Compare towns
Somerville vs Chicopee vs Quincy
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Somerville has the most people working from home (31.3%).
Chicopee has the most affordable homes ($275k median).
Quincy has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.1%).
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 | Somerville | Chicopee | Quincy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 81,036 |
55,295Lowest |
102,114Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7% MA: +7.4% |
+0.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+10.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 31.9±0.6Lowest 20% below MA |
41.9±1.4Highest 5% above MA |
38.6±0.8 4% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 9.8%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±1.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
14.5%±1 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 10%±0.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.5%±1.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Chicopee and Quincy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 69.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
22.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 12.8%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
8.2%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $132,572±$6kHighest 28% above MA |
$62,615±$6kLowest 40% below MA |
$98,882±$5k 5% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $911,300±$26kHighest 62% above MA |
$274,500±$8kLowest 51% below MA |
$618,500±$14k 10% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,517±$64Highest 43% above MA |
$1,157±$50Lowest 34% below MA |
$2,118±$59 20% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,186 3% above MA |
$3,847Lowest 36% below MA |
$6,381Highest 6% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.2%±2.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52%±5.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
48.7%±3.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Chicopee and Quincy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
17.3%Highest MA: 10% |
10.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 34.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
55.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
45.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1958Highest 6 yrs older than MA |
1958Highest 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 7% above MA |
21 minLowest 27% below MA |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
| Work from home | 31.3%±2.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
8%±1.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
21.2%±1.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #225 of 282 in MA | #247 of 282 in MA | #147 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Somerville | Chicopee | Quincy |
| High school in town | Somerville High | Chicopee Comprehensive High School | North Quincy High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Lowest |
11.2Lowest |
15.5Highest |
| 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.