Agawam vs West Springfield
marks the Massachusetts median on each scale. The better of the two is picked out where the gap is big enough to call; where neither is, they are level.
The prices are within about $25k of each other, so schools break the tie: Agawam is ahead.
Choose Agawam if you want the stronger schools of the two.
All Agawam numbers →Choose West Springfield if you want the lower price, or the commute matters most.
All West Springfield numbers →Side by side
Some rows have no better. Town character describes a place rather than ranking it, and per-pupil spending tracks need rather than results, so neither is picked out.
SchoolsEven, 1 each of 8
| Agawam | West Springfield | |
|---|---|---|
| School tier | solid schoolsT3 | mixed schoolsT4 |
| MCAS achievement | 31st | 35th |
| Student growth | 46th | 46th |
| Graduation rate | 92.5% | 91.4% |
| State accountability | Moderate progress toward targets | Moderate progress toward targets |
| Spending per pupil | $21,896 | $19,751 |
| Schools in the district | 7 | 7 |
| Private schools within 12 mi | 2 | 3 |
What a home costsLevel across all 6
| Agawam | West Springfield | |
|---|---|---|
| 4BR house | $425kT1 | $400kT1 |
| 3BR townhouse | $330k | $315k |
| 2BR condo | $245k | $235k |
| 3BR rent | $2,190/mo | $2,023/mo |
| Income needed for the 4BR | $121k | $114k |
| 10-year price growth | 5.7% a year | 5.6% a year |
What you pay the townLevel across all 4
| Agawam | West Springfield | |
|---|---|---|
| Tax rate | $14.10T3 | $14.02T3 |
| Est. tax bill on that 4BR | ≈$6,000 | ≈$5,600 |
| Town spending per resident | $3,837 | $4,579 |
| Share of budget on schools | 46% | 42% |
Getting to workLevel across all 3
| Agawam | West Springfield | |
|---|---|---|
| Commute to Boston | 122 minT4 | 121 minT4 |
| MBTA rail | No MBTA rail | No MBTA rail |
| Miles from downtown | 84 mi | 83 mi |
Before kindergartenWest Springfield ahead on 2 of 4
| Agawam | West Springfield | |
|---|---|---|
| Licensed child care programs | 32 | 34 |
| Child care places | 612 | 1,079 |
| Centers vs family programs | 11 centers | 13 centers |
| Infant places in centers | 0 | 55 |
What the place is likeDescribes the two, does not rank them
| Agawam | West Springfield | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 28,692 | 28,835 |
| Energy | 5/10 | 3/10 |
| Compact center | 6/10 | 3/10 |
| Family amenities | 4/10 | 3/10 |
| Culture | 5/10 | 4/10 |
| Gathering places | 6/10 | 5/10 |
The tax bill is each town’s own rate on its own median 4BR, so a lower rate does not always mean a lower bill. School tiers are editorial, shown beside the state’s own MCAS figures rather than derived from them.
Prices calibrated to Zillow ZHVI and Redfin · FY2026 residential tax rates · rail leg from the MBTA timetable, drive modeled · rents are HUD FY2026 Small Area FMRs · reviewed · methodology. Never uses demographics as an input.
