Compare towns
Colrain vs Sheffield vs Leyden
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 housing (typical home built 1963).
Sheffield has the most affordable homes ($172k median).
Leyden has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.2%).
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 | Sheffield | Leyden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,627Highest |
573Lowest |
637 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.6±8.7 28% above U.S. |
42±8Lowest 8% above U.S. |
53.2±8.2Highest 37% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
17.1%±6.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.8%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Sheffield 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.2%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.6%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
27.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±4.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.5%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Sheffield 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±$10k about the U.S. average |
$58,333±$26kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$105,893±$13kHighest 31% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $284,300±$14k 15% below U.S. |
$171,900±$50kLowest 48% below U.S. |
$372,900±$24kHighest 12% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,102±$77 22% below U.S. |
$967±$79Lowest 32% below U.S. |
$1,917±$451Highest 36% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,317 38% above U.S. |
$2,123Lowest 32% below U.S. |
$4,651Highest 49% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46%±22.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
61.5%±41.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.9%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Sheffield 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% |
6.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
30 minLowest 14% above U.S. |
33 min 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.1%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Leyden and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Mohawk Trail | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| 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.