Compare towns
Chicopee vs Pelham vs Ludlow
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chicopee has the most renters (44.3% rent).
Pelham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
Ludlow has the oldest population (median age 44.3).
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.
| Measure | Chicopee | Pelham | Ludlow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 55,295Highest |
14,449Lowest |
20,904 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.9±1.4 8% above U.S. |
41.5±2.7Lowest 7% above U.S. |
44.3±1.8Highest 14% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
22%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Pelham and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±1.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.5%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
27% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Pelham and Ludlow 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 22% below U.S. |
$135,956±$19kHighest 68% above U.S. |
$84,838±$7k 5% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,500±$8kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$552,600±$27kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$335,300±$10k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,157±$50Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,425±$88Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,223±$82 13% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$8,634Highest 177% above U.S. |
$4,918 58% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±5.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.3%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.7%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pelham and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1964 16 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 19% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 12% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±3.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #247 of 282 in MA | #48 of 120 in NH | #154 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Chicopee | Pelham School District | Ludlow |
| High school in town | Chicopee Comprehensive High School | Pelham High School | Ludlow Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Highest |
10.4Lowest |
11.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.