Compare towns
Ira vs Colrain vs Sandgate
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 kids (15.3% under 18).
Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).
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 | Ira | Colrain | Sandgate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 381Lowest |
1,627Highest |
435 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 54.1±5.5 39% above U.S. |
49.6±8.7Lowest 28% above U.S. |
55.7±5.4Highest 43% above U.S. |
| Sandgate and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 10.5%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.3%±4.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±7.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Colrain and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.9%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
26%±11.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Colrain and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±3.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ira and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,827±$5k 11% below U.S. |
$80,673±$10kHighest about the U.S. average |
$69,167±$19kLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Colrain and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,900±$18k 18% below U.S. |
$284,300±$14kHighest 15% below U.S. |
$193,800±$31kLowest 42% below U.S. |
| Colrain and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $942±$52Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,102±$77Highest 22% below U.S. |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,146 33% above U.S. |
$4,317Highest 38% above U.S. |
$2,778Lowest 11% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
46%±22.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Colrain and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 6% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
27 minLowest 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.4%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
34.6%±32.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sandgate and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Mohawk Trail | — |
| High school 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.