What stands out worked out from the figures below

Ludlow has the most people working from home (14%).

Chicopee has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.5%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Ludlow	Chicopee
People
Population	20,904Lowest	55,295Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-0.5%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+0.5%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	44.3±1.8Highest 11% above MA	41.9±1.4Lowest 5% above MA
	Ludlow and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	16.4%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4%	19.2%±1.7Highest MA: 19.4%
	Chicopee and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.8%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9%	19.5%±1.4Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Ludlow and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	27%Highest MA: 47.3%	22.9%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.2%±1.7Highest MA: 7.9%	3.7%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Ludlow and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$84,838±$7kHighest 18% below MA	$62,615±$6kLowest 40% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$335,300±$10kHighest 40% below MA	$274,500±$8kLowest 51% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,223±$82Highest 31% below MA	$1,157±$50Lowest 34% below MA
	Ludlow and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,918Highest 18% below MA	$3,847Lowest 36% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.7%±9.5Lowest MA: 51.8%	52%±5.6Highest MA: 51.8%
	Chicopee and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.8%Lowest MA: 10%	17.3%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	77.5%Highest MA: 62.5%	55.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1964Highest same as MA	1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minLowest 31% below MA	21 minHighest 27% below MA
Work from home	14%±3.4Highest MA: 18.6%	8%±1.8Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#154 of 282 in MA	#247 of 282 in MA
School district	Ludlow	Chicopee
High school in town	Ludlow Senior High	Chicopee Comprehensive High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.1Lowest	11.2Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.