What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bellingham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.8%).

Chicopee has the shortest commute (21 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.

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

Measure	Bellingham	Chicopee
People
Population	17,410Lowest	55,295Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.8%Highest MA: +7.4%	+0.5%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	38.2±1.5Lowest 4% below MA	41.9±1.4Highest 5% above MA
Kids under 18	22.1%±3.4Highest MA: 19.4%	19.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Bellingham and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	14.9%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9%	19.5%±1.4Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	40.1%Highest MA: 47.3%	22.9%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.2%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9%	3.7%±0.6Highest MA: 7.9%
	Chicopee and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$125,307±$10kHighest 21% above MA	$62,615±$6kLowest 40% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$450,700±$13kHighest 20% below MA	$274,500±$8kLowest 51% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,836±$196Highest 4% above MA	$1,157±$50Lowest 34% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,030Highest 16% below MA	$3,847Lowest 36% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	62.8%±16.6Highest MA: 51.8%	52%±5.6Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Bellingham and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.7%Lowest MA: 10%	17.3%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	78.9%Highest MA: 62.5%	55.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1973Highest 9 yrs newer than MA	1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	36 minHighest 24% above MA	21 minLowest 27% below MA
Work from home	18.3%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6%	8%±1.8Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#232 of 282 in MA	#247 of 282 in MA
School district	Bellingham	Chicopee
High school in town	Bellingham High School	Chicopee Comprehensive High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.4Highest	11.2Lowest
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.