Compare towns
Springfield vs Plainville 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 youngest population (median age 33.7).
Plainville has the highest household income ($84k).
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 | Plainville | New Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 154,749Highest |
17,551Lowest |
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. |
44.3±1.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
37±0.8 5% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 24.2%±0.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest 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% |
20.1%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±0.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
30%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
17%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.5%±0.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±0.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Springfield and Plainville 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 35% below U.S. |
$84,343±$7kHighest 4% above U.S. |
$56,981±$3k 29% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,000±$4kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$254,000±$14k 24% below U.S. |
$357,300±$6kHighest 7% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,144±$55Highest 19% below U.S. |
$1,126±$147Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,137±$26 20% below U.S. |
| Springfield and New Bedford 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. |
$4,798Highest 54% above U.S. |
$4,338 39% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.7%±3.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.4Lowest 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% |
6.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
20.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
40.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 23% below U.S. |
21 min 20% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±0.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
5.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plainville and Springfield 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 | #89 of 149 in CT | #263 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Springfield | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | New Bedford · Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Springfield Central High | Plainville High School | New Bedford High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2 |
11.4Lowest |
13.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.