MA |
53.8±11.9Highest 35% above MA |
| 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 MA: 19.4% |
23%±5Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Rowe and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.4%±4.1 MA: 17.9% |
30.2%±8.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
33.6%±8.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| 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% MA: 47.3% |
26.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
46.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±2.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,673±$10k 22% below MA |
$69,583±$13kLowest 33% below MA |
$98,750±$23kHighest 5% below MA |
| 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 49% below MA |
$275,000±$41kLowest 51% below MA |
$295,000±$45kHighest 48% below MA |
| 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±$77Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,313±$576Highest 25% below MA |
— |
| Rowe 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 |
$1,458Lowest 76% below MA |
$4,438Highest 26% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46%±22.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
11.8%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
40%±100 MA: 51.8% |
| Colrain and Heath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.2% MA: 10% |
15.8%Highest MA: 10% |
6.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
90.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
88.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 1 yr older than MA |
1959Lowest 5 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minLowest 15% above MA |
36 minHighest 22% above MA |
35 min 20% above MA |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.3 MA: 18.6% |
7.2%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
31.7%±17.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| School district | Mohawk Trail | Rowe | — |
| 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.