Compare towns
West Springfield Town vs Gardner vs Chicopee
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
West Springfield Town has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Gardner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.2%).
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 | West Springfield Town | Gardner | Chicopee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,772 |
21,148Lowest |
55,295Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.6% MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+0.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.1±2.6Lowest about the MA average |
43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
41.9±1.4 5% above MA |
| Gardner and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±1.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Chicopee and West Springfield Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.5%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.5%±1.4 MA: 17.9% |
| Gardner and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34%Highest MA: 47.3% |
23.8% MA: 47.3% |
22.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| West Springfield Town and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,371±$7kHighest 33% below MA |
$67,518±$8k 35% below MA |
$62,615±$6kLowest 40% below MA |
| West Springfield Town and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $321,500±$16kHighest 43% below MA |
$301,600±$20k 46% below MA |
$274,500±$8kLowest 51% below MA |
| West Springfield Town and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,144±$68 35% below MA |
$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,157±$50Highest 34% below MA |
| Chicopee and West Springfield Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,380Highest 27% below MA |
$4,150 31% below MA |
$3,847Lowest 36% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.1%±9.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52%±5.6 MA: 51.8% |
| West Springfield Town and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
13.7% MA: 10% |
17.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5% MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
55.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Highest 6 yrs older than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1958Highest 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 34% below MA |
31 minHighest 5% above MA |
21 min 27% below MA |
| Work from home | 10.4%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
8%±1.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Gardner and West Springfield Town 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 | #218 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA | #247 of 282 in MA |
| School district | West Springfield | Gardner | Chicopee |
| High school in town | West Springfield High | Gardner High | Chicopee Comprehensive High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1 |
13.5Highest |
11.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.