Compare towns
Chicopee vs Holyoke vs Hudson vs Springfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Holyoke has the most renters (58.7% rent).
Hudson has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.4%).
Springfield has the youngest population (median age 33.7).
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 | Holyoke | Hudson | Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 55,295 |
37,813 |
20,077Lowest |
154,749Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5% MA: +7.4% |
-4.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.9% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.9±1.4 5% above MA |
40±1.6 about the MA average |
42.9±1.7Highest 7% above MA |
33.7±0.5Lowest 16% below MA |
| Hudson and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.4%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
19.3%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
24.2%±0.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±1.4 MA: 17.9% |
20.1%±1.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.1%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
13.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.9% MA: 47.3% |
25.9% MA: 47.3% |
46.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
20.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
3.4%±0.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1 MA: 7.9% |
7.5%±0.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $62,615±$6k 40% below MA |
$53,605±$3k 48% below MA |
$103,400±$13kHighest about the MA average |
$52,656±$2kLowest 49% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,500±$8k 51% below MA |
$274,100±$8k 51% below MA |
$496,800±$22kHighest 12% below MA |
$245,000±$4kLowest 56% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,157±$50 34% below MA |
$1,021±$60Lowest 42% below MA |
$1,406±$82Highest 20% below MA |
$1,144±$55 35% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847 36% below MA |
$4,065 32% below MA |
$6,892Highest 15% above MA |
$3,695Lowest 38% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±5.6 MA: 51.8% |
51.7%±5.4 MA: 51.8% |
40.8%±8.7Lowest 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% |
27%Highest MA: 10% |
5.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
25.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.7% MA: 62.5% |
41.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
49.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1970Highest 6 yrs newer than MA |
1952 12 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 27% below MA |
19 minLowest 34% below MA |
31 minHighest 6% above MA |
20 min 31% below MA |
| Work from home | 8%±1.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
11.1%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
19.6%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
8.4%±0.9 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #247 of 282 in MA | #281 of 282 in MA | #224 of 282 in MA | #276 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Chicopee | Holyoke · Springfield | Hudson | Springfield |
| High school in town | Chicopee Comprehensive High School | Holyoke High | Hudson High | Springfield Central High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2 |
12.5Highest |
10.2Lowest |
12.2 |
| 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.