Compare towns
Chicopee vs Fall River vs Springfield vs Taunton
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 oldest population (median age 41.9).
Fall River has the most renters (64.7% rent).
Springfield has the youngest population (median age 33.7).
Taunton has the highest household income ($79k).
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 | Springfield | Taunton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 55,295Lowest |
94,082 |
154,749Highest |
60,433 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.8% MA: +7.4% |
+1.9% MA: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.9±1.4Highest 5% above MA |
39.3±1.2 about the MA average |
33.7±0.5Lowest 16% below MA |
38.9±1.3 about the MA average |
| Chicopee and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.9%±1.2 MA: 19.4% |
24.2%±0.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.6%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Springfield and Taunton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±1.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±0.9 MA: 17.9% |
13.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
15%±1.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.9% MA: 47.3% |
16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
20.5% MA: 47.3% |
23.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
7.5%±0.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±0.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $62,615±$6k 40% below MA |
$56,673±$3k 45% below MA |
$52,656±$2kLowest 49% below MA |
$79,283±$7kHighest 24% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,500±$8k 51% below MA |
$395,500±$11k 30% below MA |
$245,000±$4kLowest 56% below MA |
$422,800±$9kHighest 25% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,157±$50 34% below MA |
$1,155±$27 34% below MA |
$1,144±$55Lowest 35% below MA |
$1,324±$86Highest 25% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847 36% below MA |
$3,953 34% below MA |
$3,695Lowest 38% below MA |
$4,344Highest 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±5.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.5%±3.3 MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±3.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
56.8%±5.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Springfield and Taunton 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% MA: 10% |
25.8%Highest MA: 10% |
13%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.7% MA: 62.5% |
35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
49.6% MA: 62.5% |
62.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1952 12 yrs older than MA |
1965Highest 1 yr newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 27% below MA |
26 min 11% below MA |
20 minLowest 31% below MA |
29 minHighest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 8%±1.8 MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
8.4%±0.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
8%±1.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Springfield and Chicopee 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 | #262 of 282 in MA | #276 of 282 in MA | #253 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Chicopee | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Springfield | Bristol-Plymouth Regional Vocational Technical · Taunton |
| High school in town | Chicopee Comprehensive High School | B M C Durfee High | Springfield Central High | Taunton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Lowest |
11.3 |
12.2 |
16.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.