Compare towns
Stratton vs Colrain vs Hancock vs Wardsboro
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Stratton has the highest household income ($123k).
Colrain has the oldest housing (typical home built 1963).
Hancock has the most affordable homes ($188k median).
Wardsboro has the most people working from home (13.3%).
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 | Stratton | Colrain | Hancock | Wardsboro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 532 |
1,627Highest |
435Lowest |
820 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -3.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 31.5±4.1Lowest 19% below U.S. |
49.6±8.7 28% above U.S. |
33.8±11.6 13% below U.S. |
51.6±7.3Highest 33% above U.S. |
| Wardsboro and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 28%±7.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.3%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±5.8 U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±6.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Stratton and Wardsboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 11.7%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.4%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Colrain and Wardsboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
38.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±3.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.9%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hancock and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $122,708±$33kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$80,673±$10k about the U.S. average |
$76,250±$34k 6% below U.S. |
$62,000±$6kLowest 23% below U.S. |
| Stratton and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $400,000±$50kHighest 20% above U.S. |
$284,300±$14k 15% below U.S. |
$187,900±$11kLowest 44% below U.S. |
$299,300±$47k 10% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,208±$979 15% below U.S. |
$1,102±$77 22% below U.S. |
$939±$19Lowest 34% below U.S. |
$1,479±$224Highest 5% above U.S. |
| Wardsboro and Stratton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,750Highest 52% above U.S. |
$4,317 38% above U.S. |
$3,511Lowest 13% above U.S. |
$4,345 39% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 12%±69.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
46%±22.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
3.5%±16.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.5%±58Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wardsboro and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 0%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 24% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 3.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.4%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.7%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±5.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wardsboro and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Mohawk Trail | — | River Valleys Unified School District #73 |
| 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.