Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Springfield grades D− overall, in the bottom 2% of U.S. towns, mostly because of safety and health. Its police reported 1,343 violent crimes reported to the FBI in 2025, a higher rate per resident than 94% of U.S. towns. CDC estimates put its residents' health behind 92% of the country. What it does well: it is more walkable than 94% of U.S. towns. History is its standout character grade: an A+, better than 99% of U.S. towns, with 94 places on the National Register. 26% of residents live below the poverty line in Springfield, above both the Massachusetts town median (6%) and the median of U.S. towns (9.6%). On incomes, just 7 of Massachusetts’ 325 towns do worse. Its National Register listings include Springfield Armory National Historic Site and Hampden County Courthouse.
Where Springfield beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Springfield Armory National Historic Site| College | Students |
|---|---|
| Western New England University | 3,362 |
| Springfield Technical Community College | 2,845 |
| Springfield College | 2,777 |
Springfield Armory National Historic Site is a National Historic Landmark, the National Register’s top tier. Its 94 National Register listings are more than in 96% of Massachusetts towns with a listing.
Census counts: 1,574 in 1790, 155,929 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1636 and 7 maps from 1886 on.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Massachusetts), ordered by how far Springfield is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Springfield. Close and well known come first.
in town National Historic SiteSpringfield Armory National Historic Site14K visitors a year
Big draw36 mi LakeLake Chaubunagungamaug
7 mi Theme parkSix Flags New England
in town Stadium & arenaMassMutual Center
21 mi LakeQuabbin Reservoir
25 mi Stadium & arenaPeoplesBank ArenaSpringfield Armory National Historic Site: National Park Service, Public domain · Lake Chaubunagungamaug: Bree from Worcester, MA, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Six Flags New England: Canadaolympic989, Public domain · MassMutual Center: John Phelan, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Quabbin Reservoir: engineerchange, CC BY 2.0 · PeoplesBank Arena: PeoplesBank Arena, CC BY 2.5
Who provides power, water and the rest in Springfield, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Springfield.
Springfield reports violent crime at 3 times the Massachusetts rate, but it has poverty well above the Massachusetts rate and scores below Chicopee and its other neighbors on health.
Violent crime runs at 8.7 per 1,000 residents, 3 times the Massachusetts rate; the Safety Grade counts each violent crime four times, so this weighs most on its D. Each of the 6 graded towns on its borders reports less crime per resident, from West Springfield Town (D) to Longmeadow (A−).
Springfield’s violent crime rate is 8.7 per 1,000 residents. Among 277 Massachusetts towns, just 4 have a higher property crime rate than Springfield. Springfield reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 94% report less.
| Springfield | Massachusetts towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 8.7 per 1,000 residents | 1.4 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 24.3 per 1,000 residents | 4.9 | 9.9 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Each of its 6 graded neighbors has a higher School Grade than its D, Longmeadow highest at A−.
Its public schools are run by the Springfield school district. Two of its 80 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| German Gerena Community SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 621 | D |
| Springfield Central HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 1,983 | C |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MA on state tests and graduation
All 6 graded neighbors score healthier than its D, from Chicopee (C) to Longmeadow (A).
30% of Springfield adults say their health is fair or poor. Among 279 Massachusetts towns, just 2 have a higher share of adults who report frequent physical distress than Springfield. 40% of Springfield adults feel lonely.
| Springfield | Massachusetts towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 15% | 19% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 12% | 14% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 19% | 25% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 33% | 33% |
| What stands out | Springfield | MA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 6.2% | 8.5% |
| More uninsured adults | 13.7% | 5.2% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
The typical Springfield home is worth about $302,000, up 4.2% in a year, 54% below the Massachusetts typical home. 50% of households own their home in Springfield.
| Springfield | Massachusetts towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 50% | 79% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,144 a month | $1,683 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent | 58% | 52% | 48% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Springfield has chilly, snowy winters and warm summers. Among 283 Massachusetts towns, just 8 have a higher July high than Springfield.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
20 miles of trail in 95 parks and preserves. The trail density in Springfield is 0.6 miles per square mile. The biggest place to walk is Forest Park, 654 acres with 10.9 miles of trail.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Forest Park | 10.9 mi | 654 |
| 2. Hubbard Park | 0.5 mi | 31 |
| 3. South Branch Park | 0.4 mi | 135 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
The average commute for its 60,884 working residents takes 20.2 minutes, against 29.1 across Massachusetts.
About one in 3 of Springfield’s working residents works in town. Only 1 of the 283 Massachusetts towns we compare have a lower median household income than Springfield. The top destinations are Chicopee (6%), Holyoke (5%) and West Springfield Town (5%).
| Springfield | Massachusetts towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 37% | 9.8% | 8% |
| Median household income | $53,000 | $120,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 20 minutes | 30 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Work from home | 8.4% | 18% | 11% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 61% of U.S. communities. Since 1979, 5 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Springfield.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
13 within 15 miles of the center of Springfield
About 8 of every 100 Springfield residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Massachusetts.
5 colleges in town.
94 places in Springfield on the National Register of Historic Places.
30 notable people were born in Springfield.
City in Massachusetts, United States
Springfield is the most populous city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States, and its county seat. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers: the western Westfield River, the eastern Chicopee River, and the eastern Mill River. At the 2020 census, the city's population was 155,929, making it the third most populous city in Massachusetts and the fourth most populous city in New England, after Boston, Worcester, and Providence. The Springfield metropolitan area, one of two metropolitan areas in Massachusetts (the other being Greater Boston), had a population of 699,162 in 2020. Springfield was founded in 1636, the first Springf…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
6 towns share a border with Springfield.
All 6 graded towns on its borders grade higher than its D−; Chicopee (D) is closest. Longmeadow next door grades higher for schools (A− to Springfield’s D) and lower for cost of living (D− to C−).
| Town | MA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Springfield | #281 | D− | C− | D | D | D |
| Ludlow | #240 | C | D | B+ | C | B− |
| Chicopee | #271 | D | D | C− | C− | C |
| West Springfield Town | #269 | D | D | D | C | C+ |
| Agawam Town | #243 | C | C− | C+ | C | B+ |
| East Longmeadow | #159 | B | D | C+ | B+ | A |
| Longmeadow | #88 | A− | D− | A− | A− | A |
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Springfield grades D− overall, in the bottom 2% of U.S. towns. It grades D for health, D for safety and D for schools. Safety is its weak spot, with a D.
Yes. That is 4.2 years of the area's median household income ($71,306 across the Springfield, MA metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C−.
30 notable people were born here, including Dr. Seuss and Kurt Russell.
_-_2025.svg){kind=link}