Compare towns
Chicopee vs Easthampton vs Northbridge
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 most people working from home (19%).
Northbridge has the highest household income ($111k).
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 | Northbridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 55,295Highest |
16,086Lowest |
16,458 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
— | +4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.9±1.4Lowest 5% above MA |
46±2.6Highest 15% above MA |
43.8±2.6 9% above MA |
| Easthampton and Northbridge 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% |
15.5%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Northbridge and Chicopee 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% |
23.9%±3Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Easthampton 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%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
38%Highest MA: 47.3% |
36.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.1%±1.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Easthampton and Northbridge 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 |
$71,673±$7k 31% below MA |
$111,319±$19kHighest 7% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,500±$8kLowest 51% below MA |
$371,500±$15k 34% below MA |
$448,600±$15kHighest 20% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,157±$50Lowest 34% below MA |
$1,292±$70Highest 27% below MA |
$1,207±$102 31% below MA |
| Easthampton and Northbridge 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 |
$4,932Highest 18% below MA |
$4,821 20% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±5.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.5%±10.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±9.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Chicopee and Northbridge 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% MA: 10% |
7.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
58.4% MA: 62.5% |
70.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1973Highest 9 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 27% below MA |
22 min 23% below MA |
31 minHighest 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 8%±1.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19%±3.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Easthampton and Northbridge 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 | #226 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Chicopee | Easthampton | Northbridge |
| High school in town | Chicopee Comprehensive High School | Easthampton High | Northbridge High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Highest |
9.8Lowest |
10.8 |
| 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.