Compare towns
Chicopee vs Fall River vs Ludlow
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).
Fall River has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.8%).
Ludlow has the most people working from home (14%).
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 | Fall River | Ludlow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 55,295 |
94,082Highest |
20,904Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5% MA: +7.4% |
+5.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-0.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.9±1.4 5% above MA |
39.3±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
44.3±1.8Highest 11% above MA |
| Ludlow and Chicopee 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% |
19.9%±1.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.4%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Fall River 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% |
16.1%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.8%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Ludlow 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% |
16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
27%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±1.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Ludlow and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $62,615±$6k 40% below MA |
$56,673±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
$84,838±$7kHighest 18% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,500±$8kLowest 51% below MA |
$395,500±$11kHighest 30% below MA |
$335,300±$10k 40% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,157±$50 34% below MA |
$1,155±$27Lowest 34% below MA |
$1,223±$82Highest 31% below MA |
| Ludlow and Chicopee 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 |
$3,953 34% below MA |
$4,918Highest 18% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±5.6 MA: 51.8% |
52.5%±3.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.7%±9.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Fall River and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.3% MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
6.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.7% MA: 62.5% |
35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
77.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1964Highest same as MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 27% below MA |
26 minHighest 11% below MA |
20 minLowest 31% below MA |
| Work from home | 8%±1.8 MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
14%±3.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #247 of 282 in MA | #262 of 282 in MA | #154 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Chicopee | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Ludlow |
| High school in town | Chicopee Comprehensive High School | B M C Durfee High | Ludlow Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2 |
11.3Highest |
11.1Lowest |
| 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.