Compare towns
Chicopee vs Dedham vs Ludlow
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).
Dedham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.6%).
Ludlow has the shortest commute (20 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 | Dedham | Ludlow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 55,295Highest |
25,237 |
20,904Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5% MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-0.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.9±1.4Lowest 5% above MA |
44.6±1.6Highest 12% above MA |
44.3±1.8 11% above MA |
| Dedham and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±1.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
16.4%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Chicopee and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±1.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
21.8%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Dedham and Ludlow 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% |
55%Highest MA: 47.3% |
27% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and Ludlow 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 |
$128,955±$10kHighest 24% above MA |
$84,838±$7k 18% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,500±$8kLowest 51% below MA |
$661,800±$16kHighest 18% above MA |
$335,300±$10k 40% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,157±$50Lowest 34% below MA |
$2,042±$182Highest 16% above MA |
$1,223±$82 31% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847Lowest 36% below MA |
$7,918Highest 32% above MA |
$4,918 18% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±5.6 MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.7%±9.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Dedham 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% |
5.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.4% MA: 62.5% |
77.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1964Highest same as MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 27% below MA |
29 minHighest about the MA average |
20 minLowest 31% below MA |
| Work from home | 8%±1.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
14%±3.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Dedham and Ludlow 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 | #119 of 282 in MA | #154 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Chicopee | Dedham | Ludlow |
| High school in town | Chicopee Comprehensive High School | Dedham High | Ludlow Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Highest |
10.4Lowest |
11.1 |
| 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.