Compare towns
Sandgate vs Colrain vs Jay vs Ira
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).
Colrain has the highest household income ($81k).
Jay has the most homeowners (97%).
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 | Sandgate | Colrain | Jay | Ira |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 435 |
1,627Highest |
471 |
381Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 55.7±5.4Highest 43% above U.S. |
49.6±8.7Lowest 28% above U.S. |
52.1±10.5 34% above U.S. |
54.1±5.5 39% 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 | 13.1%±7.5 U.S.: 22% |
15.3%±4.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.2%±7.3 U.S.: 22% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Colrain and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26%±11.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.9%±3.3 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+ | 37.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±3.5Highest 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 | $69,167±$19kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$80,673±$10kHighest about the U.S. average |
$74,792±$25k 7% below U.S. |
$71,827±$5k 11% below U.S. |
| Colrain and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $193,800±$31kLowest 42% below U.S. |
$284,300±$14kHighest 15% below U.S. |
$234,200±$45k 30% below U.S. |
$272,900±$18k 18% 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 | — | $1,102±$77Highest 22% below U.S. |
— | $942±$52Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,778Lowest 11% below U.S. |
$4,317Highest 38% above U.S. |
$3,588 15% above U.S. |
$4,146 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46%±22.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
36.4%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Colrain and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
14.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
97%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
2001Highest 21 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 3% above U.S. |
34 min 27% above U.S. |
40 minHighest 50% above U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 34.6%±32.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.4%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.3%±13.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sandgate and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Mohawk Trail | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | — |
| 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.