Compare towns
Chicopee vs Suffield vs Ludlow vs West Springfield Town
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 affordable homes ($275k median).
Suffield has the highest household income ($119k).
West Springfield Town has the youngest population (median age 40.1).
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 | Suffield | Ludlow | West Springfield Town |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 55,295Highest |
15,702Lowest |
20,904 |
28,772 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -0.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.9±1.4 8% above U.S. |
44.5±1.7Highest 14% above U.S. |
44.3±1.8 14% above U.S. |
40.1±2.6Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Suffield and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±1.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Chicopee and West Springfield Town 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% |
18.4%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.5%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ludlow 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
27% U.S.: 35.7% |
34% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| West Springfield Town and Ludlow 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 22% below U.S. |
$119,472±$13kHighest 48% above U.S. |
$84,838±$7k 5% above U.S. |
$69,371±$7k 14% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,500±$8kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$407,500±$26kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$335,300±$10k about the U.S. average |
$321,500±$16k 3% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,157±$50 18% below U.S. |
$1,424±$141Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,223±$82 13% below U.S. |
$1,144±$68Lowest 19% below U.S. |
| Suffield and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$6,456Highest 107% above U.S. |
$4,918 58% above U.S. |
$4,380 40% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±5.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.7%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
60.1%±9.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| West Springfield Town and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 17.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1964 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 19% below U.S. |
26 minHighest 3% below U.S. |
20 min 24% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±3.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.4%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Suffield and Ludlow 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 | #57 of 149 in CT | #154 of 282 in MA | #218 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Chicopee | Suffield School District | Ludlow | West Springfield |
| High school in town | Chicopee Comprehensive High School | Suffield High School | Ludlow Senior High | West Springfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2 |
10.9Lowest |
11.1 |
13.1Highest |
| 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.