What stands out worked out from the figures below

Chicopee has the shortest commute (21 min average).

Spencer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.6%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Chicopee	Spencer
People
Population	55,295Highest	12,008Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.5%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+2.6%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	41.9±1.4Lowest 5% above MA	48.9±6.8Highest 22% above MA
	Spencer and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.2%±1.7Highest MA: 19.4%	16.4%±3.9Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Chicopee and Spencer 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%	26%±4.4Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	22.9%Lowest MA: 47.3%	29.1%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.7%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9%	5.2%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9%
	Spencer 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	$80,533±$11kHighest 23% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$274,500±$8kLowest 51% below MA	$382,000±$22kHighest 32% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,157±$50Highest 34% below MA	$1,078±$161Lowest 39% below MA
	Chicopee and Spencer 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	$4,387Highest 27% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52%±5.6Highest MA: 51.8%	50.6%±10.3Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Chicopee and Spencer 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%	11%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	55.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%	63%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA	1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minLowest 27% below MA	34 minHighest 18% above MA
Work from home	8%±1.8Lowest MA: 18.6%	15%±7.3Highest MA: 18.6%
	Spencer and Chicopee 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	#261 of 282 in MA
School district	Chicopee	Spencer-E Brookfield
High school in town	Chicopee Comprehensive High School	David Prouty High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.2Highest	9.9Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.