Compare towns
Douglas vs West Springfield Town
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Douglas has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
West Springfield Town has the shortest commute (19 min average).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Douglas | West Springfield Town |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 9,207Lowest |
28,772Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44±2.6Highest 10% above MA |
40.1±2.6Lowest about the MA average |
| Douglas and West Springfield Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Kids under 18 | 21.2%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.9%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Douglas and West Springfield Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 15.4%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.5%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| West Springfield Town and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
34%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.7%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| West Springfield Town and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $152,267±$10kHighest 46% above MA |
$69,371±$7kLowest 33% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $470,600±$29kHighest 16% below MA |
$321,500±$16kLowest 43% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,503±$697Highest 15% below MA |
$1,144±$68Lowest 35% below MA |
| Douglas and West Springfield Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,338Highest 6% above MA |
$4,380Lowest 27% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±17.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60.1%±9.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| West Springfield Town and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 16% above MA |
19 minLowest 34% below MA |
| Work from home | 20.9%±4.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.4%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #177 of 282 in MA | #218 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Douglas | West Springfield |
| High school in town | Douglas High School | West Springfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.2Lowest |
13.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet |
MA average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.