Compare towns
Chicopee vs Wakefield 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).
Wakefield has the most people working from home (24.6%).
Taunton has the most kids (21.6% under 18).
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 | Wakefield | Taunton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 55,295 |
27,793Lowest |
60,433Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.9±1.4 5% above MA |
42.4±1.7Highest 6% above MA |
38.9±1.3Lowest about the MA average |
| Wakefield 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% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
21.6%±1.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Taunton and Wakefield 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% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
15%±1.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Chicopee and Wakefield 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% |
59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
23.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±0.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Taunton and Wakefield 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 |
$134,306±$14kHighest 29% above MA |
$79,283±$7k 24% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,500±$8kLowest 51% below MA |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
$422,800±$9k 25% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,157±$50Lowest 34% below MA |
$1,958±$102Highest 11% above MA |
$1,324±$86 25% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847Lowest 36% below MA |
$7,779Highest 30% above MA |
$4,344 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±5.6 MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest 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% |
4.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
13% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
62.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1965Highest 1 yr newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 27% below MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 8%±1.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
8%±1.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #247 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | #253 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Chicopee | — | Bristol-Plymouth Regional Vocational Technical · Taunton |
| High school in town | Chicopee Comprehensive High School | — | Taunton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Lowest |
— | 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.