Compare towns
West Springfield Town vs Upton vs Pittsfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
West Springfield Town has the most renters (41.5% rent).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Pittsfield has the most affordable homes ($257k 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 | West Springfield Town | Upton | Pittsfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,772 |
8,189Lowest |
43,457Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.6% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-1.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.1±2.6Lowest about the MA average |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
42.4±2 6% above MA |
| Upton and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.6%±1.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and West Springfield Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.5%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.4%±1.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
34.2% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Pittsfield 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±$7kLowest 33% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$70,582±$5k 32% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $321,500±$16k 43% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$256,900±$8kLowest 54% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,144±$68Highest 35% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,134±$61 36% below MA |
| West Springfield Town and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,380 27% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$4,148Lowest 31% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.1%±9.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±5.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| West Springfield Town and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.9% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
14.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
62.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 34% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
19 minLowest 36% below MA |
| Work from home | 10.4%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.2%±2.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #218 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #251 of 282 in MA |
| School district | West Springfield | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Pittsfield |
| High school in town | West Springfield High | Blackstone Valley | Taconic High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
11.2 |
9.3Lowest |
| 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.