Compare towns
Chicopee vs Putnam vs Springfield vs Holyoke
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).
Putnam has the highest household income ($71k).
Springfield has the youngest population (median age 33.7).
Holyoke has the most people working from home (11.1%).
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 | Putnam | Springfield | Holyoke |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 55,295 |
9,292Lowest |
154,749Highest |
37,813 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +1.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.9±1.4 8% above U.S. |
43.7±3Highest 12% above U.S. |
33.7±0.5Lowest 13% below U.S. |
40±1.6 about the U.S. average |
| Putnam 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% |
18.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
24.2%±0.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±1.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
13.2%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±1.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Holyoke 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% |
20%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
20.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
25.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±0.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.5%±0.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $62,615±$6k 22% below U.S. |
$70,561±$7kHighest 13% below U.S. |
$52,656±$2kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$53,605±$3k 34% below U.S. |
| Putnam and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,500±$8kHighest 17% below U.S. |
$269,200±$11k 19% below U.S. |
$245,000±$4kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$274,100±$8k 18% below U.S. |
| Chicopee and Holyoke 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. |
$1,149±$44 19% below U.S. |
$1,144±$55 19% below U.S. |
$1,021±$60Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Chicopee and Putnam 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. |
$3,860 24% above U.S. |
$3,695Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$4,065Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±5.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.7%±3.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.7%±5.4 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% |
11.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
25.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
27%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
41.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Highest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 19% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
20 min 23% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.4%±0.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Holyoke and Putnam 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 | #128 of 149 in CT | #276 of 282 in MA | #281 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Chicopee | Putnam School District | Springfield | Holyoke · Springfield |
| High school in town | Chicopee Comprehensive High School | Putnam High School | Springfield Central High | Holyoke High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2 |
9.5Lowest |
12.2 |
12.5Highest |
| 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.