Compare towns
Fitchburg 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
Fitchburg has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4%).
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 | Fitchburg | West Springfield Town |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 41,798Highest |
28,772Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.3±2Lowest 9% below MA |
40.1±2.6Highest about the MA average |
| West Springfield Town and Fitchburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±1.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.9%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Fitchburg and West Springfield Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 14.3%±1.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.5%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
34%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.7%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Fitchburg and West Springfield Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $73,040±$5kHighest 30% below MA |
$69,371±$7kLowest 33% below MA |
| Fitchburg and West Springfield Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $336,400±$11kHighest 40% below MA |
$321,500±$16kLowest 43% below MA |
| Fitchburg and West Springfield Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,222±$89Highest 31% below MA |
$1,144±$68Lowest 35% below MA |
| Fitchburg and West Springfield Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,456Highest 26% below MA |
$4,380Lowest 27% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.9%±5.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60.1%±9.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| West Springfield Town and Fitchburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 15.6%Highest MA: 10% |
11.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
58.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1958Highest 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 7% below MA |
19 minLowest 34% below MA |
| Work from home | 10.3%±2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
10.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| West Springfield Town and Fitchburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #249 of 282 in MA | #218 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fitchburg · Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical | West Springfield |
| High school in town | Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical | West Springfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9Lowest |
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.