What stands out worked out from the figures below

Chicopee has the shortest commute (21 min average).

Winchendon has the most people working from home (11.2%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Chicopee	Winchendon
People
Population	55,295Highest	10,440Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.5%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+0.6%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	41.9±1.4Highest 5% above MA	39.6±1.9Lowest about the MA average
	Chicopee and Winchendon 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%	21.8%±3.9Highest MA: 19.4%
	Winchendon and Chicopee 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%	16.9%±2.7Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Chicopee and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	22.9%Highest MA: 47.3%	21.4%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.7%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9%	4.5%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9%
	Winchendon and Chicopee 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	$75,690±$14kHighest 27% below MA
	Winchendon and Chicopee 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	$323,800±$19kHighest 42% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,157±$50Lowest 34% below MA	$1,255±$163Highest 29% below MA
	Winchendon and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,847Highest 36% below MA	$3,780Lowest 37% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52%±5.6Lowest MA: 51.8%	61.7%±17.6Highest MA: 51.8%
	Winchendon and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	17.3%Lowest MA: 10%	18.5%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	55.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%	76.6%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA	1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minLowest 27% below MA	32 minHighest 11% above MA
Work from home	8%±1.8Lowest MA: 18.6%	11.2%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6%
	Winchendon 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	#269 of 282 in MA
School district	Chicopee	Winchendon
High school in town	Chicopee Comprehensive High School	Murdock High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.2Lowest	11.3Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.