Compare towns
Chicopee vs Pittsfield vs Suffield vs Springfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pittsfield has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Suffield has the most people working from home (18.4%).
Springfield has the most kids (24.2% under 18).
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 | Suffield | Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 55,295 |
43,457 |
15,702Lowest |
154,749Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +1.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.9±1.4 8% above U.S. |
42.4±2 9% above U.S. |
44.5±1.7Highest 14% above U.S. |
33.7±0.5Lowest 13% below U.S. |
| Suffield and Pittsfield 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%±1.4 U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
24.2%±0.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±1.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±1.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
13.2%±0.7Lowest 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
20.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.5%±0.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Springfield and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $62,615±$6k 22% below U.S. |
$70,582±$5k 13% below U.S. |
$119,472±$13kHighest 48% above U.S. |
$52,656±$2kLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,500±$8k 17% below U.S. |
$256,900±$8k 23% below U.S. |
$407,500±$26kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$245,000±$4kLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,157±$50 18% below U.S. |
$1,134±$61Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,424±$141Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,144±$55 19% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847 23% above U.S. |
$4,148 33% above U.S. |
$6,456Highest 107% above U.S. |
$3,695Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±5.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±5.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.7%±3.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Springfield and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 17.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
14.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
25.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
62.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 19% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
26 minHighest 3% below U.S. |
20 min 23% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.2%±2.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.4%±0.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #247 of 282 in MA | #251 of 282 in MA | #57 of 149 in CT | #276 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Chicopee | Pittsfield | Suffield School District | Springfield |
| High school in town | Chicopee Comprehensive High School | Taconic High | Suffield High School | Springfield Central High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2 |
9.3Lowest |
10.9 |
12.2Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.