Compare towns
Webster vs Shelton 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
Shelton has the highest household income ($108k).
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 | Shelton | West Springfield Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,748Lowest |
41,889Highest |
28,772 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
44.5±1.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
40.1±2.6 3% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Webster and Shelton 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% |
21.4%±1.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.5%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Shelton 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% |
41.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,895±$6k 10% below U.S. |
$108,185±$11kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$69,371±$7kLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12k 9% above U.S. |
$452,600±$13kHighest 36% above U.S. |
$321,500±$16kLowest 3% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81 13% below U.S. |
$1,741±$216Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,144±$68Lowest 19% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,999Lowest 28% above U.S. |
$5,409Highest 73% above U.S. |
$4,380 40% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.8%±9.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
60.1%±9.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| West Springfield Town and Shelton 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% |
6.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
76.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
30 min 15% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±2.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.4%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Shelton 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 | #71 of 149 in CT | #218 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | Shelton School District | West Springfield |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | Shelton High School | West Springfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Lowest |
14.3Highest |
13.1 |
| 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.