Compare towns
Chicopee vs Pittsfield vs Ware vs Springfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pittsfield has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Ware has the most people working from home (12.3%).
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 | Ware | Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 55,295 |
43,457 |
10,048Lowest |
154,749Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5% MA: +7.4% |
-1.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.9% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.9±1.4 5% above MA |
42.4±2 6% above MA |
43.1±4.7Highest 8% above MA |
33.7±0.5Lowest 16% below MA |
| Ware 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 MA: 19.4% |
17.6%±1.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
24.2%±0.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±1.4 MA: 17.9% |
19.4%±1.5 MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
13.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Ware 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% MA: 47.3% |
34.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
20.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.2%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
7.5%±0.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| 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 40% below MA |
$70,582±$5kHighest 32% below MA |
$67,475±$15k 35% below MA |
$52,656±$2kLowest 49% below MA |
| Pittsfield and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,500±$8k 51% below MA |
$256,900±$8k 54% below MA |
$289,700±$28kHighest 48% below MA |
$245,000±$4kLowest 56% below MA |
| Ware and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,157±$50Highest 34% below MA |
$1,134±$61 36% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,144±$55 35% below MA |
| Chicopee and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847 36% below MA |
$4,148 31% below MA |
$4,237Highest 29% below MA |
$3,695Lowest 38% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±5.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±5.7 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±3.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 17.3% MA: 10% |
14.9% MA: 10% |
11.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
25.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.7% MA: 62.5% |
62.8% MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
49.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1960Highest 4 yrs older than MA |
1952 12 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 27% below MA |
19 minLowest 36% below MA |
28 minHighest about the MA average |
20 min 31% below MA |
| Work from home | 8%±1.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
10.2%±2.2 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
8.4%±0.9 MA: 18.6% |
| Ware and Pittsfield 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | #276 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Chicopee | Pittsfield | Ware | Springfield |
| High school in town | Chicopee Comprehensive High School | Taconic High | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Springfield Central High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2 |
9.3Lowest |
11.1 |
12.2Highest |
| 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.