Compare towns
Pittsfield vs Needham 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
Pittsfield has the most affordable homes ($257k median).
Needham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
West Springfield Town has the most renters (41.5% rent).
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 | Pittsfield | Needham | West Springfield Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 43,457Highest |
32,459 |
28,772Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±2 6% above MA |
43.1±1.6Highest 8% above MA |
40.1±2.6Lowest about the MA average |
| Needham and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.6%±1.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.9%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±1.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
17.5%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Pittsfield and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.2% MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
34%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.7%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Pittsfield and West Springfield Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,582±$5k 32% below MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$69,371±$7kLowest 33% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $256,900±$8kLowest 54% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$321,500±$16k 43% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,134±$61Lowest 36% below MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,144±$68 35% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,148Lowest 31% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,380 27% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±5.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
60.1%±9.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| West Springfield Town and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.9%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.8% MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1965Highest 1 yr newer than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 36% below MA |
28 minHighest 5% below MA |
19 min 34% below MA |
| Work from home | 10.2%±2.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.4%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #251 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #218 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Pittsfield | — | West Springfield |
| High school in town | Taconic High | — | West Springfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.3Lowest |
— | 13.1Highest |
| 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.