Compare towns
Chicopee vs Sterling 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 oldest population (median age 41.9).
Sterling has the highest household income ($103k).
Holyoke has the most renters (58.7% rent).
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 | Sterling | Holyoke |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 55,295Highest |
3,629Lowest |
37,813 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -4.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.9±1.4Highest 8% above U.S. |
39.4±5.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
40±1.6 about the U.S. average |
| Chicopee and Holyoke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Sterling and Holyoke 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% |
13%±3.8Lowest 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% |
18%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±0.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $62,615±$6k 22% below U.S. |
$102,695±$12kHighest 27% above U.S. |
$53,605±$3kLowest 34% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,500±$8k 17% below U.S. |
$283,400±$17kHighest 15% below U.S. |
$274,100±$8kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Sterling and Chicopee 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. |
— | $1,021±$60Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$4,551Highest 46% above U.S. |
$4,065 30% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±5.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
32%±18.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Chicopee and Holyoke 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% |
8.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
27%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
41.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 19% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.6%±6.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sterling and Holyoke 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 | #119 of 149 in CT | #281 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Chicopee | Sterling School District | Holyoke · Springfield |
| High school in town | Chicopee Comprehensive High School | None in town | Holyoke High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Lowest |
— | 12.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.