What stands out worked out from the figures below

Marshfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.8%).

Chicopee has the most affordable homes ($275k median).

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	Marshfield	Chicopee
People
Population	25,879Lowest	55,295Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.8%Highest MA: +7.4%	+0.5%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	45.9±2.6Highest 15% above MA	41.9±1.4Lowest 5% above MA
	Marshfield and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.6%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4%	19.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Marshfield and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.2%±2Highest MA: 17.9%	19.5%±1.4Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Marshfield and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	52.4%Highest MA: 47.3%	22.9%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9%	3.7%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Marshfield and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$125,986±$8kHighest 21% above MA	$62,615±$6kLowest 40% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$680,300±$27kHighest 21% above MA	$274,500±$8kLowest 51% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,772±$123Highest about the MA average	$1,157±$50Lowest 34% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,656Highest 11% above MA	$3,847Lowest 36% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	68.1%±10.1Highest MA: 51.8%	52%±5.6Lowest MA: 51.8%
Below poverty line	8.7%Lowest MA: 10%	17.3%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	80.8%Highest MA: 62.5%	55.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA	1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	35 minHighest 19% above MA	21 minLowest 27% below MA
Work from home	24.8%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6%	8%±1.8Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#54 of 282 in MA	#247 of 282 in MA
School district	Marshfield	Chicopee
High school in town	Marshfield High	Chicopee Comprehensive High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.0Lowest	11.2Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.