Compare towns
Chicopee vs Ludlow vs Ware vs Springfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ludlow has the highest household income ($85k).
Ware has the most people working from home (16.6%).
Springfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.9%).
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 | Ware | Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 55,295 |
20,904 |
6,369Lowest |
154,749Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5% MA: +7.4% |
-0.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+1.6% MA: +7.4% |
+1.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.9±1.4 5% above MA |
44.3±1.8Highest 11% above MA |
39.8±6 about the MA average |
33.7±0.5Lowest 16% below MA |
| Ludlow and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±1.7 MA: 19.4% |
16.4%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.3%±4.4 MA: 19.4% |
24.2%±0.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Springfield and Ware 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% |
17.4%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
13.2%±0.7Lowest 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% MA: 47.3% |
27%Highest MA: 47.3% |
15.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
20.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
7.5%±0.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $62,615±$6k 40% below MA |
$84,838±$7kHighest 18% below MA |
$45,158±$11kLowest 57% below MA |
$52,656±$2k 49% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,500±$8k 51% below MA |
$335,300±$10kHighest 40% below MA |
$253,400±$31k 55% below MA |
$245,000±$4kLowest 56% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,157±$50 34% below MA |
$1,223±$82Highest 31% below MA |
$1,039±$104Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,144±$55 35% below MA |
| Ludlow and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847 36% below MA |
$4,918Highest 18% below MA |
$3,408Lowest 43% below MA |
$3,695 38% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±5.6 MA: 51.8% |
50.7%±9.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.5%±17.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±3.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 17.3% MA: 10% |
6.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
14.1% MA: 10% |
25.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.7% MA: 62.5% |
77.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
57.4% MA: 62.5% |
49.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1964Highest same as MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1952 12 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 27% below MA |
20 minLowest 31% below MA |
27 minHighest 9% below MA |
20 min 31% below MA |
| Work from home | 8%±1.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
14%±3.4 MA: 18.6% |
16.6%±5Highest MA: 18.6% |
8.4%±0.9 MA: 18.6% |
| Ware and Ludlow 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 | #154 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #276 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Chicopee | Ludlow | — | Springfield |
| High school in town | Chicopee Comprehensive High School | Ludlow Senior High | — | Springfield Central High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2 |
11.1Lowest |
— | 12.2Highest |
| 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.