Compare towns
New Bedford vs Ware vs Springfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
New Bedford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.3%).
Ware has the most people working from home (12.3%).
Springfield has the shortest commute (20 min average).
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 | New Bedford | Ware | Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 100,998 |
10,048Lowest |
154,749Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
+1.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37±0.8 8% below MA |
43.1±4.7Highest 8% above MA |
33.7±0.5Lowest 16% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 23.9%±1.2 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest 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%±0.9 MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
13.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 17%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
24%Highest MA: 47.3% |
20.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±0.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
7.5%±0.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $56,981±$3k 45% below MA |
$67,475±$15kHighest 35% below MA |
$52,656±$2kLowest 49% below MA |
| Ware and New Bedford 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 |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
$245,000±$4kLowest 56% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$26 35% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% 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 |
$4,237 29% below MA |
$3,695Lowest 38% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.6%±3.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±3.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 20.6% MA: 10% |
11.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
25.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 40.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
49.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1960Highest 4 yrs older than MA |
1952 12 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 15% below MA |
28 minHighest about the MA average |
20 minLowest 31% below MA |
| Work from home | 5.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
8.4%±0.9 MA: 18.6% |
| Ware and Springfield 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 | #263 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #276 of 282 in MA |
| School district | New Bedford · Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical | Ware | Springfield |
| High school in town | New Bedford High | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Springfield Central High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
11.1Lowest |
12.2 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.