Compare towns
Fitchburg vs Chicopee vs Ashby
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fitchburg has the youngest population (median age 36.3).
Chicopee has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Ashby has the most people working from home (17.8%).
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 | Fitchburg | Chicopee | Ashby |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 41,798 |
55,295Highest |
3,211Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+0.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.9% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.3±2Lowest 9% below MA |
41.9±1.4 5% above MA |
50.5±3Highest 26% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±1.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±1.7 MA: 19.4% |
17%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Fitchburg and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.3%±1.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.5%±1.4 MA: 17.9% |
21.5%±4.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Ashby and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.1% MA: 47.3% |
22.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
43.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,040±$5k 30% below MA |
$62,615±$6kLowest 40% below MA |
$115,598±$9kHighest 11% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $336,400±$11k 40% below MA |
$274,500±$8kLowest 51% below MA |
$390,500±$30kHighest 31% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,222±$89Highest 31% below MA |
$1,157±$50Lowest 34% below MA |
$1,200±$484 32% below MA |
| Fitchburg and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,456 26% below MA |
$3,847Lowest 36% below MA |
$6,034Highest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.9%±5.3 MA: 51.8% |
52%±5.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
36.4%±53.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Chicopee and Fitchburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.6% MA: 10% |
17.3%Highest MA: 10% |
2.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
55.7% MA: 62.5% |
95.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1970Highest 6 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 7% below MA |
21 minLowest 27% below MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.3%±2 MA: 18.6% |
8%±1.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.8%±5.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Ashby and Fitchburg 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 | #249 of 282 in MA | #247 of 282 in MA | #200 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fitchburg · Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical | Chicopee | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical | Chicopee Comprehensive High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9Highest |
11.2Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.