Compare towns
Chicopee vs Bow vs West Springfield Town
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 most affordable homes ($275k median).
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
West Springfield Town 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 | Bow | West Springfield Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 55,295Highest |
8,335Lowest |
28,772 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.9±1.4Highest 8% above U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
40.1±2.6Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| 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%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±1.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.5%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chicopee and Bow 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% |
34% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| West Springfield Town and Bow 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 22% below U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$69,371±$7k 14% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,500±$8kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$321,500±$16k 3% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,157±$50 18% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,144±$68Lowest 19% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$4,380 40% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±5.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
60.1%±9.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| West Springfield Town 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1958Lowest 22 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% |
10.4%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #247 of 282 in MA | #26 of 120 in NH | #218 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Chicopee | Bow School District | West Springfield |
| High school in town | Chicopee Comprehensive High School | Bow High School | West Springfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Lowest |
12.8 |
13.1Highest |
| 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.