What stands out worked out from the figures below

Chicopee has the most homeowners (55.7%).

Woonsocket has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5%).

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	Woonsocket
People
Population	55,295Highest	43,521Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+5%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.9±1.4Highest 8% above U.S.	35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S.
Kids under 18	19.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22%	23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	19.5%±1.4Highest U.S.: 17.2%	14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	22.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.7%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.1%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Woonsocket 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±$6kHighest 22% below U.S.	$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S.
	Chicopee and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$274,500±$8kLowest 17% below U.S.	$311,000±$15kHighest 7% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,157±$50Lowest 18% below U.S.	$1,161±$48Highest 18% below U.S.
	Woonsocket and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,847Lowest 23% above U.S.	$3,960Highest 27% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52%±5.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%	46.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Chicopee and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	17.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	55.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1958Highest 22 yrs older than U.S.	1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minLowest 19% below U.S.	29 minHighest 11% above U.S.
Work from home	8%±1.8Highest U.S.: 15.1%	6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Chicopee and Woonsocket 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	#37 of 38 in RI
School district	Chicopee	RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket
High school in town	Chicopee Comprehensive High School	Woonsocket High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.2Lowest	15.2Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.