Compare towns
Chicopee vs Ashby vs Pittsfield
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 renters (44.3% rent).
Ashby has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.9%).
Pittsfield has the shortest commute (19 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.
| Measure | Chicopee | Ashby | Pittsfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 55,295Highest |
3,211Lowest |
43,457 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5% MA: +7.4% |
+3.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-1.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.9±1.4Lowest 5% above MA |
50.5±3Highest 26% above MA |
42.4±2 6% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±1.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
17%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
17.6%±1.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Chicopee and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±1.4 MA: 17.9% |
21.5%±4.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.4%±1.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Ashby and Chicopee 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% |
43.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
34.2% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $62,615±$6kLowest 40% below MA |
$115,598±$9kHighest 11% above MA |
$70,582±$5k 32% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,500±$8k 51% below MA |
$390,500±$30kHighest 31% below MA |
$256,900±$8kLowest 54% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,157±$50 34% below MA |
$1,200±$484Highest 32% below MA |
$1,134±$61Lowest 36% below MA |
| Ashby and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847Lowest 36% below MA |
$6,034Highest about the MA average |
$4,148 31% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±5.6 MA: 51.8% |
36.4%±53.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±5.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Pittsfield and Chicopee 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% |
2.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
14.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
95.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
62.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1970Highest 6 yrs newer than MA |
1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 27% below MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
19 minLowest 36% below MA |
| Work from home | 8%±1.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.8%±5.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.2%±2.2 MA: 18.6% |
| Ashby and Pittsfield 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 | #200 of 282 in MA | #251 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Chicopee | North Middlesex | Pittsfield |
| High school in town | Chicopee Comprehensive High School | None in town | Taconic High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Highest |
— | 9.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.