Compare towns
Chicopee vs Preston vs Plainfield 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
Preston has the highest household income ($117k).
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 | Preston | Plainfield | Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 55,295 |
4,821Lowest |
15,141 |
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. |
46.2±7Highest 19% above U.S. |
37±4.5 5% below U.S. |
33.7±0.5Lowest 13% below U.S. |
| Preston 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% |
18.7%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
24.2%±0.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±1.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
23%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
13.2%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Preston 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% |
28.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
20.5% 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%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.5%±0.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Springfield and Plainfield 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. |
$116,648±$27kHighest 44% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$52,656±$2kLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,500±$8k 17% below U.S. |
$361,900±$13kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16k 18% below U.S. |
$245,000±$4kLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,157±$50 18% below U.S. |
$1,433±$1kHighest about the U.S. average |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,144±$55Lowest 19% below U.S. |
| Preston and Plainfield 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. |
$4,749Highest 52% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$3,695Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±5.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.6%±12.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.7%±3.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Springfield and Preston 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% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
25.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
49.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1970 10 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 min 19% below U.S. |
22 min 16% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
20 minLowest 23% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.4%±0.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Preston and Plainfield 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 | #276 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Chicopee | Preston School District | Plainfield School District | Springfield |
| High school in town | Chicopee Comprehensive High School | None in town | Plainfield High School | Springfield Central High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2 |
— | 10.3Lowest |
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.