What stands out worked out from the figures below

Ludlow has the most renters (48.6% rent).

Springfield has the highest household income ($101k).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Ludlow	Springfield
People
Population	808Lowest	1,122Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	-4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	48.7±5.6Lowest 25% above U.S.	51.4±8.8Highest 32% above U.S.
	Springfield and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	13.1%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22%	15.1%±8Highest U.S.: 22%
	Springfield and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	30.4%±0.5Highest U.S.: 17.2%	19.8%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	39.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	36.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.6%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%	0%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Ludlow and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$56,667±$19kLowest 30% below U.S.	$100,893±$19kHighest 25% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$304,000±$32kLowest 9% below U.S.	$384,100±$50kHighest 15% above U.S.
	Springfield and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,018±$91Lowest 28% below U.S.	$1,096±$217Highest 22% below U.S.
	Springfield and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,237Lowest 36% above U.S.	$5,946Highest 91% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	33%±13.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%	25.9%±64.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Ludlow and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	51.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	90.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S.	1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minLowest 20% below U.S.	34 minHighest 30% above U.S.
Work from home	17.3%±6.4Highest U.S.: 15.1%	16.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Ludlow and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.