Compare towns
Chicopee vs Worcester vs Springfield
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 oldest population (median age 41.9).
Worcester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.1%).
Springfield has the most kids (24.2% 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 | Worcester | Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 55,295Lowest |
207,055Highest |
154,749 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+14.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.9% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.9±1.4Highest 5% above MA |
33.9±0.5 15% below MA |
33.7±0.5Lowest 16% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±0.8 MA: 19.4% |
24.2%±0.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±1.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
13.3%±0.6 MA: 17.9% |
13.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.9% MA: 47.3% |
35.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
20.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
7.5%±0.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $62,615±$6k 40% below MA |
$70,102±$2kHighest 33% below MA |
$52,656±$2kLowest 49% below MA |
| Worcester 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±$8k 51% below MA |
$374,400±$7kHighest 33% below MA |
$245,000±$4kLowest 56% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,157±$50 34% below MA |
$1,487±$38Highest 16% below MA |
$1,144±$55Lowest 35% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847 36% below MA |
$4,733Highest 21% below MA |
$3,695Lowest 38% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±5.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
54.2%±2.9 MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±3.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Springfield and Worcester 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% |
19.6% MA: 10% |
25.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
49.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Highest 6 yrs older than MA |
1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
1952 12 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 27% below MA |
24 minHighest 17% below MA |
20 minLowest 31% below MA |
| Work from home | 8%±1.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
11.5%±1Highest MA: 18.6% |
8.4%±0.9 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #247 of 282 in MA | #266 of 282 in MA | #276 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Chicopee | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Springfield |
| High school in town | Chicopee Comprehensive High School | South High Community | Springfield Central High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Lowest |
14.6Highest |
12.2 |
| 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.