Compare towns
Chicopee vs Hanson vs Middleton
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).
Hanson has the most kids (21.6% under 18).
Middleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
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 | Hanson | Middleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 55,295Highest |
10,660 |
9,816Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.2% MA: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.9±1.4Lowest 5% above MA |
42.8±3 7% above MA |
43.1±2Highest 8% above MA |
| Middleton and Hanson 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% |
21.6%±3.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Hanson 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% |
19.7%±3Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Hanson 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%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
42.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
41.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Hanson and Middleton 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 |
$132,200±$10k 27% above MA |
$167,402±$29kHighest 61% above MA |
| Middleton and Hanson 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 |
$533,900±$36k 5% below MA |
$742,700±$48kHighest 32% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,157±$50Lowest 34% below MA |
$1,821±$860Highest 3% above MA |
$1,407±$284 20% below MA |
| Hanson and Middleton 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 |
$6,402 7% above MA |
$8,785Highest 47% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±5.6 MA: 51.8% |
69%±33.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
25.7%±25.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Hanson and Chicopee 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% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89% MA: 62.5% |
92.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 27% below MA |
34 minHighest 15% above MA |
30 min 3% above MA |
| Work from home | 8%±1.8 MA: 18.6% |
7.9%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±3.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Middleton 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 | #149 of 282 in MA | #71 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Chicopee | Whitman-Hanson | Middleton |
| High school in town | Chicopee Comprehensive High School | Whitman Hanson Regional | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Lowest |
14.7Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.