Compare towns
Colrain vs Walden vs Wells
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 expensive homes ($284k median).
Walden has the most people working from home (21.4%).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.6%).
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 | Walden | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,627Highest |
1,037Lowest |
1,148 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.6±8.7 28% above U.S. |
48.8±3.2Lowest 25% above U.S. |
50.7±5.2Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Wells and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±4.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Colrain and Wells 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% |
20.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.5%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Colrain and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Walden and Wells 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 |
$88,000±$15kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$75,417±$11kLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Walden 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±$14kHighest 15% below U.S. |
$238,900±$23kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$243,000±$42k 27% below U.S. |
| Colrain and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,102±$77 22% below U.S. |
$900±$136Lowest 36% below U.S. |
$1,313±$282Highest 7% below U.S. |
| Wells and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,317Highest 38% above U.S. |
$3,944 26% above U.S. |
$3,308Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46%±22.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.3%±86.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.5%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wells and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
15.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 27% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
48 minHighest 80% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.4%±6.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.3%±6.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Walden and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Mohawk Trail | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.