Compare towns
Chicopee vs Ludlow vs Upton vs Taunton
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).
Ludlow has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Taunton has the youngest population (median age 38.9).
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 | Ludlow | Upton | Taunton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 55,295 |
20,904 |
8,189Lowest |
60,433Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5% MA: +7.4% |
-0.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.9±1.4 5% above MA |
44.3±1.8 11% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
38.9±1.3Lowest about the MA average |
| Upton and Ludlow 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% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.6%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Taunton 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% |
21.8%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
15%±1.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Ludlow and Upton 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% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
23.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±1.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±0.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Ludlow and Taunton 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 |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$79,283±$7k 24% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,500±$8kLowest 51% below MA |
$335,300±$10k 40% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$422,800±$9k 25% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,157±$50 34% below MA |
$1,223±$82 31% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,324±$86Highest 25% below MA |
| Taunton and Ludlow 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 |
$4,918 18% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$4,344 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±5.6 MA: 51.8% |
50.7%±9.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
56.8%±5.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Taunton and Upton 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% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
13% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
77.5% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
62.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1964 same as MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 27% below MA |
20 minLowest 31% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 8%±1.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
14%±3.4 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
8%±1.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #247 of 282 in MA | #154 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #253 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Chicopee | Ludlow | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Bristol-Plymouth Regional Vocational Technical · Taunton |
| High school in town | Chicopee Comprehensive High School | Ludlow Senior High | Blackstone Valley | Taunton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2 |
11.1Lowest |
11.2 |
16.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.