Compare towns
Leyden vs Halifax vs Bernardston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Leyden has the highest household income ($106k).
Halifax has the most people working from home (29.9%).
Bernardston has the shortest commute (20 min average).
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 | Leyden | Halifax | Bernardston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 637Lowest |
847 |
2,164Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.2±8.2Highest 37% above U.S. |
40.6±13.1Lowest 4% above U.S. |
49±3.2 26% above U.S. |
| Leyden and Bernardston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.8%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25.4%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.6%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Halifax and Bernardston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.6%±2.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±7.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.9%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.5%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.2%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bernardston and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $105,893±$13kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$63,889±$7kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$81,940±$10k about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $372,900±$24kHighest 12% above U.S. |
$267,500±$21kLowest 20% below U.S. |
$332,000±$15k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,917±$451Highest 36% above U.S. |
$875±$154Lowest 38% below U.S. |
$1,283±$553 9% below U.S. |
| Leyden and Bernardston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,651 49% above U.S. |
$4,991Highest 60% above U.S. |
$4,516Lowest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±73.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±15.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Halifax and Leyden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11%±5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
29.9%±11.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.7%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Halifax and Bernardston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Halifax School District | Pioneer Valley |
| High school in town | — | None 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.

