Compare towns
Bernardston vs Chicopee vs Springfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bernardston has the most people working from home (12.7%).
Springfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.9%).
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 | Bernardston | Chicopee | Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,164Lowest |
55,295 |
154,749Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+0.5% MA: +7.4% |
+1.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49±3.2Highest 23% above MA |
41.9±1.4 5% above MA |
33.7±0.5Lowest 16% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 17.6%±3.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±1.7 MA: 19.4% |
24.2%±0.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.5%±1.4 MA: 17.9% |
13.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bernardston and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
22.9% MA: 47.3% |
20.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
7.5%±0.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,940±$10kHighest 21% below MA |
$62,615±$6k 40% below MA |
$52,656±$2kLowest 49% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $332,000±$15kHighest 41% below MA |
$274,500±$8k 51% below MA |
$245,000±$4kLowest 56% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,283±$553Highest 27% below MA |
$1,157±$50 34% below MA |
$1,144±$55Lowest 35% below MA |
| Bernardston and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,516Highest 25% below MA |
$3,847 36% below MA |
$3,695Lowest 38% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±15.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52%±5.6 MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±3.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Springfield and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
17.3% MA: 10% |
25.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
55.7% MA: 62.5% |
49.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 33% below MA |
21 minHighest 27% below MA |
20 min 31% below MA |
| Work from home | 12.7%±6.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
8%±1.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
8.4%±0.9 MA: 18.6% |
| Bernardston and Springfield 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 | — | #247 of 282 in MA | #276 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Pioneer Valley | Chicopee | Springfield |
| High school in town | None in town | Chicopee Comprehensive High School | Springfield Central High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Lowest |
12.2Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.