Compare towns
Chicopee vs Preston vs Plainfield vs Ludlow
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).
Preston has the highest household income ($117k).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Ludlow has the most people working from home (14%).
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 | Preston | Plainfield | Ludlow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 55,295Highest |
4,821Lowest |
15,141 |
20,904 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | -0.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.9±1.4 8% above U.S. |
46.2±7Highest 19% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
44.3±1.8 14% above U.S. |
| Preston 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 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±2.4Lowest 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%±1.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
23%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.8%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Preston and Ludlow 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% |
28.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
27% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield 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 22% below U.S. |
$116,648±$27kHighest 44% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$84,838±$7k 5% above U.S. |
| Preston and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,500±$8k 17% below U.S. |
$361,900±$13kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$335,300±$10k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,157±$50Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,433±$1kHighest about the U.S. average |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,223±$82 13% below U.S. |
| Preston and Ludlow 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. |
$4,749 52% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$4,918Highest 58% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±5.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.6%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.7%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Preston 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% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1964 16 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 19% below U.S. |
22 min 16% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ludlow and Preston 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 | #93 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT | #154 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Chicopee | Preston School District | Plainfield School District | Ludlow |
| High school in town | Chicopee Comprehensive High School | None in town | Plainfield High School | Ludlow Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Highest |
— | 10.3Lowest |
11.1 |
| 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.