What it's like to live in Westfield
Westfield is a small city in Massachusetts with rent below the national average, crime rates well below the national average, 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. Westfield deals with cold winters, snowy winters, and fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Low crime rates
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Cold winters
- Snowy winters — 52" per year
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
How Westfield compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Westfield
Based on Westfield's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,234
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $44,680 a year
- 43% of Westfield renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$65,020
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $32,510
- Homes cost 3.7× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 21% below US
$1,117/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,117 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $325,100. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $325,100 · 43% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▲ 14% above US
4.9% unemployment
Unemployment here is 4.9%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 38% below US
206 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 738/100k · Westfield Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
27 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 26.5 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 9% 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
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 2.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforceNear US average
33% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 33% 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
12 public schools inside the boundary
There are 12 public schools inside the boundary and 3 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 12:1, 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 (9 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Westfield's strongest points are rent below the national average and crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are cold winters and snowy winters. A year of median rent ($1,117/mo) equals 15% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget and anyone prioritizing low crime.
Other places near Westfield
All Massachusetts guides →Moving to West Springfield Town →
5 mi away · pop. 28,772
Rent $1,144/mo · Income $69,371
Compare with Westfield →Moving to Agawam Town →
7 mi away · pop. 28,539
Rent $1,256/mo · Income $85,421
Compare with Westfield →Not sure Westfield is the one?
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