Compare towns
Stow vs Chicopee vs Hudson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Stow has the most people working from home (36.6%).
Chicopee has the most affordable homes ($275k median).
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 | Stow | Chicopee | Hudson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,165Lowest |
55,295Highest |
20,077 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+0.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.1±4.4Highest 10% above MA |
41.9±1.4Lowest 5% above MA |
42.9±1.7 7% above MA |
| Stow and Hudson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.3%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.3%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Stow and Hudson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.5%±1.4 MA: 17.9% |
20.1%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Hudson and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 75.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
22.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
46.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Hudson and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $185,809±$22kHighest 79% above MA |
$62,615±$6kLowest 40% below MA |
$103,400±$13k about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $729,600±$39kHighest 30% above MA |
$274,500±$8kLowest 51% below MA |
$496,800±$22k 12% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,782±$126Highest about the MA average |
$1,157±$50Lowest 34% below MA |
$1,406±$82 20% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$3,847Lowest 36% below MA |
$6,892 15% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±44.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
52%±5.6 MA: 51.8% |
40.8%±8.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Stow and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
17.3%Highest MA: 10% |
5.3% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
55.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 23% above MA |
21 minLowest 27% below MA |
31 min 6% above MA |
| Work from home | 36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
8%±1.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.6%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #44 of 282 in MA | #247 of 282 in MA | #224 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Nashoba | Chicopee | Hudson |
| High school in town | None in town | Chicopee Comprehensive High School | Hudson High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Highest |
10.2Lowest |
| 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.