Chicopee Residents Directory
Chicopee has more than 55,000 residents in Hampden County, and searching its residents directory means working through a mix of city, county, and state records. The Chicopee City Clerk keeps vital records going back to 1848, runs the annual census, and handles public records requests. If you want to find someone in the Chicopee residents directory, City Hall at 17 Springfield Street is the first stop. The clerk also works with the Records Access Officer to respond to formal requests under Massachusetts public records law. Hampden County adds property and court records, while state agencies hold statewide data that covers Chicopee as well.
Chicopee Overview
Chicopee City Clerk Office
The Chicopee City Clerk is located at City Hall, 17 Springfield Street in Chicopee. The office handles vital records, the annual census, marriage intentions, and business certificates. Kevin Corridan in the Law Department serves as the city's Records Access Officer, which means formal public records requests go through his office. The clerk's staff can help with most day-to-day record lookups, though. You can call them at 413-594-1466 for questions about records on file or to check availability before you visit.
Walk-in requests are accepted during regular business hours. Bring a photo ID for certified copies. The Chicopee residents directory starts with the records this office holds because they tie names to dates, addresses, and family connections going back over 170 years. Few cities in western Massachusetts can match that depth of local records, and the clerk's staff is familiar with searching older files that predate digital systems.
| Office | Chicopee City Clerk |
|---|---|
| Address | 17 Springfield St Chicopee, MA 01013 |
| Phone | 413-594-1466 |
| RAO | Kevin Corridan (Law Dept) |
Mail requests go to the same address. Include a check to the City of Chicopee, the full name and date of the event, and a self-addressed stamped envelope.
Chicopee Vital Records
Chicopee holds vital records from 1848 to the present. That is one of the longer local archives in the region. Birth certificates cost $10 for the first copy and $5 for each additional copy of the same record. Death certificates follow the same fee structure at $10 and $5. Marriage certificates cost $10 per copy. These fees are in line with what most Massachusetts cities charge, and they apply whether you request in person, by mail, or through the clerk's office.
The depth of the Chicopee records makes the city a strong source for the residents directory, especially if you are doing genealogy research or trying to trace someone's connection to the area over a long period. The clerk's staff can assist with searches through older handwritten ledgers, though complex genealogy lookups may take extra time and come with additional fees that vary based on the scope of the search.
For records of events that happened outside Chicopee, the state Registry of Vital Records and Statistics keeps copies at the state level. But for anything that took place within city limits since 1848, the Chicopee clerk is the primary source.
Chicopee Directory Census Data
Under M.G.L. c.51 §4, Chicopee runs an annual census that collects the names and addresses of all residents as of January 1 each year. The city mails forms to every household. Residents fill in the names and ages of everyone living there and send the form back to the City Clerk. The clerk turns this data into a street listing that sorts residents by address.
The street list is a public record under M.G.L. c.51 §6 for anyone age 17 and up. You can get a copy from the clerk's office. This list is one of the most direct parts of the Chicopee residents directory because it shows who reported living at each address for that year. The census also plays a role in keeping voter rolls up to date. Residents who fail to return the form can end up on the inactive voter list, so most people in Chicopee fill it out and send it back promptly.
Public Records Request Guide
The Massachusetts public records request page explains how to submit formal requests to any state or municipal agency, including Chicopee city offices.
This state portal handles requests for records held by state agencies. For Chicopee-specific records, you can also send requests directly to the City Clerk or the Records Access Officer. The state page is useful when you need records from agencies that cover Chicopee but operate at the state level, such as the Registry of Vital Records and Statistics or the Secretary of the Commonwealth's office.
Chicopee Public Records
Massachusetts public records law under M.G.L. c.66 §10 gives you the right to request records from Chicopee city offices. The city has 10 business days to respond. Kevin Corridan handles these requests as Records Access Officer. You can submit requests in writing to City Hall or through the state portal. Records that can be pulled through this process include permit applications, inspection reports, licensing files, and city correspondence.
Fees are set by state rules. Copies cost five cents per page for black and white. The first two hours of search time are free. Beyond that, the city can charge up to $25 per hour. For the Chicopee residents directory, public records requests let you access documents that go past vital records and the census. Building permits, health department files, and other city documents can tie a name to an address or activity in the city.
Chicopee Genealogy Research
Because Chicopee has records going back to 1848, the city attracts genealogy researchers looking for family connections in western Massachusetts. The clerk's staff can help with research, though the level of assistance depends on how complex the request is. Simple lookups for a specific name and date are handled quickly. Broader searches that cover multiple years or require going through old ledgers take longer and may come with extra fees.
Genealogy requests are a common use of the Chicopee residents directory. Birth records tie people to parents and addresses. Marriage records show connections between families. Death records confirm dates and can list next of kin. Taken together, these records paint a picture of who lived in Chicopee and when. The Chicopee city website has information on how to get started with a genealogy request at the clerk's office.
Hampden County Records
The Hampden Registry of Deeds keeps property records for Chicopee. You can search their online portal for deeds, mortgages, and other recorded documents. Property records are a useful part of the Chicopee residents directory because they link owner names to specific addresses. Sale history shows when ownership changed, which helps you build a timeline of who has been connected to a property over the years.
Hampden County courts also maintain records that may involve Chicopee residents. Court filings, probate cases, and case indexes at the county level provide another set of data points. Under M.G.L. c.234A §15, juror lists compiled from resident data are public records too. These lists include names and addresses of people drawn from the annual census and other sources across the county.
Hampden County Directory
Chicopee is part of Hampden County in western Massachusetts. The county handles property records, court filings, and probate documents that go beyond what the city clerk keeps. If your Chicopee search does not turn up what you need at the local level, Hampden County offices hold records that may fill the gaps. For a full look at county-level resources, check the Hampden County page.
Nearby Cities
Several cities near Chicopee keep their own residents directory records. If your search covers someone who may have moved within the Pioneer Valley area, these nearby pages cover the same types of records for their locations.