Compare towns
Chicopee vs Holyoke vs Reading
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).
Reading has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.1%).
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 | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 55,295Highest |
37,813 |
25,612Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5% MA: +7.4% |
-4.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.9±1.4 5% above MA |
40±1.6Lowest about the MA average |
43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
| Reading 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% |
22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Reading and Holyoke 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% |
20.1%±1.6 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Reading and Holyoke 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% |
25.9% MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±0.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Chicopee and Holyoke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $62,615±$6k 40% below MA |
$53,605±$3kLowest 48% below MA |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,500±$8k 51% below MA |
$274,100±$8kLowest 51% below MA |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,157±$50 34% below MA |
$1,021±$60Lowest 42% below MA |
$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847Lowest 36% below MA |
$4,065 32% below MA |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±5.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.7%±5.4 MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Chicopee and Holyoke 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% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.7% MA: 62.5% |
41.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1960Highest 4 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 |
| Work from home | 8%±1.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
11.1%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #247 of 282 in MA | #281 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Chicopee | Holyoke · Springfield | Reading |
| High school in town | Chicopee Comprehensive High School | Holyoke High | Reading Memorial High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Lowest |
12.5Highest |
12.1 |
| 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.