Compare towns
Chelsea vs Windham vs Holyoke
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chelsea has the most renters (74% rent).
Windham has the highest household income ($190k).
Holyoke has the most affordable homes ($274k median).
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 | Windham | Holyoke |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 39,908Highest |
16,038Lowest |
37,813 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +15.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 34.4±1.3Lowest 12% below U.S. |
41.1±2.9Highest 6% above U.S. |
40±1.6 about the U.S. average |
| Windham and Holyoke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24.4%±2.1 U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Chelsea are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 10.5%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±1.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Chelsea and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,179±$8k 11% below U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$53,605±$3kLowest 34% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $493,500±$24k 48% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$274,100±$8kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,956±$96 38% above U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,021±$60Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,321Lowest 6% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,065 30% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±5.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Chelsea and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 20.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
27%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 26%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
41.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1941Lowest 39 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1950 30 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #280 of 282 in MA | #13 of 120 in NH | #281 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Chelsea | Windham School District | Holyoke · Springfield |
| High school in town | Chelsea High | Windham High School | Holyoke High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
12.8 |
12.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.