Compare towns
Chicopee vs Gardner vs Webster 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).
Gardner has the oldest housing (typical home built 1954).
Webster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
Ludlow has the most homeowners (77.5%).
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 | Ludlow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 55,295Highest |
21,148 |
17,748Lowest |
20,904 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5% MA: +7.4% |
+5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-0.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.9±1.4 5% above MA |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average |
44.3±1.8Highest 11% above MA |
| Ludlow and Gardner 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%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.4%±2.4Lowest 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%±1.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
21.8%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Ludlow and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
23.8% MA: 47.3% |
25.3% MA: 47.3% |
27%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
5.8%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Webster and Ludlow 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±$8k 35% below MA |
$72,895±$6k 30% below MA |
$84,838±$7kHighest 18% below MA |
| Ludlow 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 |
$361,500±$12kHighest 36% below MA |
$335,300±$10k 40% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,157±$50 34% below MA |
$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,228±$81Highest 30% below MA |
$1,223±$82 31% below MA |
| Webster and Ludlow 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 |
$4,150 31% below MA |
$3,999 33% below MA |
$4,918Highest 18% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±5.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±6.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
50.7%±9.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Chicopee and Ludlow 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% MA: 10% |
12.7% MA: 10% |
6.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
58.9% MA: 62.5% |
59.8% MA: 62.5% |
77.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1964Highest same as MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 27% below MA |
31 minHighest 5% above MA |
31 minHighest 5% above MA |
20 minLowest 31% below MA |
| Work from home | 8%±1.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
14%±3.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Ludlow and Gardner 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 | #154 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Chicopee | Gardner | Webster | Ludlow |
| High school in town | Chicopee Comprehensive High School | Gardner High | Bartlett High School | Ludlow Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2 |
13.5Highest |
11.6 |
11.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.