Compare towns
Chicopee vs North Reading vs West Springfield Town
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).
North Reading has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.4%).
West Springfield Town has the shortest commute (19 min average).
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 | North Reading | West Springfield Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 55,295Highest |
15,765Lowest |
28,772 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.9±1.4 5% above MA |
43±2.8Highest 8% above MA |
40.1±2.6Lowest about the MA average |
| North Reading 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% |
22.3%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.9%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| North Reading and Chicopee 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% |
16.7%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.5%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Chicopee and West Springfield Town 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% |
56.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
34% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
5.7%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| West Springfield Town and North Reading 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 |
$147,768±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
$69,371±$7k 33% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,500±$8kLowest 51% below MA |
$710,500±$24kHighest 26% above MA |
$321,500±$16k 43% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,157±$50 34% below MA |
$2,259±$356Highest 28% above MA |
$1,144±$68Lowest 35% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847Lowest 36% below MA |
$9,693Highest 62% above MA |
$4,380 27% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±5.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
75.5%±25.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
60.1%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
| North Reading and West Springfield Town 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% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
84.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 27% below MA |
34 minHighest 15% above MA |
19 minLowest 34% below MA |
| Work from home | 8%±1.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
26.1%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.4%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #247 of 282 in MA | #33 of 282 in MA | #218 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Chicopee | North Reading | West Springfield |
| High school in town | Chicopee Comprehensive High School | North Reading High | West Springfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2 |
10.1Lowest |
13.1Highest |
| 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.