Compare towns
Springfield vs Pelham vs West Springfield 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 affordable homes ($245k median).
Pelham has the most people working from home (32.8%).
West Springfield Town has the shortest commute (19 min average).
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 | Pelham | West Springfield Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 154,749Highest |
1,335Lowest |
28,772 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+1.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.7±0.5Lowest 16% below MA |
45±8.4Highest 13% above MA |
40.1±2.6 about the MA average |
| Pelham and West Springfield Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24.2%±0.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
21%±4.6 MA: 19.4% |
18.9%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Springfield and Pelham 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% |
26.7%±6.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.5%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
64.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
34% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.5%±0.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
2%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.7%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Springfield and West Springfield 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 |
$113,750±$24kHighest 9% above MA |
$69,371±$7k 33% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,000±$4kLowest 56% below MA |
$447,600±$33kHighest 20% below MA |
$321,500±$16k 43% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,144±$55Lowest 35% below MA |
$1,205±$560Highest 32% below MA |
$1,144±$68Lowest 35% below MA |
| Pelham and Springfield 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 |
$7,472Highest 25% above MA |
$4,380 27% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.7%±3.1 MA: 51.8% |
42.7%±35.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60.1%±9.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| West Springfield Town 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% |
10.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
79.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
1958Highest 6 yrs older than MA |
1958Highest 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 31% below MA |
23 minHighest 21% below MA |
19 minLowest 34% below MA |
| Work from home | 8.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.8%±7.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.4%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #276 of 282 in MA | — | #218 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Springfield | Pelham | West Springfield |
| High school in town | Springfield Central High | None in town | West Springfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Lowest |
— | 13.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.