Compare towns
Chicopee vs Rowley vs Upton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chicopee has the most affordable homes ($275k median).
Rowley has the most expensive homes ($667k median).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
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 | Rowley | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 55,295Highest |
6,251Lowest |
8,189 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.9±1.4Lowest 5% above MA |
50±6.3Highest 25% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
| Rowley and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.3%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±1.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.6%±4.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Rowley and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
56.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Rowley and Chicopee 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 40% below MA |
$132,734±$32k 28% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
| Upton and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,500±$8kLowest 51% below MA |
$667,300±$52kHighest 19% above MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
| Rowley and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,157±$50 34% below MA |
$1,603±$520Highest 9% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
| Rowley and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847Lowest 36% below MA |
$8,309 39% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±5.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±27.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
| Rowley and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.3%Highest MA: 10% |
3.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
81.7% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 27% below MA |
28 min 3% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
| Work from home | 8%±1.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
11.1%±4 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #247 of 282 in MA | #214 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Chicopee | Triton | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Chicopee Comprehensive High School | None in town | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2 |
— | 11.2 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.