What stands out worked out from the figures below

Chicopee has the most affordable homes ($275k median).

Malden has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.5%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Chicopee	Malden
People
Population	55,295Lowest	65,906Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.5%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+11.5%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	41.9±1.4Highest 5% above MA	35.8±1Lowest 11% below MA
Kids under 18	19.2%±1.7Highest MA: 19.4%	18.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Chicopee and Malden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.5%±1.4Highest MA: 17.9%	13%±1.2Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	22.9%Lowest MA: 47.3%	45.1%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.7%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9%	9.1%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$62,615±$6kLowest 40% below MA	$100,606±$6kHighest 3% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$274,500±$8kLowest 51% below MA	$633,500±$26kHighest 13% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,157±$50Lowest 34% below MA	$2,204±$62Highest 25% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,847Lowest 36% below MA	$4,995Highest 17% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52%±5.6Highest MA: 51.8%	51.2%±4.6Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Chicopee and Malden 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%	11.4%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	55.7%Highest MA: 62.5%	41.3%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1958Highest 6 yrs older than MA	1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minLowest 27% below MA	34 minHighest 18% above MA
Work from home	8%±1.8Lowest MA: 18.6%	19.8%±2.3Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#247 of 282 in MA	#184 of 282 in MA
School district	Chicopee	Malden
High school in town	Chicopee Comprehensive High School	Malden High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.2Lowest	16.1Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.