Compare towns
Springfield vs Woonsocket vs Lowell vs Ludlow
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).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Lowell has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
Ludlow has the most homeowners (77.5%).
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 | Woonsocket | Lowell | Ludlow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 154,749Highest |
43,521 |
118,368 |
20,904Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.7±0.5Lowest 13% below U.S. |
35.7±1.3 8% below U.S. |
35.6±0.8 8% below U.S. |
44.3±1.8Highest 14% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 24.2%±0.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2 U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±1.3 U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Springfield and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 13.2%±0.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
12.6%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
30%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
27% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.5%±0.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
9.7%±0.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $52,656±$2kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$61,059±$5k 24% below U.S. |
$78,658±$4k about the U.S. average |
$84,838±$7kHighest 5% above U.S. |
| Ludlow and Lowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,000±$4kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$311,000±$15k 7% below U.S. |
$429,200±$11kHighest 29% above U.S. |
$335,300±$10k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,144±$55Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,161±$48 18% below U.S. |
$1,625±$40Highest 15% above U.S. |
$1,223±$82 13% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,695Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$3,960 27% above U.S. |
$4,499 44% above U.S. |
$4,918Highest 58% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.7%±3.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.4%±3.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.7%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Springfield and Lowell 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% |
18.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
16.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
43.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1953 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1964Highest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 23% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±0.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±1.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ludlow and Lowell 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 | #37 of 38 in RI | #255 of 282 in MA | #154 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Springfield | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Lowell | Ludlow |
| High school in town | Springfield Central High | Woonsocket High School | Lowell High | Ludlow Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2 |
15.2Highest |
14.8 |
11.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.