Compare towns
Springfield vs Hingham vs Needham vs Agawam Town
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 renters (50.4% rent).
Hingham has the most people working from home (33.1%).
Needham has the highest household income ($214k).
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 | Hingham | Needham | Agawam Town |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 154,749Highest |
24,283Lowest |
32,459 |
28,539 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% MA: +7.4% |
+9.6% MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+0.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.7±0.5Lowest 16% below MA |
48.4±2.4Highest 21% above MA |
43.1±1.6 8% above MA |
47.4±2.6 19% above MA |
| Hingham and Agawam Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 24.2%±0.9 MA: 19.4% |
23.4%±2.1 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.3%±1.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 13.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26%±2.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
24.1%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Hingham and Agawam Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
76.2% MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
34% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.5%±0.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
5.9%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Springfield and Agawam Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $52,656±$2kLowest 49% below MA |
$178,390±$15k 72% above MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$85,421±$7k 18% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,000±$4kLowest 56% below MA |
$1,134,200±$47k 102% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$311,600±$12k 45% below MA |
| Needham and Hingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,144±$55Lowest 35% below MA |
$2,465±$603Highest 40% above MA |
$2,409±$183 37% above MA |
$1,256±$87 29% below MA |
| Hingham and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,695Lowest 38% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,241 29% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.7%±3.1 MA: 51.8% |
60.3%±12Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
39.8%±8.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Hingham and Springfield 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% |
4.3% MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
80.7% MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
74.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 31% below MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
22 min 23% below MA |
| Work from home | 8.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.1%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
11%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
| Hingham and Needham 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 | #276 of 282 in MA | #14 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #193 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Springfield | Hingham | Needham | Agawam |
| High school in town | Springfield Central High | Hingham High | Needham High | Agawam High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2 |
12.9Highest |
11.9 |
11.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.