Compare towns
Chicopee vs Wendell 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 shortest commute (21 min average).
Wendell has the most people working from home (16.8%).
Taunton has the most expensive homes ($423k 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 | Wendell | Taunton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 55,295 |
850Lowest |
60,433Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.9±1.4 5% above MA |
47.1±8.8Highest 18% above MA |
38.9±1.3Lowest about the MA average |
| Wendell and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±1.7 MA: 19.4% |
16%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.6%±1.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Taunton and Chicopee 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% |
22.7%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
15%±1.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Wendell 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% |
51.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
23.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±0.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Wendell 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 |
$65,288±$14k 37% below MA |
$79,283±$7kHighest 24% below MA |
| Taunton and Wendell 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 |
$290,300±$31k 48% below MA |
$422,800±$9kHighest 25% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,157±$50Lowest 34% below MA |
$1,239±$519 30% below MA |
$1,324±$86Highest 25% below MA |
| Taunton and Wendell 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 |
$4,519Highest 25% below MA |
$4,344 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±5.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.6%±40.8 MA: 51.8% |
56.8%±5.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Taunton and Wendell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.3% MA: 10% |
21.3%Highest MA: 10% |
13%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
62.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 27% below MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 8%±1.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
16.8%±7.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
8%±1.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Wendell 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 | — | #253 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Chicopee | New Salem-Wendell | Bristol-Plymouth Regional Vocational Technical · Taunton |
| High school in town | Chicopee Comprehensive High School | None in town | Taunton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Lowest |
— | 16.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.