Compare towns
Chelsea vs Chicopee vs Boston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chelsea has grown the fastest since 2010 (+15.9%).
Chicopee has the most homeowners (55.7%).
Boston has the most people working from home (21.3%).
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 | Chelsea | Chicopee | Boston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 39,908Lowest |
55,295 |
666,442Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +15.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+0.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 34.4±1.3 14% below MA |
41.9±1.4Highest 5% above MA |
33.3±0.2Lowest 17% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 24.4%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±1.7 MA: 19.4% |
15.1%±0.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 10.5%±1.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.5%±1.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
13%±0.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
22.9% MA: 47.3% |
54.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1 MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
15%±0.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,179±$8k 31% below MA |
$62,615±$6kLowest 40% below MA |
$97,344±$2kHighest 6% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $493,500±$24k 12% below MA |
$274,500±$8kLowest 51% below MA |
$731,700±$10kHighest 30% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,956±$96 11% above MA |
$1,157±$50Lowest 34% below MA |
$2,147±$25Highest 22% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,321Lowest 45% below MA |
$3,847 36% below MA |
$4,456Highest 26% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±5.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
52%±5.6 MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±1.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Chelsea and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 20.7%Highest MA: 10% |
17.3% MA: 10% |
16.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 26%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
55.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
35.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1941Lowest 23 yrs older than MA |
1958Highest 6 yrs older than MA |
1947 17 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 13% above MA |
21 minLowest 27% below MA |
30 min 4% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.4%±2.2 MA: 18.6% |
8%±1.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
21.3%±0.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #280 of 282 in MA | #247 of 282 in MA | #258 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Chelsea | Chicopee | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston |
| High school in town | Chelsea High | Chicopee Comprehensive High School | Boston Latin School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1 |
11.2Lowest |
18.7Highest |
| 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.