Compare towns
Holyoke vs Ware 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).
Ware has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2%).
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 | Ware | Chicopee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 37,813 |
10,048Lowest |
55,295Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+0.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40±1.6Lowest about the MA average |
43.1±4.7Highest 8% above MA |
41.9±1.4 5% above MA |
| Ware and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±1.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±1.7 MA: 19.4% |
| Holyoke and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.1%±1.6 MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.5%±1.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Ware and Holyoke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
22.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±0.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
| Ware and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $53,605±$3kLowest 48% below MA |
$67,475±$15kHighest 35% below MA |
$62,615±$6k 40% below MA |
| Ware and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,100±$8kLowest 51% below MA |
$289,700±$28kHighest 48% below MA |
$274,500±$8k 51% below MA |
| Ware and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,021±$60Lowest 42% below MA |
$1,043±$109 41% below MA |
$1,157±$50Highest 34% below MA |
| Chicopee and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,065 32% below MA |
$4,237Highest 29% below MA |
$3,847Lowest 36% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.7%±5.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
52%±5.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware 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% |
11.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
17.3% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 41.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
55.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1960Highest 4 yrs older than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 34% below MA |
28 minHighest about the MA average |
21 min 27% below MA |
| Work from home | 11.1%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
8%±1.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Ware and Holyoke 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 | #281 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #247 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Holyoke · Springfield | Ware | Chicopee |
| High school in town | Holyoke High | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Chicopee Comprehensive High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
11.1Lowest |
11.2 |
| 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.