Compare towns
Chicopee vs Douglas 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 affordable homes ($275k median).
Douglas has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
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 | Douglas | West Springfield Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 55,295Highest |
9,207Lowest |
28,772 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.9±1.4 5% above MA |
44±2.6Highest 10% above MA |
40.1±2.6Lowest about the MA average |
| Douglas 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% |
21.2%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.9%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Douglas and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±1.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest 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%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
41.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
34% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.3 MA: 7.9% |
5.7%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| West Springfield Town and Douglas 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 |
$152,267±$10kHighest 46% above MA |
$69,371±$7k 33% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,500±$8kLowest 51% below MA |
$470,600±$29kHighest 16% below MA |
$321,500±$16k 43% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,157±$50 34% below MA |
$1,503±$697Highest 15% below MA |
$1,144±$68Lowest 35% below MA |
| Douglas and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847Lowest 36% below MA |
$6,338Highest 6% above MA |
$4,380 27% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±5.6 MA: 51.8% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60.1%±9.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| 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 MA: 10% |
4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 27% below MA |
34 minHighest 16% above MA |
19 minLowest 34% below MA |
| Work from home | 8%±1.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20.9%±4.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.4%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #247 of 282 in MA | #177 of 282 in MA | #218 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Chicopee | Douglas | West Springfield |
| High school in town | Chicopee Comprehensive High School | Douglas High School | West Springfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2 |
7.2Lowest |
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.