Compare towns

Webster vs Amesbury vs West Springfield Town

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Webster has the youngest population (median age 39.9).
Amesbury has the most people working from home (17.4%).
West Springfield Town has the shortest commute (19 min average).

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.

MeasureWebsterAmesburyWest Springfield Town
People
Population
17,748
17,403Lowest
28,772Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+6%Highest
MA: +7.4%
—
+1.6%Lowest
MA: +7.4%
Median age
39.9±2.9Lowest
about the MA average
43.7±1.7Highest
9% above MA
40.1±2.6
about the MA average
Amesbury and West Springfield Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
19.6%±2.9
MA: 19.4%
20%±2.4Highest
MA: 19.4%
18.9%±2.3Lowest
MA: 19.4%
Amesbury and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
19.6%±2.5Highest
MA: 17.9%
18.2%±2.1
MA: 17.9%
17.5%±1.7Lowest
MA: 17.9%
Webster and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
25.3%Lowest
MA: 47.3%
44.8%Highest
MA: 47.3%
34%
MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.8%±1.6Highest
MA: 7.9%
4.1%±1.3Lowest
MA: 7.9%
5.7%±1.3
MA: 7.9%
Webster and West Springfield Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$72,895±$6k
30% below MA
$103,554±$12kHighest
about the MA average
$69,371±$7kLowest
33% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$361,500±$12k
36% below MA
$519,300±$32kHighest
8% below MA
$321,500±$16kLowest
43% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,228±$81
30% below MA
$1,683±$115Highest
4% below MA
$1,144±$68Lowest
35% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly
$3,999Lowest
33% below MA
$7,360Highest
23% above MA
$4,380
27% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
45.7%±6.7Lowest
MA: 51.8%
66.7%±10.7Highest
MA: 51.8%
60.1%±9.1
MA: 51.8%
Amesbury and West Springfield Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
12.7%Highest
MA: 10%
7.1%Lowest
MA: 10%
11.9%
MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
59.8%
MA: 62.5%
68.6%Highest
MA: 62.5%
58.5%Lowest
MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year
1962
2 yrs older than MA
1969Highest
5 yrs newer than MA
1958Lowest
6 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
31 minHighest
5% above MA
29 min
about the MA average
19 minLowest
34% below MA
Work from home
8%±2.5Lowest
MA: 18.6%
17.4%±2.8Highest
MA: 18.6%
10.4%±2.4
MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #271 of 282 in MA #151 of 282 in MA #218 of 282 in MA
School district Webster Amesbury West Springfield
High school in town Bartlett High School Amesbury High West Springfield High
Students per teacherat that high school
11.6
10.9Lowest
13.1Highest
On TownTapestry
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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.