Compare towns
Springfield vs Windham vs Worcester
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 affordable homes ($245k median).
Windham has the most people working from home (20.5%).
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 | Windham | Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 154,749 |
594Lowest |
207,055Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +14.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.7±0.5Lowest 13% below U.S. |
44.2±7.4Highest 14% above U.S. |
33.9±0.5 13% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 24.2%±0.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±0.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 13.2%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±8.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13.3%±0.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.5%±0.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
14.1%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $52,656±$2kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$94,500±$12kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$70,102±$2k 13% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,000±$4kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$353,900±$20k 6% above U.S. |
$374,400±$7kHighest 13% above U.S. |
| Worcester and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,144±$55Lowest 19% below U.S. |
— | $1,487±$38Highest 5% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,695Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$5,951Highest 91% above U.S. |
$4,733 52% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.7%±3.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±2.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
19.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
42.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 23% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.5%±1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #276 of 282 in MA | — | #266 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Springfield | — | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester |
| High school in town | Springfield Central High | — | South High Community |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Lowest |
— | 14.6Highest |
| 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.