Compare towns
Springfield vs Ware 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.9%).
Ware has the most people working from home (16.6%).
West Springfield Town has the highest household income ($69k).
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 | Ware | West Springfield Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 154,749Highest |
6,369Lowest |
28,772 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+1.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.7±0.5Lowest 16% below MA |
39.8±6 about the MA average |
40.1±2.6Highest about the MA average |
| West Springfield Town and Ware 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% |
23.3%±4.4 MA: 19.4% |
18.9%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Springfield and Ware 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% |
17.4%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
17.5%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| West Springfield Town and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.5% MA: 47.3% |
15.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
34%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.5%±0.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest 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±$2k 49% below MA |
$45,158±$11kLowest 57% below MA |
$69,371±$7kHighest 33% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,000±$4kLowest 56% below MA |
$253,400±$31k 55% below MA |
$321,500±$16kHighest 43% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,144±$55Highest 35% below MA |
$1,039±$104Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,144±$68Highest 35% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,695 38% below MA |
$3,408Lowest 43% below MA |
$4,380Highest 27% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.7%±3.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.5%±17.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
60.1%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and West Springfield Town 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% |
14.1% MA: 10% |
11.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
57.4% MA: 62.5% |
58.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952 12 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1958Highest 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 31% below MA |
27 minHighest 9% below MA |
19 minLowest 34% below MA |
| Work from home | 8.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
16.6%±5Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.4%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Ware and West Springfield Town 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | #218 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Springfield | — | West Springfield |
| High school in town | Springfield Central High | — | 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.