What stands out worked out from the figures below

Oxford has the highest household income ($104k).

Springfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.9%).

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	Oxford	Springfield
People
Population	13,385Lowest	154,749Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+1.9%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	42±2.8Highest 5% above MA	33.7±0.5Lowest 16% below MA
Kids under 18	21.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 19.4%	24.2%±0.9Highest MA: 19.4%
	Springfield and Oxford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	16.6%±2.7Highest MA: 17.9%	13.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	29.6%Highest MA: 47.3%	20.5%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.7%±2.1Lowest MA: 7.9%	7.5%±0.5Highest MA: 7.9%
	Springfield and Oxford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$103,862±$10kHighest about the MA average	$52,656±$2kLowest 49% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$374,900±$18kHighest 33% below MA	$245,000±$4kLowest 56% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,177±$142Highest 33% below MA	$1,144±$55Lowest 35% below MA
	Oxford and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,622Highest 23% below MA	$3,695Lowest 38% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	57.8%±15.9Highest MA: 51.8%	57.7%±3.1Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Oxford and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.7%Lowest MA: 10%	25.8%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.8%Highest MA: 62.5%	49.6%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA	1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest about the MA average	20 minLowest 31% below MA
Work from home	16.4%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6%	8.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#245 of 282 in MA	#276 of 282 in MA
School district	Oxford	Springfield
High school in town	Oxford High	Springfield Central High
Students per teacherat that high school	10.3Lowest	12.2Highest
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.