Compare towns
Chicopee vs Fairhaven 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).
Fairhaven has the most expensive homes ($447k median).
West Springfield Town has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.6%).
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 | Fairhaven | West Springfield Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 55,295Highest |
15,903Lowest |
28,772 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5% MA: +7.4% |
+0.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+1.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.9±1.4 5% above MA |
48.5±3.4Highest 21% above MA |
40.1±2.6Lowest about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±1.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±2.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.9%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Chicopee and West Springfield Town 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% |
24.9%±2.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.5%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
32.5% MA: 47.3% |
34%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.7%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $62,615±$6kLowest 40% below MA |
$95,965±$19kHighest 8% below MA |
$69,371±$7k 33% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,500±$8kLowest 51% below MA |
$446,700±$19kHighest 21% below MA |
$321,500±$16k 43% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,157±$50Highest 34% below MA |
$1,118±$79Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,144±$68 35% below MA |
| Chicopee and West Springfield Town 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 |
$3,566Lowest 40% below MA |
$4,380Highest 27% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±5.6 MA: 51.8% |
51.1%±14Lowest 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% |
8.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
74.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Highest 6 yrs older than MA |
1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
1958Highest 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 27% below MA |
29 minHighest about the MA average |
19 minLowest 34% below MA |
| Work from home | 8%±1.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
11.4%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.4%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Fairhaven and West Springfield Town 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 | #126 of 282 in MA | #218 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Chicopee | Fairhaven | West Springfield |
| High school in town | Chicopee Comprehensive High School | Fairhaven High | West Springfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Lowest |
11.4 |
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.