What stands out worked out from the figures below

Webster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.9%).

Colrain has the most homeowners (86.5%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Webster	Colrain
People
Population	12,228Highest	1,627Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.9%Highest MA: +7.4%	-3.9%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	37.2±2.1Lowest 7% below MA	49.6±8.7Highest 24% above MA
Kids under 18	21.8%±3.6Highest MA: 19.4%	15.3%±4.2Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Webster and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	15.7%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9%	30.4%±4.1Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	18.8%Lowest MA: 47.3%	37.3%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9%	2.8%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$63,837±$8kLowest 39% below MA	$80,673±$10kHighest 22% below MA
	Colrain and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$333,100±$14kHighest 41% below MA	$284,300±$14kLowest 49% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,198±$85Highest 32% below MA	$1,102±$77Lowest 37% below MA
	Webster and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,234Lowest 46% below MA	$4,317Highest 28% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.1%±7.4Highest MA: 51.8%	46%±22.8Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Webster and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	16%Highest MA: 10%	7.2%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	45.5%Lowest MA: 62.5%	86.5%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA	1963Highest 1 yr older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minLowest 5% below MA	34 minHighest 15% above MA
Work from home	7.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6%	8.4%±2.3Highest MA: 18.6%
	Colrain and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#271 of 282 in MA	—
School district	—	Mohawk Trail
High school in town	—	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

MA 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.