10 Best Independent Living Communities in Chicopee, MA

Independent Living

For many seniors, cost of owning a home might be a deterrent to living an independent lifestyle. Independent Living Communities offer a solid alternative to this situation. Residents may continue to live their lives as they wish while their food is prepared by a professionall chef, housekeeping and laundry duties are handled by staff, and recreational activities are organized and scheduled. Along with their daily needs being met, residents can enjoy the opportunity to be among peers, surrounded by others of similar age groups and backgrounds. Within the individual units, residents have access to a private living space and a full kitchen, and can even live with a partner if they choose. While policies vary between locations, many residences allow pets as well. If residents decide they would like to employ the services of private health care professionalls, they always have the option. There are an assortment of benefits and expenses to balance when determining an independent living community. It is important to learn if these services are included in the care plan: private phone, meals, laundry, utilities, wellness program, internet access, initial assessment fee, and transportation. The benefits associated with independent living include private rental hall, transportation, laundry service, security guards, community activities, healthcare center, golf course, and concierge services.

Cost of Living

The total cost of living is a big influence when choosing which location meets the needs of you or your loved one’s needs. The rent burden for Chicopee is about 18.4% of the average person’s monthly income. Monthly, the median rent in Chicopee is about $1,056 and the median value for a home for Chicopee is around $175,491.

Demographics and Values

Currently, the population of Chicopee consists of 55,515 people. Chicopee has a population density of 935 people per square mile. Out of the total population of Chicopee, 6.9% are widows, 14.4% live in poverty, 3.4% do not have health insurance, and 15.7% have some form of disability. In terms of education, 17.1% have a college degree, 35.8% have a high-school diploma, and 6.7% have a graduate degree. In Chicopee, 9.5% of the population are veterans of the United States military. Racially, the population of Chicopee is 86.3% white, 1.8% Asian, 2.6% mixed race, 0.2% Native American, 4.3% black, 0.0% Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian, 4.8% other or not specified, and 19.8% Hispanic. Based on gender, 49.0% are male and 51.0% are female. The median age of Chicopee is 40 years old.

State Information

An overview of Massachusetts

Overall, Massachusetts ranks 8th out of all states in quality of life and 2nd in healthcare. There are 78 hospitals and 129 health centers that service a population of 6,941,273. The top three hospitals in the state are considered to be Cape Cod Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, and New England Baptist Hospital. The natural beauty of Massachusetts is ranked 26th in the nation. In terms of resources, Massachusetts has a cost of living index of 133.8, a grocery index rating of 113.9, and a housing index rating of 170.3. These index ratings are based on a system where 100 is considered the national average and anything above 100 is considered more expensive than said average.

Social demographics of the state

The median age in the state is 39, and 30% of the population is over the age of 55. Twenty-three percent of Massachusetts residents regularly attend a religious service from one of the state’s 4,200 different congregations. The top three Christian denominations in the state are Evangelical Protestant-9%, Mainline Protestant-10%, and Historically Black Protestant-2%. The top three non-Christian denominations in the state are Jewish-3%, Muslim-<1%, and Buddhist-<1%. In Massachusetts there are 27 masonic lodges. In terms of diversity, Massachusetts ranks 16th in the nation and is considered very LGBTQ friendly. In the last presidential election 60% of Massachusetts residents voted Democrat and 33% voted Republican.

State-wide weather information

The most precipitation occurs in May with an average of 6.10 inches of precipitation a month. On average, the state receives 4.04 inches of precipitation a month. Massachusetts experiences an average humidity rating of about 71%. The highest monthly average humidity rating is 71% in the month of December. The average air quality index rating in Massachusetts is 38.9 AQI. The average air quality index rating peaks in the month of May with a rating of around 47.5 AQI. The average temperature in the winter falls to around 28F. The average high winter temperature is around 45F in the month of January. The average low temperature during the winter drops to around 7F in the month of December. During the summer, the average temperature in Massachusetts is around 68F. The average high summer temperature is around 85F in the month of July. The average low summer temperature is around 50F in the month of June. While residents of Massachusetts mostly enjoy pleasant conditions, it’s important to be aware of inclement weather as well, which in Massachusetts can include hurricanes, earthquakes (moderate), and and tornadoes.

Wildlife to be found in Massachusetts

The state of Massachusetts has a diverse array of plant and animal life. Local plant life can consist of American linden, butterfly weed, American beech, and eastern hemlock. While venturing throughout the state, you might see animals such as the cardinal flower, the spike gayfeather, the bobcats, or the cut leaf coneflower. The state animal of Massachusetts is the woodchucks.