What stands out worked out from the figures below

Chicopee has the most people working from home (8%).

New Bedford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.3%).

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	New Bedford
People
Population	55,295Lowest	100,998Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.5%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+6.3%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	41.9±1.4Highest 5% above MA	37±0.8Lowest 8% below MA
Kids under 18	19.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4%	23.9%±1.2Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	19.5%±1.4Highest MA: 17.9%	15.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	22.9%Highest MA: 47.3%	17%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.7%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9%	4.1%±0.5Highest MA: 7.9%
	New Bedford and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$62,615±$6kHighest 40% below MA	$56,981±$3kLowest 45% below MA
	Chicopee and New Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$274,500±$8kLowest 51% below MA	$357,300±$6kHighest 36% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,157±$50Highest 34% below MA	$1,137±$26Lowest 35% below MA
	Chicopee and New Bedford 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	$4,338Highest 28% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52%±5.6Lowest MA: 51.8%	52.6%±3.2Highest MA: 51.8%
	New Bedford and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	17.3%Lowest MA: 10%	20.6%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	55.7%Highest MA: 62.5%	40.3%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1958Highest 6 yrs older than MA	1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minLowest 27% below MA	25 minHighest 15% below MA
Work from home	8%±1.8Highest MA: 18.6%	5.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Chicopee and New Bedford 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	#263 of 282 in MA
School district	Chicopee	New Bedford · Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical
High school in town	Chicopee Comprehensive High School	New Bedford High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.2Lowest	13.5Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.