Westover Metropolitan Development Corporation Economic Contributions
June 2022
The three airparks and the civilian airport operated by the Westover Metropolitan Development Corporation (WMDC) are highly productive and active commercial and industrial districts.
Continued investment by WMDC in the airport has made it a competitive and highly-utilized facility. Meanwhile, businesses in the surrounding airparks area employ over 3,600 people across more than 100 establishments. That employment is primarily in manufacturing, public administration, wholesale trade, and administrative and support services. The majority of employment in the WMDC-developed areas is local, with 58 percent of workers coming from Hampden County. Jobs in the area typically pay more than the state average. Sixty-nine percent of workers in the airparks earn more than $3,333 per month, compared to 55 percent of workers across the State. These jobs are also available to workers at all levels of education. The impact of WMDC-developed sites extends across the state and region.
Business activity at WMDC-developed areas is estimated to support a total of $2.2 billion in economic output and 8,438 jobs around Massachusetts annually. The businesses within the airparks and the airport also contribute meaningfully in their payment of local taxes. Businesses in Chicopee paid a total of $4,322,834 in local taxes in 2021. Businesses in Ludlow paid a total of $1,874,519 in local taxes in 2021. The development of properties around the Air Force Reserve Base by WMDC is an economic development engine for the area, providing local jobs and a strong local financial impact.
