Compare towns
Northbridge vs West Springfield Town
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Northbridge has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4%).
West Springfield Town has the shortest commute (19 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 | Northbridge | West Springfield Town |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 16,458Lowest |
28,772Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±2.6Highest 9% above MA |
40.1±2.6Lowest about the MA average |
| Northbridge and West Springfield Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.9%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Northbridge and West Springfield Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 16.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.5%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| West Springfield Town and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
34%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.7%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| West Springfield Town and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $111,319±$19kHighest 7% above MA |
$69,371±$7kLowest 33% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $448,600±$15kHighest 20% below MA |
$321,500±$16kLowest 43% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,207±$102Highest 31% below MA |
$1,144±$68Lowest 35% below MA |
| Northbridge and West Springfield Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,821Highest 20% below MA |
$4,380Lowest 27% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±9.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60.1%±9.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| West Springfield Town and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 7.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Highest 9 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 7% above MA |
19 minLowest 34% below MA |
| Work from home | 16.2%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.4%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Northbridge and West Springfield Town 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 | #226 of 282 in MA | #218 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northbridge | West Springfield |
| High school in town | Northbridge High | West Springfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8Lowest |
13.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | 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.