Compare towns
Chicopee vs Easthampton vs Spencer
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%).
Spencer has the highest household income ($81k).
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 | Spencer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 55,295Highest |
16,086 |
12,008Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
— | +2.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.9±1.4Lowest 5% above MA |
46±2.6 15% above MA |
48.9±6.8Highest 22% above MA |
| Spencer and Easthampton 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% |
15.5%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
16.4%±3.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Chicopee and Spencer 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%±3 MA: 17.9% |
26%±4.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Spencer and Easthampton 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% |
29.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.1%±1.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±2.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Easthampton and Spencer 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 |
$80,533±$11kHighest 23% below MA |
| Spencer 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 |
$382,000±$22kHighest 32% below MA |
| Spencer and Easthampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,157±$50 34% below MA |
$1,292±$70Highest 27% below MA |
$1,078±$161Lowest 39% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847Lowest 36% below MA |
$4,932Highest 18% below MA |
$4,387 27% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±5.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.5%±10.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
50.6%±10.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Chicopee and Spencer 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% |
11% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
58.4% MA: 62.5% |
63%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 27% below MA |
22 min 23% below MA |
34 minHighest 18% above MA |
| Work from home | 8%±1.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19%±3.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
15%±7.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Easthampton and Spencer 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 | #261 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Chicopee | Easthampton | Spencer-E Brookfield |
| High school in town | Chicopee Comprehensive High School | Easthampton High | David Prouty High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Highest |
9.8Lowest |
9.9 |
| 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.