Compare towns
Chicopee vs Ludlow vs Needham
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 renters (44.3% rent).
Ludlow has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Needham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
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 | Ludlow | Needham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 55,295Highest |
20,904Lowest |
32,459 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5% MA: +7.4% |
-0.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.9±1.4Lowest 5% above MA |
44.3±1.8Highest 11% above MA |
43.1±1.6 8% above MA |
| Ludlow and Needham 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% |
16.4%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±1.4 MA: 17.9% |
21.8%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Ludlow 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% |
27% MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Needham 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 |
$84,838±$7k 18% below MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,500±$8kLowest 51% below MA |
$335,300±$10k 40% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,157±$50Lowest 34% below MA |
$1,223±$82 31% below MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847Lowest 36% below MA |
$4,918 18% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±5.6 MA: 51.8% |
50.7%±9.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Needham 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% |
6.8% MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
77.5% MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1964 same as MA |
1965Highest 1 yr newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 27% below MA |
20 minLowest 31% below MA |
28 minHighest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 8%±1.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
14%±3.4 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #247 of 282 in MA | #154 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Chicopee | Ludlow | Needham |
| High school in town | Chicopee Comprehensive High School | Ludlow Senior High | Needham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2 |
11.1Lowest |
11.9Highest |
| 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.