What stands out worked out from the figures below

New Bedford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.3%).

Springfield has the most people working from home (8.4%).

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	New Bedford	Springfield
People
Population	100,998Lowest	154,749Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.3%Highest MA: +7.4%	+1.9%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	37±0.8Highest 8% below MA	33.7±0.5Lowest 16% below MA
Kids under 18	23.9%±1.2Lowest MA: 19.4%	24.2%±0.9Highest MA: 19.4%
	Springfield and New Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	15.4%±0.9Highest MA: 17.9%	13.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	17%Lowest MA: 47.3%	20.5%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.1%±0.5Lowest MA: 7.9%	7.5%±0.5Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$56,981±$3kHighest 45% below MA	$52,656±$2kLowest 49% below MA
	New Bedford and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$357,300±$6kHighest 36% below MA	$245,000±$4kLowest 56% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,137±$26Lowest 35% below MA	$1,144±$55Highest 35% below MA
	Springfield and New Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,338Highest 28% below MA	$3,695Lowest 38% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52.6%±3.2Lowest MA: 51.8%	57.7%±3.1Highest MA: 51.8%
	Springfield and New Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	20.6%Lowest MA: 10%	25.8%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	40.3%Lowest MA: 62.5%	49.6%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA	1952Highest 12 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minHighest 15% below MA	20 minLowest 31% below MA
Work from home	5.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 18.6%	8.4%±0.9Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#263 of 282 in MA	#276 of 282 in MA
School district	New Bedford · Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical	Springfield
High school in town	New Bedford High	Springfield Central High
Students per teacherat that high school	13.5Highest	12.2Lowest
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.