Compare towns
Heath vs Springfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Heath has the most people working from home (31.7%).
Springfield has the most kids (24.2% under 18).
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 | Heath | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 765Lowest |
154,749Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.8±11.9Highest 35% above MA |
33.7±0.5Lowest 16% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 13.1%±2.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
24.2%±0.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 33.6%±8.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
13.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
20.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
7.5%±0.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $98,750±$23kHighest 5% below MA |
$52,656±$2kLowest 49% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $295,000±$45kHighest 48% below MA |
$245,000±$4kLowest 56% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,144±$55 35% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,438Highest 26% below MA |
$3,695Lowest 38% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±3.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Springfield and Heath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 6.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
25.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
49.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 20% above MA |
20 minLowest 31% below MA |
| Work from home | 31.7%±17.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
8.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #276 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Springfield |
| High school in town | — | Springfield Central High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.2 |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | 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.