Compare towns
Colrain vs Webster 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 most affordable homes ($284k median).
Webster has the most people working from home (17.1%).
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 | Webster | Leyden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,627 |
2,227Highest |
637Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.6±8.7 28% above U.S. |
44.7±7.6Lowest 15% 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% |
22.6%±8Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.8%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Webster 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% |
19.4%±1.3Lowest 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% |
30.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.5%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Webster 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±$10kLowest about the U.S. average |
$107,171±$14kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$105,893±$13k 31% above U.S. |
| Webster and Leyden 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. |
$338,500±$30k about the U.S. average |
$372,900±$24kHighest 12% above U.S. |
| Leyden and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,102±$77Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,396±$622 about the U.S. average |
$1,917±$451Highest 36% above U.S. |
| Leyden and Webster 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. |
$6,021Highest 93% above U.S. |
$4,651 49% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46%±22.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
53.6%±71Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.9%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Webster and Colrain 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% |
9.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
31 minLowest 16% above U.S. |
33 min 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.1%±3.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Webster and Leyden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Mohawk Trail | Merrimack Valley School District | — |
| 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.