Compare towns
Colrain vs Upton vs Leyden vs Halifax
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 most expensive homes ($577k median).
Leyden has the most homeowners (93.4%).
Halifax has the most people working from home (29.9%).
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 | Leyden | Halifax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,627 |
8,189Highest |
637Lowest |
847 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.6±8.7 28% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
53.2±8.2Highest 37% above U.S. |
40.6±13.1Lowest 4% 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% |
23.2%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
13.8%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25.4%±5.3Highest 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%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.6%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±7.2 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.9% 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% |
0.5%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.2%±0.9 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. |
$105,893±$13k 31% above U.S. |
$63,889±$7kLowest 21% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $284,300±$14k 15% below U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$372,900±$24k 12% above U.S. |
$267,500±$21kLowest 20% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,102±$77 22% below U.S. |
$948±$599 33% below U.S. |
$1,917±$451Highest 36% above U.S. |
$875±$154Lowest 38% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,317Lowest 38% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$4,651 49% above U.S. |
$4,991 60% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46%±22.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.9%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±73.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Halifax and Upton 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% |
10.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 27% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
33 minLowest 23% above U.S. |
33 minLowest 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
11%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
29.9%±11.9Highest 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 |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | — | 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.