Compare towns
Jay vs Windham vs Colrain vs Richford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Jay has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Windham has the most expensive homes ($354k median).
Richford has the most affordable homes ($177k 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 | Jay | Windham | Colrain | Richford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 471Lowest |
594 |
1,627 |
2,467Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.1±10.5Highest 34% above U.S. |
44.2±7.4 14% above U.S. |
49.6±8.7 28% above U.S. |
39±3.6Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Jay and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.2%±7.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9 U.S.: 22% |
15.3%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Richford and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±8.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.4%±4.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Colrain and Richford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
20.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.4%±3.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Richford and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $74,792±$25k 7% below U.S. |
$94,500±$12kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$80,673±$10k about the U.S. average |
$56,853±$13kLowest 30% below U.S. |
| Windham and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $234,200±$45k 30% below U.S. |
$353,900±$20kHighest 6% above U.S. |
$284,300±$14k 15% below U.S. |
$176,600±$16kLowest 47% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | — | $1,102±$77Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,160±$66Highest 18% below U.S. |
| Richford and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588 15% above U.S. |
$5,951Highest 91% above U.S. |
$4,317 38% above U.S. |
$3,300Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94 U.S.: 51.1% |
46%±22.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±15.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Richford and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
19.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 2001Highest 21 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 40 minHighest 50% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
34 min 27% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 27.3%±13.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.4%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.8%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Jay and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District | — | Mohawk Trail | Enosburgh-Richford Unified Union School District #88 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town | Richford Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 9.1 |
| 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.