Compare towns
West Springfield Town vs Upton 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).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
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 | Upton | Chicopee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,772 |
8,189Lowest |
55,295Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.6% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+0.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.1±2.6Lowest about the MA average |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
41.9±1.4 5% above MA |
| Upton and Chicopee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±1.7 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Chicopee 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% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.5%±1.4 MA: 17.9% |
| Upton 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% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
22.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,371±$7k 33% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$62,615±$6kLowest 40% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $321,500±$16k 43% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$274,500±$8kLowest 51% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,144±$68 35% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% 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 | $4,380 27% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$3,847Lowest 36% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.1%±9.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
52%±5.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| West Springfield Town and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.9% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
17.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
55.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 34% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
21 min 27% below MA |
| Work from home | 10.4%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
8%±1.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #218 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #247 of 282 in MA |
| School district | West Springfield | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Chicopee |
| High school in town | West Springfield High | Blackstone Valley | Chicopee Comprehensive High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
11.2Lowest |
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.