What it's like to live in Agawam
Agawam is a small city in Massachusetts with rent below the national average, commutes that run shorter than most cities, and schools with smaller class sizes than the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Agawam deals with cold winters, snowy winters, fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city, and a car-dependent commute, with few people using transit.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Short commutes
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Cold winters
- Snowy winters — 52" per year
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Agawam compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Agawam
Based on Agawam's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,512
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $50,240 a year
- 37% of Agawam renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$62,320
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $31,160
- Homes cost 3.6× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 11% below US
$1,256/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,256 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $311,600. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $311,600 · 37% of renters cost-burdened
Job marketNear US average
4.5% unemployment
Unemployment here is 4.5%, close to the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
SafetyNear US average
307 violent crimes per 100k
Crime runs about typical for a city this size. Some neighborhoods are safer than others, and one overall rate doesn't tell the whole story, so a neighborhood-level look matters more than the headline stat.
Property crime 885/100k · Agawam Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 14% below US
22 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 22.4 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 11% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 83°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 18°F. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforceNear US average
34% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 34% college-educated. It's a mix of white-collar and blue-collar work, which can be an asset or a limitation depending on the field.
Schools
8 public schools inside the boundary
There are 8 public schools inside the boundary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Springfield Armory National Historic Site (5 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Agawam's strongest points are rent below the national average and commutes that run shorter than most cities; the main tradeoffs are cold winters and snowy winters. A year of median rent ($1,256/mo) equals 18% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Agawam
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