Compare towns
Chicopee vs Ware vs West Springfield Town
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).
Ware has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2%).
West Springfield Town has the most expensive homes ($322k median).
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 | Ware | West Springfield Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 55,295Highest |
10,048Lowest |
28,772 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.9±1.4 5% above MA |
43.1±4.7Highest 8% above MA |
40.1±2.6Lowest about the MA average |
| Ware and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±1.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
18.9%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Chicopee and Ware 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% |
20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.5%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Ware 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% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
34%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
5.7%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| West Springfield Town and Ware 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 |
$67,475±$15k 35% below MA |
$69,371±$7kHighest 33% below MA |
| West Springfield Town and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,500±$8kLowest 51% below MA |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
$321,500±$16kHighest 43% below MA |
| West Springfield Town and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,157±$50Highest 34% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,144±$68 35% below MA |
| Chicopee and West Springfield Town 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 |
$4,237 29% below MA |
$4,380Highest 27% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±5.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
60.1%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and West Springfield Town 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% |
11.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1960Highest 4 yrs older than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 27% below MA |
28 minHighest about the MA average |
19 minLowest 34% below MA |
| Work from home | 8%±1.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.4%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Ware and West Springfield Town 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | #218 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Chicopee | Ware | West Springfield |
| High school in town | Chicopee Comprehensive High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School | West Springfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2 |
11.1Lowest |
13.1Highest |
| 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.