Compare towns
Springfield vs New Bedford vs Worcester
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).
New Bedford has the oldest population (median age 37).
Worcester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.1%).
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 | New Bedford | Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 154,749 |
100,998Lowest |
207,055Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3% MA: +7.4% |
+14.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.7±0.5Lowest 16% below MA |
37±0.8Highest 8% below MA |
33.9±0.5 15% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 24.2%±0.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
23.9%±1.2 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| 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 MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±0.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
13.3%±0.6 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.5% MA: 47.3% |
17%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
35.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.5%±0.5 MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $52,656±$2kLowest 49% below MA |
$56,981±$3k 45% below MA |
$70,102±$2kHighest 33% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,000±$4kLowest 56% below MA |
$357,300±$6k 36% below MA |
$374,400±$7kHighest 33% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,144±$55 35% below MA |
$1,137±$26Lowest 35% below MA |
$1,487±$38Highest 16% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,695Lowest 38% below MA |
$4,338 28% below MA |
$4,733Highest 21% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.7%±3.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.6%±3.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
54.2%±2.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Springfield and Worcester 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% |
20.6% MA: 10% |
19.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
40.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
42.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Highest 12 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1951 13 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 31% below MA |
25 minHighest 15% below MA |
24 min 17% below MA |
| Work from home | 8.4%±0.9 MA: 18.6% |
5.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
11.5%±1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #276 of 282 in MA | #263 of 282 in MA | #266 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Springfield | New Bedford · Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester |
| High school in town | Springfield Central High | New Bedford High | South High Community |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Lowest |
13.5 |
14.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.