Compare towns
Springfield vs Weweantic vs Worcester vs Ludlow
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).
Weweantic has the most homeowners (88.7%).
Worcester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.1%).
Ludlow has the most people working from home (14%).
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 | Weweantic | Worcester | Ludlow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 154,749 |
1,452Lowest |
207,055Highest |
20,904 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% MA: +7.4% |
+0.2% MA: +7.4% |
+14.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-0.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.7±0.5Lowest 16% below MA |
44.4±13.9Highest 11% above MA |
33.9±0.5 15% below MA |
44.3±1.8 11% above MA |
| Weweantic and Ludlow 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% |
11.2%±7.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±0.8 MA: 19.4% |
16.4%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 13.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.3%±6.9 MA: 17.9% |
13.3%±0.6 MA: 17.9% |
21.8%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Ludlow and Weweantic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
30.6% MA: 47.3% |
35.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
27% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.5%±0.5 MA: 7.9% |
10.1%±8.5 MA: 7.9% |
14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Worcester and Weweantic 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 |
$62,481±$39k 40% below MA |
$70,102±$2k 33% below MA |
$84,838±$7kHighest 18% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,000±$4kLowest 56% below MA |
$420,800±$42kHighest 25% below MA |
$374,400±$7k 33% below MA |
$335,300±$10k 40% below MA |
| Weweantic and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,144±$55Lowest 35% below MA |
— | $1,487±$38Highest 16% below MA |
$1,223±$82 31% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,695Lowest 38% below MA |
$3,764 37% below MA |
$4,733 21% below MA |
$4,918Highest 18% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.7%±3.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
54.2%±2.9 MA: 51.8% |
50.7%±9.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Springfield and Worcester 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% |
0%Lowest MA: 10% |
19.6% MA: 10% |
6.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49.6% MA: 62.5% |
88.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
77.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952 12 yrs older than MA |
1973Highest 9 yrs newer than MA |
1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
1964 same as MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 31% below MA |
22 min 24% below MA |
24 minHighest 17% below MA |
20 minLowest 31% below MA |
| Work from home | 8.4%±0.9 MA: 18.6% |
3.6%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
11.5%±1 MA: 18.6% |
14%±3.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Ludlow 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 | — | #266 of 282 in MA | #154 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Springfield | — | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Ludlow |
| High school in town | Springfield Central High | — | South High Community | Ludlow Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2 |
— | 14.6Highest |
11.1Lowest |
| 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.