Compare towns
Heath vs Cavendish 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
Heath has the most people working from home (31.7%).
Cavendish has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Colrain has the most affordable homes ($284k 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 | Heath | Cavendish | Colrain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 765Lowest |
1,242 |
1,627Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.8±11.9Highest 38% above U.S. |
45.2±5.9Lowest 16% above U.S. |
49.6±8.7 28% above U.S. |
| Heath and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±4.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.3%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Cavendish and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 33.6%±8.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.6%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.4%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Heath and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cavendish and Heath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $98,750±$23kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$89,063±$29k 10% above U.S. |
$80,673±$10kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Heath and Cavendish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $295,000±$45kHighest 11% below U.S. |
$285,100±$40k 14% below U.S. |
$284,300±$14kLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Heath and Cavendish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,000±$546Lowest 29% below U.S. |
$1,102±$77Highest 22% below U.S. |
| Colrain and Cavendish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,438Highest 42% above U.S. |
$3,948Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$4,317 38% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
28.9%±27Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46%±22.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Colrain and Heath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 32% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
34 min 27% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 31.7%±17.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.5%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.4%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Heath and Cavendish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Mohawk Trail |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 18 photos → | 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.