Compare towns
Chicopee vs Athol vs West Springfield Town
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).
Athol has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.7%).
West Springfield Town has the most expensive homes ($322k 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 | Chicopee | Athol | West Springfield Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 55,295Highest |
8,801Lowest |
28,772 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.9±1.4Highest 5% above MA |
36.8±3.3Lowest 8% below MA |
40.1±2.6 about the MA average |
| Chicopee and West Springfield Town 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% |
18.9%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±1.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
15%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.5%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Chicopee and West Springfield Town 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% |
34%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
5.7%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| West Springfield Town 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 |
$69,371±$7kHighest 33% below MA |
| West Springfield Town and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,500±$8k 51% below MA |
$248,700±$15kLowest 56% below MA |
$321,500±$16kHighest 43% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,157±$50Highest 34% below MA |
$1,120±$173Lowest 36% below MA |
$1,144±$68 35% below MA |
| Chicopee and West Springfield Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847 36% below MA |
$3,170Lowest 47% below MA |
$4,380Highest 27% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±5.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59.2%±17.9 MA: 51.8% |
60.1%±9.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| West Springfield Town and Athol 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% |
11.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
63.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Highest 6 yrs older than MA |
1940Lowest 24 yrs older than MA |
1958Highest 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 27% below MA |
26 minHighest 10% below MA |
19 minLowest 34% below MA |
| Work from home | 8%±1.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
9.7%±3.9 MA: 18.6% |
10.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| West Springfield Town 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 | #218 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Chicopee | — | West Springfield |
| High school in town | Chicopee Comprehensive High School | — | West Springfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Lowest |
— | 13.1Highest |
| 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.