Compare towns
Chicopee vs Townsend vs Taunton
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).
Townsend has the highest household income ($122k).
Taunton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.3%).
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 | Townsend | Taunton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 55,295 |
9,100Lowest |
60,433Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.3% MA: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.9±1.4Highest 5% above MA |
40.9±3.3 about the MA average |
38.9±1.3Lowest about the MA average |
| Chicopee and Townsend 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% |
21%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
21.6%±1.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Taunton and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±1.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.1%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
15%±1.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Chicopee and Townsend 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% |
35.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
23.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±0.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Townsend and Taunton 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 |
$121,528±$23kHighest 17% above MA |
$79,283±$7k 24% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,500±$8kLowest 51% below MA |
$433,200±$22kHighest 23% below MA |
$422,800±$9k 25% below MA |
| Townsend and Taunton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,157±$50Lowest 34% below MA |
$1,469±$313Highest 17% below MA |
$1,324±$86 25% below MA |
| Townsend and Taunton 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 |
$6,031Highest about the MA average |
$4,344 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±5.6 MA: 51.8% |
50.6%±16.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
56.8%±5.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Taunton 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 MA: 10% |
8.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
13% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82%Highest MA: 62.5% |
62.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 27% below MA |
37 minHighest 27% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 8%±1.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
8%±1.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Townsend 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 | #136 of 282 in MA | #253 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Chicopee | North Middlesex | Bristol-Plymouth Regional Vocational Technical · Taunton |
| High school in town | Chicopee Comprehensive High School | North Middlesex Regional | Taunton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Lowest |
13.1 |
16.6Highest |
| 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.