MetricPalmer, MAHolyoke, MA
Population12,38137,813
Median Household Income$78,480$53,605
Median Rent$1,075/mo$1,021/mo
Median Home Value$271,400$274,100
Cost of Living (US = 100)9696
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income50.9%47.7%
Poverty Rate8.3%27%
Unemployment Rate5.2%6%
Violent Crime Rate /100k4541,301
Property Crime Rate /100k6883,589
Median AQI3939
Good AQI Days /yr281281
Summer Highs80°F83°F
Winter Lows17°F18°F
Snowfall43 in/yr37 in/yr
Avg Commute31.3 min19.3 min
Hospitals13
Avg Hospital Rating4.0 / 54.0 / 5
Students per Teacher9.912.4
College Degree Rate23.5%25.9%
Foreign-Born %1.2%6.2%
Population Growth (2020–2025)-0.7%-0.6%

Green = clearly better (more than 5% apart). Population, growth, weather, hospital count and foreign-born share aren’t scored.