Compare towns
Chicopee vs Gardner vs Webster
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 shortest commute (21 min average).
Gardner has the most people working from home (13.3%).
Webster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.9%).
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 | Gardner | Webster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 55,295Highest |
21,148 |
12,228Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+6.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.9±1.4 5% above MA |
43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
37.2±2.1Lowest 7% below MA |
| Gardner 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% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Webster 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% |
19.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.7%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Gardner 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% |
23.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
18.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
6%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Webster and Gardner 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 |
$67,518±$8kHighest 35% below MA |
$63,837±$8k 39% below MA |
| Gardner and Webster 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 |
$301,600±$20k 46% below MA |
$333,100±$14kHighest 41% below MA |
| Webster and Gardner 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 |
$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,198±$85Highest 32% below MA |
| Webster and Chicopee 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 |
$4,150Highest 31% below MA |
$3,234Lowest 46% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±5.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
46.1%±7.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Chicopee and Gardner 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% |
13.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
16% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.7% MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
45.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Highest 6 yrs older than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 27% below MA |
31 minHighest 5% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 8%±1.8 MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Gardner 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 | #273 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Chicopee | Gardner | — |
| High school in town | Chicopee Comprehensive High School | Gardner High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Lowest |
13.5Highest |
— |
| 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.