Compare towns
Chicopee vs Plainville 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
Chicopee has the most expensive homes ($275k median).
Plainville has the highest household income ($84k).
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 | Plainville | Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 55,295 |
17,551Lowest |
154,749Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +1.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.9±1.4 8% above U.S. |
44.3±1.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
33.7±0.5Lowest 13% below U.S. |
| Plainville 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% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
24.2%±0.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±1.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13.2%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainville 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
30%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%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.5%±0.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Springfield and Plainville 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. |
$84,343±$7kHighest 4% above U.S. |
$52,656±$2kLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,500±$8kHighest 17% below U.S. |
$254,000±$14k 24% below U.S. |
$245,000±$4kLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Chicopee and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,157±$50Highest 18% below U.S. |
$1,126±$147Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,144±$55 19% below U.S. |
| 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 23% above U.S. |
$4,798Highest 54% above U.S. |
$3,695Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±5.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.7%±3.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Springfield and Chicopee 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% |
6.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
25.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minHighest 19% below U.S. |
21 min 20% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 23% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.4%±0.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plainville and Springfield 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 | #89 of 149 in CT | #276 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Chicopee | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Springfield |
| High school in town | Chicopee Comprehensive High School | Plainville High School | Springfield Central High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Lowest |
11.4 |
12.2Highest |
| 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.