What stands out worked out from the figures below

South Hadley has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.6%).

Chicopee has the most kids (19.2% under 18).

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	South Hadley	Chicopee
People
Population	17,754Lowest	55,295Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.6%Highest MA: +7.4%	+0.5%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	42.6±2.6Highest 7% above MA	41.9±1.4Lowest 5% above MA
	South Hadley and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	12.8%±1.8Lowest MA: 19.4%	19.2%±1.7Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	23.3%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9%	19.5%±1.4Lowest MA: 17.9%
	South Hadley and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	50.2%Highest MA: 47.3%	22.9%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	18.7%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9%	3.7%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$93,910±$15kHighest 10% below MA	$62,615±$6kLowest 40% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$357,900±$19kHighest 36% below MA	$274,500±$8kLowest 51% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,325±$54Highest 25% below MA	$1,157±$50Lowest 34% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,500Highest 8% below MA	$3,847Lowest 36% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	48.7%±10.7Lowest MA: 51.8%	52%±5.6Highest MA: 51.8%
	Chicopee and South Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.5%Lowest MA: 10%	17.3%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	77%Highest MA: 62.5%	55.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1961Highest 3 yrs older than MA	1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minHighest 19% below MA	21 minLowest 27% below MA
Work from home	17.3%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6%	8%±1.8Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#216 of 282 in MA	#247 of 282 in MA
School district	South Hadley	Chicopee
High school in town	South Hadley High	Chicopee Comprehensive High School
Students per teacherat that high school	8.6Lowest	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.