Compare towns
Ludlow vs Middleborough vs Suffield vs Springfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ludlow has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Middleborough has the most expensive homes ($469k median).
Suffield has the most people working from home (18.4%).
Springfield has the most renters (50.4% rent).
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 | Ludlow | Middleborough | Suffield | Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,904 |
24,505 |
15,702Lowest |
154,749Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±1.8 14% above U.S. |
43.4±2.1 12% above U.S. |
44.5±1.7Highest 14% above U.S. |
33.7±0.5Lowest 13% below U.S. |
| Suffield and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
24.2%±0.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 21.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.8%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
13.2%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27% U.S.: 35.7% |
32% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
20.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.5%±0.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $84,838±$7k 5% above U.S. |
$97,056±$7k 20% above U.S. |
$119,472±$13kHighest 48% above U.S. |
$52,656±$2kLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $335,300±$10k about the U.S. average |
$468,700±$18kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$407,500±$26k 22% above U.S. |
$245,000±$4kLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,223±$82 13% below U.S. |
$1,706±$72Highest 21% above U.S. |
$1,424±$141 about the U.S. average |
$1,144±$55Lowest 19% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,918 58% above U.S. |
$6,023 93% above U.S. |
$6,456Highest 107% above U.S. |
$3,695Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.7%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.2%±11.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.7%±3.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Springfield and Middleborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
25.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
76.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
26 min 3% below U.S. |
20 min 23% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 14%±3.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.6%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Suffield and Ludlow 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 | #154 of 282 in MA | #170 of 282 in MA | #57 of 149 in CT | #276 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ludlow | Middleborough | Suffield School District | Springfield |
| High school in town | Ludlow Senior High | Middleborough High | Suffield High School | Springfield Central High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1 |
11.3 |
10.9Lowest |
12.2Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.