Compare towns
Colrain vs Townshend vs Windham 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
Colrain has the most affordable homes ($284k median).
Townshend has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Windham has the most expensive homes ($354k median).
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 | Townshend | Windham | Heath |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,627Highest |
1,538 |
594Lowest |
765 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.6±8.7 28% above U.S. |
55.6±9.6Highest 43% above U.S. |
44.2±7.4Lowest 14% above U.S. |
53.8±11.9 38% above U.S. |
| Townshend and Heath 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% |
12%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±2.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Windham 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±6.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±8.1 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±2.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Heath 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 |
$78,750±$29kLowest about the U.S. average |
$94,500±$12k 17% above U.S. |
$98,750±$23kHighest 22% above U.S. |
| Heath and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $284,300±$14kLowest 15% below U.S. |
$287,200±$79k 14% below U.S. |
$353,900±$20kHighest 6% above U.S. |
$295,000±$45k 11% below U.S. |
| Windham and Heath 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. |
$1,074±$80Lowest 24% below U.S. |
— | — |
| Colrain and Townshend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,317Lowest 38% above U.S. |
$5,364 72% above U.S. |
$5,951Highest 91% above U.S. |
$4,438 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46%±22.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
72.5%±23.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94 U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townshend 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% |
8.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 27% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 5% 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% |
28%±18.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
31.7%±17.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Heath and Townshend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Mohawk Trail | West River Valley Union Education District #72B · West River Valley Union Education District #72A | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Leland & Gray Union Middle & High School | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.1 |
— | — |
| 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.