Compare towns
Colrain vs Upton vs Halifax vs Charlemont
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).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Halifax has the most people working from home (29.9%).
Charlemont has the oldest population (median age 59.6).
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 | Upton | Halifax | Charlemont |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,627 |
8,189Highest |
847Lowest |
1,118 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.6±8.7 28% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
40.6±13.1Lowest 4% above U.S. |
59.6±6.7Highest 53% above U.S. |
| Charlemont 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% |
23.2%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
25.4%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
7%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Halifax and Upton 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% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±7.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
41.1%±10.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Charlemont 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% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
29%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.2%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
1%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Colrain and Upton 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 |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$63,889±$7k 21% below U.S. |
$53,063±$12kLowest 34% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $284,300±$14k 15% below U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$267,500±$21kLowest 20% below U.S. |
$305,500±$52k 8% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,102±$77Highest 22% below U.S. |
$948±$599 33% below U.S. |
$875±$154Lowest 38% below U.S. |
$1,023±$126 28% below U.S. |
| Colrain and Charlemont 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. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$4,991 60% above U.S. |
$4,351 39% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46%±22.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±73.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.1%±18.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Halifax and Charlemont 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% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6% U.S.: 12.5% |
14.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
78.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 27% above U.S. |
35 min 34% above U.S. |
33 minLowest 23% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 40% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
29.9%±11.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.5%±6.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Halifax and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #46 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | Mohawk Trail | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Halifax School District | Hawlemont |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2 |
— | — |
| 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.