Housing and tax tradeoff: Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield, Massachusetts comes out ahead here on rent and home price. This only compares rent burden, rent, home price, and estimated state tax burden; it is not a total cost-of-living ranking.
Demand-Backed Comparison
Compare Fairfax vs Springfield on cost, climate, safety, and daily life
People have logged this comparison 2 times on WhyThere. The cards open full city pages. The charts and matrix below are the fast side-by-side read on housing, climate, walkability, safety, schools, parks, and day-to-day tradeoffs.
FairfaxSpringfield
What Stands Out
A quick read on this comparison
Deterministic summaries based on the data in view.
Biggest tradeoff: Fairfax, Virginia
Fairfax, Virginia is the sharpest split in this comparison: strong on climate comfort, weaker on daily convenience.
Potential dealbreaker: Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield, Massachusetts needs a closer look before you get too attached, especially on rent burden.
Comparison Matrix
| City | ||
|---|---|---|
| Route | ||
| General Info | ||
| Population | 24,242 | 155,305 |
| Population Density | N/A | 4.9k /sq mi |
| Center Elevation | 430 ft(131 m) | 82 ft(25 m) |
| Housing & Wealth | ||
| Median Home | $765,557 | $287,643 |
| Median Rent | $2,310 | $1,869 |
| Median Income | $128,708 | $47,677 |
| Rent Burden | 22% | 47% |
| Climate & Risks | ||
| Days with 5+ Hours of Sun | 296 days/yr | 284 days/yr |
| Avg. High | 67°F | 62°F |
| Avg. Low | 49°F | 43°F |
| Comfort Score | 66/100Good | 50/100Mixed |
| Temp Swing | 44°F | 47°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 51"(130 cm) | 49"(124 cm) |
| Annual Snowfall | 10"(25 cm) | 25"(64 cm) |
| Air Quality | Typical: 482024 modeled avg · 42 days > 100 | Typical: 422024 modeled avg · 15 days > 100 |
| Infrastructure & Lifestyle | ||
| Walkability | 54 | 58 |
| Transit Score | 38 | 40 |
| Safety Score | 83 / 100 | 53 / 100 |
| School Rating | 9.1/10 | 2.6/10 |
| Flood Risk (FEMA) | minimalMinimal Risk | minimalMinimal Risk |
| Central Tract Wildfire Risk | minimalMinimal | unknownNo Data |
| Internet Access | Fiber: 94%Cable: 99% | 0Cable: 100% |
| Demographics | ||
| Median Age | 37.5 years | 33.4 years |
| College Educated | 60% | 20% |
| Remote Workers | 20% | 7% |
| Nature Access | ||
| Local Nature & Reserves | Finding... | Finding... |
| Scouting & Local Help | ||
Housing and local helpA practical next step once someone starts picturing the move. | Featured Local Partner ADRealtor Realtor spot available For an agent, brokerage, or relocation team that can answer housing questions in Fairfax. One featured slot per city | Featured Local Partner ADRealtor Realtor spot available For an agent, brokerage, or relocation team that can answer housing questions in Springfield. One featured slot per city |
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