Compare towns
Springfield vs Boylston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Springfield has the most affordable homes ($245k median).
Boylston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
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 | Springfield | Boylston |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 154,749Highest |
4,948Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.7±0.5Lowest 16% below MA |
48.2±2.3Highest 21% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 24.2%±0.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
18%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 13.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22%±4.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
54.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.5%±0.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $52,656±$2kLowest 49% below MA |
$140,962±$28kHighest 36% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,000±$4kLowest 56% below MA |
$578,600±$47kHighest about the MA average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,144±$55Lowest 35% below MA |
$2,032±$350Highest 15% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,695Lowest 38% below MA |
$7,266Highest 21% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.7%±3.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±16.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Springfield and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 25.8%Highest MA: 10% |
6.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
79.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 31% below MA |
27 minHighest 8% below MA |
| Work from home | 8.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #276 of 282 in MA | #72 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Springfield | Berlin-Boylston |
| High school in town | Springfield Central High | Tahanto Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Highest |
11.1Lowest |
| 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.