Compare towns
Springfield vs Webster vs New Bedford
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).
Webster has the highest household income ($64k).
New Bedford has the most renters (59.7% 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 | Webster | New Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 154,749Highest |
12,228Lowest |
100,998 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.7±0.5Lowest 16% below MA |
37.2±2.1Highest 7% below MA |
37±0.8 8% below MA |
| Webster 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 MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.9%±1.2 MA: 19.4% |
| 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 MA: 17.9% |
15.7%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±0.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Webster 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 MA: 47.3% |
18.8% MA: 47.3% |
17%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.5%±0.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
6%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Springfield and Webster 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 |
$63,837±$8kHighest 39% below MA |
$56,981±$3k 45% below MA |
| Webster 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 56% below MA |
$333,100±$14k 41% below MA |
$357,300±$6kHighest 36% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,144±$55 35% below MA |
$1,198±$85Highest 32% below MA |
$1,137±$26Lowest 35% below MA |
| Webster and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,695 38% below MA |
$3,234Lowest 46% below MA |
$4,338Highest 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.7%±3.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
46.1%±7.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.6%±3.2 MA: 51.8% |
| 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 MA: 10% |
16%Lowest MA: 10% |
20.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
45.5% MA: 62.5% |
40.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952 12 yrs older than MA |
1954Highest 10 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 31% below MA |
28 minHighest 5% below MA |
25 min 15% below MA |
| Work from home | 8.4%±0.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±2.9 MA: 18.6% |
5.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Springfield and Webster 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 | #271 of 282 in MA | #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 |
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.