Compare towns
Chicopee vs Bow 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
Chicopee has the oldest population (median age 41.9).
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Holyoke has the most renters (58.7% rent).
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 | Bow | Holyoke |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 55,295Highest |
8,335Lowest |
37,813 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.9±1.4Highest 8% above U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
40±1.6Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Chicopee and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Holyoke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±1.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±1.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Holyoke 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±0.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $62,615±$6k 22% below U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$53,605±$3kLowest 34% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,500±$8k 17% below U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$274,100±$8kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,157±$50 18% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,021±$60Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$4,065 30% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±5.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Chicopee and Holyoke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
27%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
41.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 19% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #247 of 282 in MA | #26 of 120 in NH | #281 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Chicopee | Bow School District | Holyoke · Springfield |
| High school in town | Chicopee Comprehensive High School | Bow High School | Holyoke High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Lowest |
12.8Highest |
12.5 |
| 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.