Compare towns
Webster vs Beacon Falls vs West Springfield Town
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Webster has the most kids (19.6% under 18).
Beacon Falls has the most people working from home (20.3%).
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.
| Measure | Webster | Beacon Falls | West Springfield Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,748 |
6,147Lowest |
28,772Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +1.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
48.4±3.8Highest 24% above U.S. |
40.1±2.6 3% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
18%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Webster and West Springfield Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.5%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.5%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Beacon Falls and Webster 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
44.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 10% below U.S. |
$101,516±$42kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$69,371±$7kLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Beacon Falls and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$350,300±$34k 5% above U.S. |
$321,500±$16kLowest 3% below U.S. |
| Webster and Beacon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81 13% below U.S. |
$1,921±$286Highest 36% above U.S. |
$1,144±$68Lowest 19% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,999Lowest 28% above U.S. |
$6,534Highest 109% above U.S. |
$4,380 40% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.7%±30.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
60.1%±9.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| West Springfield Town and Beacon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 16% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.3%±7.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.4%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #271 of 282 in MA | #77 of 149 in CT | #218 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | Regional School District 16 | West Springfield |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | Woodland Regional High School | West Springfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
11.2Lowest |
13.1Highest |
| 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.