Compare towns
Holyoke vs Stow vs Chicopee
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Holyoke has the most renters (58.7% rent).
Stow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.9%).
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 | Holyoke | Stow | Chicopee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 37,813 |
7,165Lowest |
55,295Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+0.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40±1.6Lowest about the MA average |
44.1±4.4Highest 10% above MA |
41.9±1.4 5% above MA |
| Stow and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Stow and Holyoke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.1%±1.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.5%±1.4 MA: 17.9% |
| Holyoke and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.9% MA: 47.3% |
75.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
22.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±0.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±0.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $53,605±$3kLowest 48% below MA |
$185,809±$22kHighest 79% above MA |
$62,615±$6k 40% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,100±$8kLowest 51% below MA |
$729,600±$39kHighest 30% above MA |
$274,500±$8k 51% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,021±$60Lowest 42% below MA |
$1,782±$126Highest about the MA average |
$1,157±$50 34% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,065 32% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$3,847Lowest 36% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.7%±5.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59.7%±44.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
52%±5.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Stow and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 27%Highest MA: 10% |
5.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
17.3% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 41.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
55.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 34% below MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
21 min 27% below MA |
| Work from home | 11.1%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
8%±1.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #281 of 282 in MA | #44 of 282 in MA | #247 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Holyoke · Springfield | Nashoba | Chicopee |
| High school in town | Holyoke High | None in town | Chicopee Comprehensive High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
— | 11.2Lowest |
| 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.