Compare towns
Webster vs Northampton 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%).
Northampton has the most people working from home (24.1%).
West Springfield Town has the most affordable homes ($322k 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 | Webster | Northampton | West Springfield Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,748Lowest |
30,962Highest |
28,772 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.6% MA: +7.4% |
+1.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average |
41.3±2.2Highest 3% above MA |
40.1±2.6 about the MA average |
| Northampton 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 MA: 19.4% |
16%±1.8Lowest 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% |
20.4%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.5%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Northampton 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% |
62.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
34% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
14%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.7%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,895±$6k 30% below MA |
$80,288±$6kHighest 23% below MA |
$69,371±$7kLowest 33% below MA |
| Northampton 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±$12k 36% below MA |
$429,700±$17kHighest 24% below MA |
$321,500±$16kLowest 43% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81 30% below MA |
$1,439±$75Highest 18% below MA |
$1,144±$68Lowest 35% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,999Lowest 33% below MA |
$5,680Highest 5% below MA |
$4,380 27% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.6%±6.7 MA: 51.8% |
60.1%±9.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| West Springfield Town and Northampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.7% MA: 10% |
13.4%Highest MA: 10% |
11.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
57.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
58.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Highest 2 yrs older than MA |
1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 5% above MA |
21 min 26% below MA |
19 minLowest 34% below MA |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.1%±3.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.4%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #271 of 282 in MA | #159 of 282 in MA | #218 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | Northampton · Northampton-Smith Vocational Agricultural | West Springfield |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | Northampton High | West Springfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Lowest |
14.7Highest |
13.1 |
| 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.