What stands out worked out from the figures below

Westfield has the highest household income ($88k).

Chicopee has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.5%).

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	Westfield	Chicopee
People
Population	40,378Lowest	55,295Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-0.6%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+0.5%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	39.9±1.8Lowest about the MA average	41.9±1.4Highest 5% above MA
	Chicopee and Westfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.1%±2Lowest MA: 19.4%	19.2%±1.7Highest MA: 19.4%
	Chicopee and Westfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	18.7%±1.5Lowest MA: 17.9%	19.5%±1.4Highest MA: 17.9%
	Chicopee and Westfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	33.2%Highest MA: 47.3%	22.9%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	10%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9%	3.7%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$87,753±$6kHighest 16% below MA	$62,615±$6kLowest 40% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$325,100±$11kHighest 42% below MA	$274,500±$8kLowest 51% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,117±$60Lowest 37% below MA	$1,157±$50Highest 34% below MA
	Chicopee and Westfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,746Highest 21% below MA	$3,847Lowest 36% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.5%±5.8Lowest MA: 51.8%	52%±5.6Highest MA: 51.8%
	Chicopee and Westfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	10.7%Lowest MA: 10%	17.3%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	68.6%Highest MA: 62.5%	55.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1964Highest same as MA	1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest 9% below MA	21 minLowest 27% below MA
Work from home	8.6%±2.2Highest MA: 18.6%	8%±1.8Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Westfield and Chicopee 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	#197 of 282 in MA	#247 of 282 in MA
School district	Westfield	Chicopee
High school in town	Westfield High	Chicopee Comprehensive High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.9Highest	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.