Compare towns
Webster vs Ware 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%).
Ware has the most homeowners (72.3%).
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 | Ware | West Springfield Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,748 |
10,048Lowest |
28,772Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
+1.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average |
43.1±4.7Highest 8% above MA |
40.1±2.6 about the MA average |
| Ware 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% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
18.9%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Webster and Ware 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% |
20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.5%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Ware 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% MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
34%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Lowest 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±$6kHighest 30% below MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$69,371±$7k 33% below MA |
| Webster and West Springfield Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12kHighest 36% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$321,500±$16k 43% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81Highest 30% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,144±$68 35% below MA |
| 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 | $3,999Lowest 33% below MA |
$4,237 29% below MA |
$4,380Highest 27% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
60.1%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and West Springfield Town 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% |
11.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8% MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Highest 2 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 5% above MA |
28 min about the MA average |
19 minLowest 34% below MA |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.4%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Ware 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | #218 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | Ware | West Springfield |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School | West Springfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
11.1Lowest |
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.