Compare towns

Webster vs Marshfield 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 expensive homes ($362k median).
Marshfield has the most people working from home (17.5%).
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.

MeasureWebsterMarshfieldWest Springfield Town
People
Population
17,748
470Lowest
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
42.4±8.8Highest
9% above U.S.
40.1±2.6
3% above U.S.
Marshfield 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%±2.9Highest
U.S.: 22%
19.4%±9.1
U.S.: 22%
18.9%±2.3Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Webster and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
19.6%±2.5Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
10.2%±4.4Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
17.5%±1.7
U.S.: 17.2%
Webster and West Springfield Town 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%
35.7%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
34%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.8%±1.6Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
3.6%±2.4Lowest
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.
$84,375±$20kHighest
5% above U.S.
$69,371±$7kLowest
14% below U.S.
Marshfield 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.
$178,300±$31kLowest
46% below U.S.
$321,500±$16k
3% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,228±$81Highest
13% below U.S.
$1,125±$79Lowest
20% below U.S.
$1,144±$68
19% below U.S.
Webster and West Springfield Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$3,999
28% above U.S.
$3,269Lowest
5% above U.S.
$4,380Highest
40% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
45.7%±6.7Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
52.4%±62.4
U.S.: 51.1%
60.1%±9.1Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
West Springfield Town and Marshfield 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%
4.9%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
11.9%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
59.8%
U.S.: 65.2%
81.2%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
58.5%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1962Highest
18 yrs older than U.S.
1938Lowest
42 yrs older than U.S.
1958
22 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
31 minHighest
16% above U.S.
29 min
11% above U.S.
19 minLowest
27% below U.S.
Work from home
8%±2.5Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
17.5%±7.2Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
10.4%±2.4
U.S.: 15.1%
Marshfield and West Springfield Town 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 #271 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

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.