Compare towns
Chicopee vs Worcester 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 most affordable homes ($275k median).
Worcester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.1%).
Taunton has the highest household income ($79k).
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 | Taunton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 55,295Lowest |
207,055Highest |
60,433 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+14.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.9±1.4Highest 5% above MA |
33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA |
38.9±1.3 about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±0.8 MA: 19.4% |
21.6%±1.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Taunton and Worcester 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% |
13.3%±0.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
15%±1.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
35.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
23.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±0.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $62,615±$6kLowest 40% below MA |
$70,102±$2k 33% below MA |
$79,283±$7kHighest 24% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,500±$8kLowest 51% below MA |
$374,400±$7k 33% below MA |
$422,800±$9kHighest 25% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,157±$50Lowest 34% below MA |
$1,487±$38Highest 16% below MA |
$1,324±$86 25% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847Lowest 36% below MA |
$4,733Highest 21% below MA |
$4,344 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±5.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
54.2%±2.9 MA: 51.8% |
56.8%±5.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Taunton and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.3% MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
13%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.7% MA: 62.5% |
42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
62.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
1965Highest 1 yr newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 27% below MA |
24 min 17% below MA |
29 minHighest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 8%±1.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
11.5%±1Highest MA: 18.6% |
8%±1.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #247 of 282 in MA | #266 of 282 in MA | #253 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Chicopee | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Bristol-Plymouth Regional Vocational Technical · Taunton |
| High school in town | Chicopee Comprehensive High School | South High Community | Taunton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Lowest |
14.6 |
16.6Highest |
| 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.