Chicopee vs South Hadley
marks the Massachusetts median on each scale. The better of the two is picked out where the gap is big enough to call; where neither is, they are level.
The prices are within about $30k of each other, so schools break the tie: South Hadley is ahead — 29th percentile on MCAS against 18th.
On tax, look past the rate: Chicopee works out roughly $1,000 a year cheaper on its own median 4BR.
Choose Chicopee if you want the lower price.
All Chicopee numbers →Choose South Hadley if you want the stronger schools of the two, or the commute matters most.
All South Hadley numbers →Side by side
Some rows have no better. Town character describes a place rather than ranking it, and per-pupil spending tracks need rather than results, so neither is picked out.
SchoolsSouth Hadley ahead on 5 of 9
| Chicopee | South Hadley | |
|---|---|---|
| School tier | mixed schoolsT4 | solid schoolsT3 |
| MCAS achievement | 18th | 29th |
| Student growth | 47th | 48th |
| Graduation rate | 88.1% | 92.5% |
| SchoolDigger rank | 312th of 361 | 255th of 361 |
| State accountability | Moderate progress toward targets | Moderate progress toward targets |
| Spending per pupil | $22,444 | $20,200 |
| Schools in the district | 12 | 3 |
| Private schools within 12 mi | 5 | 7 |
What a home costsChicopee ahead on 2 of 6
| Chicopee | South Hadley | |
|---|---|---|
| 4BR house | $420kT1 | $450kT1 |
| 3BR townhouse | $325k | $350k |
| 2BR condo | $240k | $260k |
| 3BR rent | $2,367/mo | $2,477/mo |
| Income needed for the 4BR | $121k | $132k |
| 10-year price growth | 6.4% a year | 5.5% a year |
What you pay the townChicopee ahead on 2 of 4
| Chicopee | South Hadley | |
|---|---|---|
| Tax rate | $15.24T4 | $16.50T4 |
| Est. tax bill on that 4BR | ≈$6,400 | ≈$7,400 |
| Town spending per resident | $4,346 | $3,086 |
| Share of budget on schools | 49% | 48% |
Getting to workLevel across all 3
| Chicopee | South Hadley | |
|---|---|---|
| Commute to Boston | 116 minT4 | 114 minT4 |
| MBTA rail | No MBTA rail | No MBTA rail |
| Miles from downtown | 78 mi | 76 mi |
Before kindergartenChicopee ahead on 2 of 4, 1 against
| Chicopee | South Hadley | |
|---|---|---|
| Licensed child care programs | 90 | 16 |
| Child care places | 2,185 | 560 |
| Centers vs family programs | 24 centers | 8 centers |
| Infant places in centers | 118 | 142 |
What the place is likeDescribes the two, does not rank them
| Chicopee | South Hadley | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 55,560 | 18,150 |
| Energy | 7/10 | 7/10 |
| Compact center | 7/10 | 6/10 |
| Family amenities | 6/10 | 5/10 |
| Culture | 7/10 | 8/10 |
| Gathering places | 8/10 | 8/10 |
The tax bill is each town’s own rate on its own median 4BR, so a lower rate does not always mean a lower bill. School tiers are editorial, shown beside the state’s own MCAS figures rather than derived from them.
Prices calibrated to Zillow ZHVI and Redfin · FY2026 residential tax rates · rail leg from the MBTA timetable, drive modeled · rents are HUD FY2026 Small Area FMRs · reviewed · methodology. Never uses demographics as an input.
