Compare towns
Chicopee vs Athol 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 shortest commute (21 min average).
Athol has the most kids (25.2% under 18).
Leominster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.4%).
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 | Athol | Leominster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 55,295Highest |
8,801Lowest |
43,909 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.7% MA: +7.4% |
+7.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.9±1.4 5% above MA |
36.8±3.3Lowest 8% below MA |
43.3±2.2Highest 8% above MA |
| Leominster and Chicopee 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% |
25.2%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
19%±1.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±1.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
15%±2.2Lowest 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% MA: 47.3% |
21.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
33.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Leominster and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $62,615±$6kLowest 40% below MA |
$67,394±$8k 35% below MA |
$83,816±$7kHighest 19% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,500±$8k 51% below MA |
$248,700±$15kLowest 56% below MA |
$380,400±$14kHighest 32% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,157±$50 34% below MA |
$1,120±$173Lowest 36% below MA |
$1,354±$50Highest 23% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847 36% below MA |
$3,170Lowest 47% below MA |
$5,256Highest 12% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±5.6 MA: 51.8% |
59.2%±17.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
48.9%±5.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Athol and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.3% MA: 10% |
21%Highest MA: 10% |
9.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
63.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
62.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1940Lowest 24 yrs older than MA |
1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 27% below MA |
26 minHighest 10% below MA |
26 min 10% below MA |
| Work from home | 8%±1.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
9.7%±3.9 MA: 18.6% |
10.9%±2.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Leominster and Athol 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 | #256 of 282 in MA | #233 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Chicopee | — | Leominster |
| High school in town | Chicopee Comprehensive High School | — | Leominster High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Highest |
— | 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.