Compare towns
Springfield vs Hampton vs New Bedford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Springfield has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Hampton has the most people working from home (17.7%).
New Bedford has the most expensive homes ($357k median).
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 | Hampton | New Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 154,749Highest |
1,647Lowest |
100,998 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.7±0.5Lowest 13% below U.S. |
51.5±5.3Highest 32% above U.S. |
37±0.8 5% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 24.2%±0.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.7%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.9%±1.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Springfield and New Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13.2%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±0.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
29.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
17%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.5%±0.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.9%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±0.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $52,656±$2kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$109,167±$19kHighest 35% above U.S. |
$56,981±$3k 29% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,000±$4kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$295,800±$27k 11% below U.S. |
$357,300±$6kHighest 7% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,144±$55 19% below U.S. |
$1,285±$288Highest 9% below U.S. |
$1,137±$26Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| Hampton and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,695Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$4,364Highest 40% above U.S. |
$4,338 39% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.7%±3.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.5%±51.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.6%±3.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Springfield and New Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 25.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
20.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
90%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
40.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 23% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±0.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±5.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
5.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #276 of 282 in MA | — | #263 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Springfield | Hampton School District | New Bedford · Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Springfield Central High | None in town | New Bedford High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Lowest |
— | 13.5Highest |
| 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.