Compare towns
Webster vs Worcester 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 the highest household income ($73k).
Worcester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.1%).
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 | Worcester | West Springfield Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,748Lowest |
207,055Highest |
28,772 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+14.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9 about the MA average |
33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA |
40.1±2.6Highest about the MA average |
| West Springfield Town and Webster 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% |
19.6%±0.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.9%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
13.3%±0.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.5%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
| 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 MA: 47.3% |
35.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
34% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.7%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,895±$6kHighest 30% below MA |
$70,102±$2k 33% below MA |
$69,371±$7kLowest 33% below MA |
| Webster and Worcester 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 |
$374,400±$7kHighest 33% below MA |
$321,500±$16kLowest 43% below MA |
| Worcester and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81 30% below MA |
$1,487±$38Highest 16% below MA |
$1,144±$68Lowest 35% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,999Lowest 33% below MA |
$4,733Highest 21% below MA |
$4,380 27% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
54.2%±2.9 MA: 51.8% |
60.1%±9.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| West Springfield Town and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.7% MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
11.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
58.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Highest 2 yrs older than MA |
1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 5% above MA |
24 min 17% below MA |
19 minLowest 34% below MA |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
11.5%±1Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.4%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Worcester 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 | #266 of 282 in MA | #218 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | West Springfield |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | South High Community | West Springfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Lowest |
14.6Highest |
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.