What stands out worked out from the figures below

Webster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).

Chicopee has the shortest commute (21 min average).

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	Webster	Chicopee
People
Population	17,748Lowest	55,295Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6%Highest MA: +7.4%	+0.5%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average	41.9±1.4Highest 5% above MA
	Chicopee and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.6%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4%	19.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Webster and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.6%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9%	19.5%±1.4Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Webster and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	25.3%Highest MA: 47.3%	22.9%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.8%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9%	3.7%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Webster and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$72,895±$6kHighest 30% below MA	$62,615±$6kLowest 40% below MA
	Webster and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$361,500±$12kHighest 36% below MA	$274,500±$8kLowest 51% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,228±$81Highest 30% below MA	$1,157±$50Lowest 34% below MA
	Webster and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,999Highest 33% below MA	$3,847Lowest 36% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.7%±6.7Lowest MA: 51.8%	52%±5.6Highest MA: 51.8%
	Chicopee and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	12.7%Lowest MA: 10%	17.3%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	59.8%Highest MA: 62.5%	55.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1962Highest 2 yrs older than MA	1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 5% above MA	21 minLowest 27% below MA
Work from home	8%±2.5 MA: 18.6%	8%±1.8 MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#271 of 282 in MA	#247 of 282 in MA
School district	Webster	Chicopee
High school in town	Bartlett High School	Chicopee Comprehensive High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.6Highest	11.2Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.