Compare towns
Chicopee vs Pittsfield vs Plainfield
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).
Pittsfield has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Plainfield has the most homeowners (73.6%).
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 | Pittsfield | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 55,295Highest |
43,457 |
15,141Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 41.9±1.4 8% above U.S. |
42.4±2Highest 9% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Pittsfield 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% |
17.6%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±1.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chicopee and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Pittsfield and Plainfield 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. |
$70,582±$5k 13% below U.S. |
$76,993±$8kHighest 5% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,500±$8kHighest 17% below U.S. |
$256,900±$8kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$272,100±$16k 18% below U.S. |
| Chicopee and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,157±$50 18% below U.S. |
$1,134±$61Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70Highest 15% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$4,148 33% above U.S. |
$4,209Highest 35% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±5.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±5.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pittsfield 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% |
14.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
62.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 19% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.2%±2.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Pittsfield and Plainfield 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 | #251 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Chicopee | Pittsfield | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | Chicopee Comprehensive High School | Taconic High | Plainfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Highest |
9.3Lowest |
10.3 |
| 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.