Compare towns
Lawrence vs Westfield vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lawrence has the most renters (71.9% rent).
Westfield has the most affordable homes ($325k median).
Windham has the most people working from home (21.9%).
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 | Lawrence | Westfield | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 88,736Highest |
40,378 |
16,038Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 32.6±0.9Lowest 16% below U.S. |
39.9±1.8 about the U.S. average |
41.1±2.9Highest 6% above U.S. |
| Windham and Westfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 26.3%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
18.1%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Lawrence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 10.5%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.7%±1.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westfield and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
10%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $60,433±$3kLowest 25% below U.S. |
$87,753±$6k 9% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $415,200±$23k 25% above U.S. |
$325,100±$11kLowest about the U.S. average |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,662±$50 18% above U.S. |
$1,117±$60Lowest 21% below U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,422Lowest 10% above U.S. |
$4,746 52% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.5%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lawrence and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 28.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
68.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1964 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.6%±2.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #278 of 282 in MA | #197 of 282 in MA | #13 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Lawrence | Westfield | Windham School District |
| High school in town | Lawrence High School | Westfield High | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.6Highest |
11.9Lowest |
12.8 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.