What stands out worked out from the figures below

Chicopee has the shortest commute (21 min average).

Fitchburg has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Chicopee	Fitchburg
People
Population	55,295Highest	41,798Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.5%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+4%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	41.9±1.4Highest 5% above MA	36.3±2Lowest 9% below MA
Kids under 18	19.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4%	20.6%±1.9Highest MA: 19.4%
	Fitchburg and Chicopee 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%	14.3%±1.3Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	22.9%Lowest MA: 47.3%	25.1%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.7%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9%	7.7%±1Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$62,615±$6kLowest 40% below MA	$73,040±$5kHighest 30% below MA
	Fitchburg and Chicopee 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	$336,400±$11kHighest 40% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,157±$50Lowest 34% below MA	$1,222±$89Highest 31% below MA
	Fitchburg 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	$4,456Highest 26% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52%±5.6Highest MA: 51.8%	49.9%±5.3Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Chicopee and Fitchburg 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%	15.6%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	55.7%Highest MA: 62.5%	54.1%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1958Highest 6 yrs older than MA	1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minLowest 27% below MA	27 minHighest 7% below MA
Work from home	8%±1.8Lowest MA: 18.6%	10.3%±2Highest MA: 18.6%
	Fitchburg 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	#249 of 282 in MA
School district	Chicopee	Fitchburg · Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical
High school in town	Chicopee Comprehensive High School	Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical
Students per teacherat that high school	11.2Lowest	11.9Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.