Compare towns
Chicopee vs Pittsfield vs Upton vs Ludlow
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 renters (44.3% rent).
Pittsfield has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
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 | Upton | Ludlow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 55,295Highest |
43,457 |
8,189Lowest |
20,904 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5% MA: +7.4% |
-1.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-0.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.9±1.4Lowest 5% above MA |
42.4±2 6% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
44.3±1.8 11% above MA |
| Upton and Ludlow 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% |
17.6%±1.4 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.4%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton 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 MA: 17.9% |
19.4%±1.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
21.8%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Ludlow and Upton 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% |
34.2% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
27% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
6.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Pittsfield 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 40% below MA |
$70,582±$5k 32% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$84,838±$7k 18% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,500±$8k 51% below MA |
$256,900±$8kLowest 54% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$335,300±$10k 40% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,157±$50 34% below MA |
$1,134±$61 36% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,223±$82Highest 31% below MA |
| Ludlow and Chicopee 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 |
$4,148 31% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$4,918 18% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±5.6 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±5.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.7%±9.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 17.3%Highest MA: 10% |
14.9% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
62.8% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
77.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1964 same as MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 27% below MA |
19 minLowest 36% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
20 min 31% below MA |
| Work from home | 8%±1.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
10.2%±2.2 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
14%±3.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #247 of 282 in MA | #251 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #154 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Chicopee | Pittsfield | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Ludlow |
| High school in town | Chicopee Comprehensive High School | Taconic High | Blackstone Valley | Ludlow Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Highest |
9.3Lowest |
11.2Highest |
11.1 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.