Compare towns
Springfield vs Dunstable vs Chicopee vs Brockton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Springfield has the most renters (50.4% rent).
Dunstable has the highest household income ($209k).
Chicopee has the oldest population (median age 41.9).
Brockton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.6%).
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 | Springfield | Dunstable | Chicopee | Brockton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 154,749Highest |
3,408Lowest |
55,295 |
105,386 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% MA: +7.4% |
+5.6% MA: +7.4% |
+0.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+12.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.7±0.5Lowest 16% below MA |
41.5±2.4 4% above MA |
41.9±1.4Highest 5% above MA |
36.7±0.8 8% below MA |
| Chicopee and Dunstable are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 24.2%±0.9 MA: 19.4% |
22.4%±4.3 MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
25.3%±1Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Brockton and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 13.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
15%±2.6 MA: 17.9% |
19.5%±1.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.4%±0.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
62.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
22.9% MA: 47.3% |
22.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.5%±0.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
7.1%±2.5 MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.3%±0.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Springfield and Dunstable are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $52,656±$2kLowest 49% below MA |
$208,512±$23kHighest 101% above MA |
$62,615±$6k 40% below MA |
$80,115±$3k 23% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,000±$4kLowest 56% below MA |
$674,000±$30kHighest 20% above MA |
$274,500±$8k 51% below MA |
$437,500±$8k 22% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,144±$55Lowest 35% below MA |
$1,325±$637 25% below MA |
$1,157±$50 34% below MA |
$1,641±$52Highest 7% below MA |
| Brockton and Dunstable are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,695Lowest 38% below MA |
$9,020Highest 51% above MA |
$3,847 36% below MA |
$4,820 20% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.7%±3.1 MA: 51.8% |
60%±77.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
52%±5.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
54.5%±4.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Dunstable and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 25.8%Highest MA: 10% |
0.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
17.3% MA: 10% |
13.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
96.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
55.7% MA: 62.5% |
57.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 31% below MA |
34 minHighest 18% above MA |
21 min 27% below MA |
32 min 8% above MA |
| Work from home | 8.4%±0.9 MA: 18.6% |
20%±3.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
8%±1.8 MA: 18.6% |
6.9%±1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #276 of 282 in MA | #4 of 282 in MA | #247 of 282 in MA | #279 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Springfield | Groton-Dunstable | Chicopee | Brockton |
| High school in town | Springfield Central High | None in town | Chicopee Comprehensive High School | Brockton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2 |
— | 11.2Lowest |
17.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.