Compare towns
Halifax vs Brandon vs Colrain
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Halifax has the most people working from home (29.9%).
Brandon has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Colrain has the highest household income ($81k).
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 | Halifax | Brandon | Colrain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 847Lowest |
4,120Highest |
1,627 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.6±13.1Lowest 4% above U.S. |
50.1±3.1Highest 29% above U.S. |
49.6±8.7 28% above U.S. |
| Brandon and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25.4%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
15.3%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Halifax and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±7.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.3%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Colrain and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Colrain and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $63,889±$7kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$64,180±$12k 21% below U.S. |
$80,673±$10kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Colrain and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $267,500±$21k 20% below U.S. |
$227,800±$23kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$284,300±$14kHighest 15% below U.S. |
| Colrain and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $875±$154Lowest 38% below U.S. |
$1,064±$225 25% below U.S. |
$1,102±$77Highest 22% below U.S. |
| Colrain and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,991Highest 60% above U.S. |
$4,241Lowest 36% above U.S. |
$4,317 38% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.1%±73.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±15.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46%±22.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Halifax and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Highest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 23% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 29.9%±11.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.9%±5.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.4%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #69 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Halifax School District | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 | Mohawk Trail |
| High school in town | None in town | Otter Valley Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.9 |
— |
| 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.