What stands out worked out from the figures below

Westfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.6%).

Hull has the most people working from home (19.7%).

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	Westfield	Hull
People
Population	40,378Highest	10,138Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-0.6%Highest MA: +7.4%	-2.1%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	39.9±1.8Lowest about the MA average	56.1±1.8Highest 40% above MA
Kids under 18	18.1%±2Highest MA: 19.4%	11.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	18.7%±1.5Lowest MA: 17.9%	26.1%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	33.2%Lowest MA: 47.3%	50.4%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	10%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9%	4.2%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$87,753±$6kLowest 16% below MA	$115,485±$14kHighest 11% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$325,100±$11kLowest 42% below MA	$646,000±$38kHighest 15% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,117±$60Lowest 37% below MA	$2,081±$187Highest 18% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,746Lowest 21% below MA	$6,089Highest about the MA average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.5%±5.8Lowest MA: 51.8%	52.8%±14Highest MA: 51.8%
	Hull and Westfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	10.7%Highest MA: 10%	5.8%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	68.6%Lowest MA: 62.5%	79.6%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1964Highest same as MA	1946Lowest 18 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest 9% below MA	33 minHighest 14% above MA
Work from home	8.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 18.6%	19.7%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#197 of 282 in MA	#66 of 282 in MA
School district	Westfield	Hull
High school in town	Westfield High	Hull High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.9Highest	8.8Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.