Compare towns
Chicopee vs Hampden vs Springfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hampden has the most homeowners (94.9%).
Springfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.9%).
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 | Hampden | Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 55,295 |
4,946Lowest |
154,749Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5% MA: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+1.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.9±1.4 5% above MA |
50.9±3.3Highest 27% above MA |
33.7±0.5Lowest 16% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±1.7 MA: 19.4% |
14%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
24.2%±0.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±1.4 MA: 17.9% |
26.8%±5.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
13.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.9% MA: 47.3% |
36.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
20.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
7.5%±0.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $62,615±$6k 40% below MA |
$104,536±$16kHighest about the MA average |
$52,656±$2kLowest 49% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,500±$8k 51% below MA |
$358,200±$16kHighest 36% below MA |
$245,000±$4kLowest 56% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,157±$50Highest 34% below MA |
$1,132±$107Lowest 36% below MA |
$1,144±$55 35% below MA |
| Chicopee and Springfield 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 |
$6,181Highest 3% above MA |
$3,695Lowest 38% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±5.6 MA: 51.8% |
36.9%±42.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±3.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Springfield 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% |
3.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
25.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.7% MA: 62.5% |
94.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
49.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1966Highest 2 yrs newer than MA |
1952Lowest 12 yrs older than 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%±1.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
9.9%±3.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
8.4%±0.9 MA: 18.6% |
| Hampden and Springfield 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 | #199 of 282 in MA | #276 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Chicopee | Hampden-Wilbraham | Springfield |
| High school in town | Chicopee Comprehensive High School | None in town | Springfield Central High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Lowest |
— | 12.2Highest |
| 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.