Compare towns
Southwick vs Sterling vs Westfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Southwick has the most people working from home (16.2%).
Sterling has the most kids (22.8% under 18).
Westfield has the most renters (31.4% 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 | Southwick | Sterling | Westfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,217 |
3,629Lowest |
40,378Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -0.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.8±1.8Highest 20% above U.S. |
39.4±5.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
39.9±1.8 about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±3 U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.1%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Sterling and Southwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.7%±1.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Southwick and Westfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
18%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
10%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $120,462±$16kHighest 49% above U.S. |
$102,695±$12k 27% above U.S. |
$87,753±$6kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Southwick and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $397,500±$27kHighest 19% above U.S. |
$283,400±$17kLowest 15% below U.S. |
$325,100±$11k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,332±$72Highest 6% below U.S. |
— | $1,117±$60Lowest 21% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,331Highest 71% above U.S. |
$4,551Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$4,746 52% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
32%±18.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.5%±5.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Southwick and Westfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 16.2%±5.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.6%±6.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Southwick and Sterling 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 | #211 of 282 in MA | #119 of 149 in CT | #197 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional School District | Sterling School District | Westfield |
| High school in town | Southwick Regional School | None in town | Westfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.0Lowest |
— | 11.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.