Compare towns
Chicopee vs Dudley vs Orange
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 shortest commute (21 min average).
Dudley has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.7%).
Orange has the most affordable homes ($246k 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 | Dudley | Orange |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 55,295Highest |
11,929 |
7,573Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5% MA: +7.4% |
+4.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.9±1.4Highest 5% above MA |
40.2±2.4Lowest about the MA average |
41.8±2.2 4% above MA |
| Chicopee and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
22.2%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Orange and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±1.4 MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.3%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Orange 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% MA: 47.3% |
24.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
15.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
2%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $62,615±$6k 40% below MA |
$84,604±$12kHighest 19% below MA |
$55,824±$10kLowest 46% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,500±$8k 51% below MA |
$392,600±$19kHighest 30% below MA |
$245,900±$18kLowest 56% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,157±$50 34% below MA |
$1,217±$182Highest 31% below MA |
$775±$233Lowest 56% below MA |
| Dudley and Chicopee 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 |
$3,691Lowest 38% below MA |
$4,136Highest 31% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±5.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.4%±4.1 MA: 51.8% |
41%±11.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Chicopee and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.3% MA: 10% |
6.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
22.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 27% below MA |
27 min 6% below MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 8%±1.8 MA: 18.6% |
9.1%±2.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Dudley and Chicopee 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 | #142 of 282 in MA | #275 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Chicopee | Dudley-Charlton Reg | Orange · Ralph C Mahar |
| High school in town | Chicopee Comprehensive High School | Shepherd Hill Regional High | Ralph C Mahar Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2 |
14.3Highest |
9.0Lowest |
| 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.