Compare towns
Stoneham vs Springfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Stoneham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
Springfield has the most affordable homes ($245k median).
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 | Stoneham | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 23,355Lowest |
154,749Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±2.2Highest 6% above MA |
33.7±0.5Lowest 16% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 20.8%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
24.2%±0.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Springfield and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
13.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
20.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
7.5%±0.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $113,964±$10kHighest 10% above MA |
$52,656±$2kLowest 49% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $671,900±$26kHighest 20% above MA |
$245,000±$4kLowest 56% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,035±$142Highest 15% above MA |
$1,144±$55Lowest 35% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,523Highest 9% above MA |
$3,695Lowest 38% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.9%±8.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±3.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 5.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
25.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71%Highest MA: 62.5% |
49.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Highest same as MA |
1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 4% below MA |
20 minLowest 31% below MA |
| Work from home | 24.6%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
8.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #117 of 282 in MA | #276 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Springfield |
| High school in town | — | Springfield Central High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.2 |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | 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.