Compare towns
Webster vs Dedham 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
Dedham has the most people working from home (20%).
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 | Dedham | West Springfield Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,748Lowest |
25,237 |
28,772Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.6% MA: +7.4% |
+1.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average |
44.6±1.6Highest 12% above MA |
40.1±2.6 about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±1.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.9%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
| 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 MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.5%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Dedham 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 MA: 47.3% |
55%Highest MA: 47.3% |
34% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1Lowest 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 |
$128,955±$10kHighest 24% above MA |
$69,371±$7kLowest 33% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12k 36% below MA |
$661,800±$16kHighest 18% above MA |
$321,500±$16kLowest 43% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81 30% below MA |
$2,042±$182Highest 16% above MA |
$1,144±$68Lowest 35% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,999Lowest 33% below MA |
$7,918Highest 32% above MA |
$4,380 27% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10 MA: 51.8% |
60.1%±9.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| West Springfield Town and Dedham 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% |
5.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8% MA: 62.5% |
73.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Highest 2 yrs older than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1958 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% |
20%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.4%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #271 of 282 in MA | #119 of 282 in MA | #218 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | — | West Springfield |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | — | West Springfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Lowest |
— | 13.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.