Compare towns
Chicopee vs Acton vs Leominster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chicopee has the most affordable homes ($275k median).
Acton has the most people working from home (35.9%).
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 | Chicopee | Acton | Leominster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 55,295Highest |
24,155Lowest |
43,909 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.9±1.4Lowest 5% above MA |
44.5±0.8Highest 11% above MA |
43.3±2.2 8% above MA |
| Acton and Leominster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±1.7 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
19%±1.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Acton and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±1.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.6%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Chicopee and Leominster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
79.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
33.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $62,615±$6kLowest 40% below MA |
$158,230±$14kHighest 52% above MA |
$83,816±$7k 19% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,500±$8kLowest 51% below MA |
$807,300±$20kHighest 44% above MA |
$380,400±$14k 32% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,157±$50Lowest 34% below MA |
$1,986±$155Highest 13% above MA |
$1,354±$50 23% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847Lowest 36% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$5,256 12% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±5.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.7%±11.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
48.9%±5.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Chicopee and Leominster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.3%Highest MA: 10% |
3.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
9.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
74.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
62.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 27% below MA |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
26 min 10% below MA |
| Work from home | 8%±1.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
35.9%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.9%±2.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #247 of 282 in MA | #13 of 282 in MA | #233 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Chicopee | Acton-Boxborough | Leominster |
| High school in town | Chicopee Comprehensive High School | Acton-Boxborough Regional High | Leominster High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2 |
13.5Highest |
10.6Lowest |
| 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.