What stands out worked out from the figures below

West Springfield Town has the highest household income ($69k).

Springfield has the most kids (24.2% under 18).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	West Springfield Town	Springfield
People
Population	28,772Lowest	154,749Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+1.6%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+1.9%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	40.1±2.6Highest about the MA average	33.7±0.5Lowest 16% below MA
Kids under 18	18.9%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4%	24.2%±0.9Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	17.5%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9%	13.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	34%Highest MA: 47.3%	20.5%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.7%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%	7.5%±0.5Highest MA: 7.9%
	Springfield 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	$69,371±$7kHighest 33% below MA	$52,656±$2kLowest 49% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$321,500±$16kHighest 43% below MA	$245,000±$4kLowest 56% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,144±$68 35% below MA	$1,144±$55 35% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,380Highest 27% below MA	$3,695Lowest 38% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	60.1%±9.1Highest MA: 51.8%	57.7%±3.1Lowest MA: 51.8%
	West Springfield Town and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	11.9%Lowest MA: 10%	25.8%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	58.5%Highest MA: 62.5%	49.6%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1958Highest 6 yrs older than MA	1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	19 minLowest 34% below MA	20 minHighest 31% below MA
Work from home	10.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6%	8.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 18.6%
	West Springfield Town and Springfield 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	#218 of 282 in MA	#276 of 282 in MA
School district	West Springfield	Springfield
High school in town	West Springfield High	Springfield Central High
Students per teacherat that high school	13.1Highest	12.2Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.