Compare towns
Colrain vs Williamstown vs Oakham
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 renters (13.5% rent).
Williamstown has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.7%).
Oakham has the most expensive homes ($420k median).
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 | Williamstown | Oakham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,627Lowest |
3,579Highest |
1,639 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.6±8.7Highest 28% above U.S. |
42±5Lowest 8% above U.S. |
49±2.3 26% above U.S. |
| Colrain and Oakham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Williamstown and Oakham 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% |
17%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.4%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
17.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Williamstown and Oakham 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 |
$94,418±$10k 17% above U.S. |
$102,000±$20kHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Oakham and Williamstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $284,300±$14k 15% below U.S. |
$234,900±$24kLowest 29% below U.S. |
$420,100±$20kHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,102±$77Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,659±$189Highest 17% above U.S. |
$1,174±$81 17% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,317Highest 38% above U.S. |
$3,841Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$4,103 32% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46%±22.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
83.7%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
27.8%±69.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Williamstown 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% |
8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 27% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 12% below U.S. |
39 minHighest 46% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.6%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Williamstown and Oakham 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 | — | #47 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Mohawk Trail | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 | Quabbin |
| High school in town | None in town | Williamstown Middle/High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.5 |
— |
| 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.