Compare towns
Chicopee vs Easthampton vs Northampton
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).
Easthampton has the oldest population (median age 46).
Northampton has the most people working from home (24.1%).
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 | Easthampton | Northampton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 55,295Highest |
16,086Lowest |
30,962 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
— | +3.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.9±1.4 5% above MA |
46±2.6Highest 15% above MA |
41.3±2.2Lowest 3% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±1.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.5%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
16%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Chicopee and Northampton 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% |
23.9%±3Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Easthampton and Northampton 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% |
38% MA: 47.3% |
62.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.1%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
14%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $62,615±$6kLowest 40% below MA |
$71,673±$7k 31% below MA |
$80,288±$6kHighest 23% below MA |
| Northampton and Easthampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,500±$8kLowest 51% below MA |
$371,500±$15k 34% below MA |
$429,700±$17kHighest 24% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,157±$50Lowest 34% below MA |
$1,292±$70 27% below MA |
$1,439±$75Highest 18% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847Lowest 36% below MA |
$4,932 18% below MA |
$5,680Highest 5% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±5.6 MA: 51.8% |
45.5%±10.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.6%±6.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Northampton 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% |
8%Lowest MA: 10% |
13.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
58.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
57.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1966Highest 2 yrs newer than MA |
1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 27% below MA |
22 minHighest 23% below MA |
21 min 26% below MA |
| Work from home | 8%±1.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19%±3.2 MA: 18.6% |
24.1%±3.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Northampton and Easthampton 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 | #92 of 282 in MA | #159 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Chicopee | Easthampton | Northampton · Northampton-Smith Vocational Agricultural |
| High school in town | Chicopee Comprehensive High School | Easthampton High | Northampton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2 |
9.8Lowest |
14.7Highest |
| 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.