Compare towns
Springfield vs Preston vs Chicopee vs Ludlow
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Springfield has the most kids (24.2% under 18).
Preston has the highest household income ($117k).
Ludlow has the most people working from home (14%).
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 | Preston | Chicopee | Ludlow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 154,749Highest |
4,821Lowest |
55,295 |
20,904 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +0.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.7±0.5Lowest 13% below U.S. |
46.2±7Highest 19% above U.S. |
41.9±1.4 8% above U.S. |
44.3±1.8 14% above U.S. |
| Preston and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 24.2%±0.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 13.2%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±1.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.8%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Preston and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
22.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
27% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.5%±0.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $52,656±$2kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$116,648±$27kHighest 44% above U.S. |
$62,615±$6k 22% below U.S. |
$84,838±$7k 5% above U.S. |
| Preston and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,000±$4kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$361,900±$13kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$274,500±$8k 17% below U.S. |
$335,300±$10k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,144±$55Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,433±$1kHighest about the U.S. average |
$1,157±$50 18% below U.S. |
$1,223±$82 13% below U.S. |
| Preston and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,695Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$4,749 52% above U.S. |
$3,847 23% above U.S. |
$4,918Highest 58% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.7%±3.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.6%±12.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
52%±5.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.7%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Springfield and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 25.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
17.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
55.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1970Highest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1958 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1964 16 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 23% below U.S. |
22 minHighest 16% below U.S. |
21 min 19% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±0.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ludlow and Preston 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 | #276 of 282 in MA | #93 of 149 in CT | #247 of 282 in MA | #154 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Springfield | Preston School District | Chicopee | Ludlow |
| High school in town | Springfield Central High | None in town | Chicopee Comprehensive High School | Ludlow Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Highest |
— | 11.2 |
11.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.