Compare towns
Springfield vs Ware vs Brockton 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 shortest commute (20 min average).
Ware has the most homeowners (72.3%).
Brockton has the most expensive homes ($438k median).
Worcester has the most renters (57.2% rent).
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 | Brockton | Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 154,749 |
10,048Lowest |
105,386 |
207,055Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
+12.6% MA: +7.4% |
+14.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.7±0.5Lowest 16% below MA |
43.1±4.7Highest 8% above MA |
36.7±0.8 8% below MA |
33.9±0.5 15% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 24.2%±0.9 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
25.3%±1Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±0.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Brockton and Springfield 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% |
20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.4%±0.9 MA: 17.9% |
13.3%±0.6 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
22.3% MA: 47.3% |
35.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.5%±0.5 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.3%±0.7 MA: 7.9% |
14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $52,656±$2kLowest 49% below MA |
$67,475±$15k 35% below MA |
$80,115±$3kHighest 23% below MA |
$70,102±$2k 33% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,000±$4kLowest 56% below MA |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
$437,500±$8kHighest 22% below MA |
$374,400±$7k 33% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,144±$55 35% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,641±$52Highest 7% below MA |
$1,487±$38 16% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,695Lowest 38% below MA |
$4,237 29% below MA |
$4,820Highest 20% below MA |
$4,733 21% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.7%±3.1 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
54.5%±4.2 MA: 51.8% |
54.2%±2.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware 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% |
11.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
13.5% MA: 10% |
19.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49.6% MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
57.4% MA: 62.5% |
42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952 12 yrs older than MA |
1960Highest 4 yrs older than MA |
1960Highest 4 yrs older than MA |
1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 31% below MA |
28 min about the MA average |
32 minHighest 8% above MA |
24 min 17% below MA |
| Work from home | 8.4%±0.9 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
6.9%±1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
11.5%±1 MA: 18.6% |
| Ware and Worcester 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 | #279 of 282 in MA | #266 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Springfield | Ware | Brockton | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester |
| High school in town | Springfield Central High | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Brockton High | South High Community |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2 |
11.1Lowest |
17.0Highest |
14.6 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.