Compare towns
Springfield vs Putnam 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 most people working from home (8.4%).
Putnam has the highest household income ($66k).
New Bedford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.3%).
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 | Putnam | New Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 154,749Highest |
7,120Lowest |
100,998 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.7±0.5Lowest 13% below U.S. |
41.2±5.1Highest 6% above U.S. |
37±0.8 5% below U.S. |
| Putnam and New Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24.2%±0.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±4.3Lowest 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% |
17%±3.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±0.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Putnam and New Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
18.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
17%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.5%±0.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±0.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $52,656±$2kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$65,511±$7kHighest 19% below U.S. |
$56,981±$3k 29% below U.S. |
| Putnam and New Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,000±$4kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$245,100±$13k 26% below U.S. |
$357,300±$6kHighest 7% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,144±$55 19% below U.S. |
$1,147±$43Highest 19% below U.S. |
$1,137±$26Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| Putnam and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,695 18% above U.S. |
$3,564Lowest 14% above U.S. |
$4,338Highest 39% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.7%±3.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.2%±12.1Lowest 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% |
11.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
20.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
50.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
40.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Highest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 23% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 5% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±0.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.7%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
5.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Springfield and Putnam 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 | #128 of 149 in CT | #263 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Springfield | — | New Bedford · Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Springfield Central High | — | 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.