Compare towns
Colrain vs Windham vs Plainfield 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 affordable homes ($284k median).
Windham has the most people working from home (20.5%).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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 | Windham | Plainfield | Oakham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,627 |
594Lowest |
1,314 |
1,639Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -0.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.6±8.7Highest 28% above U.S. |
44.2±7.4Lowest 14% above U.S. |
48.1±5.5 24% 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% |
17.5%±7.9 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±3.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Oakham and Windham 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% |
23.2%±8.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.4%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Colrain and Windham 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% |
48.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Oakham 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±$10k about the U.S. average |
$94,500±$12k 17% above U.S. |
$69,250±$31kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$102,000±$20kHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Oakham and Windham 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. |
$353,900±$20k 6% above U.S. |
$318,400±$34k 4% below U.S. |
$420,100±$20kHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,102±$77Lowest 22% below U.S. |
— | $1,153±$103 18% below U.S. |
$1,174±$81Highest 17% below U.S. |
| Oakham and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,317 38% above U.S. |
$5,951Highest 91% above U.S. |
$4,806 54% above U.S. |
$4,103Lowest 32% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46%±22.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94 U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
27.8%±69.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield 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% |
9.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 27% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
39 minHighest 46% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.6%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Mohawk Trail | — | — | Quabbin |
| High school in town | None in town | — | — | None in town |
| 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.