Compare towns
Chicopee vs Upton vs Worcester
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).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Worcester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.1%).
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 | Upton | Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 55,295 |
8,189Lowest |
207,055Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+14.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.9±1.4 5% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA |
| Upton and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±0.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±1.4 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
13.3%±0.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Upton 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 MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35.2% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $62,615±$6kLowest 40% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$70,102±$2k 33% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,500±$8kLowest 51% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$374,400±$7k 33% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,157±$50 34% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,487±$38Highest 16% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847Lowest 36% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$4,733 21% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±5.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
54.2%±2.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Worcester and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.3% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.7% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 27% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
24 min 17% below MA |
| Work from home | 8%±1.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.5%±1 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #247 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #266 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Chicopee | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester |
| High school in town | Chicopee Comprehensive High School | Blackstone Valley | South High Community |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Lowest |
11.2Lowest |
14.6Highest |
| 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.