Compare towns
Pembroke vs Chicopee vs Belchertown
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pembroke has the most expensive homes ($587k median).
Chicopee has the most renters (44.3% rent).
Belchertown has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.8%).
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 | Pembroke | Chicopee | Belchertown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 18,382 |
55,295Highest |
15,393Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.9% MA: +7.4% |
+0.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.5±3.3Highest 14% above MA |
41.9±1.4Lowest 5% above MA |
43.9±1.6 10% above MA |
| Pembroke and Belchertown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.3%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.5%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Belchertown and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.5%±1.4 MA: 17.9% |
21%±2.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Belchertown and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.7% MA: 47.3% |
22.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
47.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.7%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Belchertown and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $146,285±$17kHighest 41% above MA |
$62,615±$6kLowest 40% below MA |
$108,068±$15k 4% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $586,500±$28kHighest 4% above MA |
$274,500±$8kLowest 51% below MA |
$371,300±$12k 34% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,464±$753Highest 40% above MA |
$1,157±$50Lowest 34% below MA |
$1,292±$230 27% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,585Highest 10% above MA |
$3,847Lowest 36% below MA |
$5,810 3% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±5.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52%±5.6 MA: 51.8% |
57.4%±21.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Belchertown and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4%Lowest MA: 10% |
17.3%Highest MA: 10% |
8.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
55.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
87.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 19% above MA |
21 minLowest 27% below MA |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 21.2%±5.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
8%±1.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
14%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Pembroke and Belchertown 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 | #82 of 282 in MA | #247 of 282 in MA | #168 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Pembroke | Chicopee | Belchertown |
| High school in town | Pembroke High School | Chicopee Comprehensive High School | Belchertown High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Highest |
11.2Lowest |
11.9 |
| 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.