Living Here
Springfield, Massachusetts is located on New England’s premier waterway, the Connecticut River. The cities of Agawam and West Springfield are located on its West banks and Springfield on the East bank. To the east are the towns of Ludlow, Wilbraham, Hampden, East Longmeadow, and Longmeadow. Immediately north of Springfield is the Pioneer Valley Region, an area known for its scenic rolling hills, covered bridges, historical landmarks, and abundance of year-round sports activities including white water rafting, snow skiing, hiking, and water sports. A short drive to the west are the beautiful Berkshires, a recreational and cultural destination.
Western Massachusetts is home to several premier colleges and universities, including Amherst, Hampshire, Mount Holyoke, Smith, and the University of Massachusetts. These institutions impart a vibrant college town feel to the region, where theatre, superior dining, and fine arts abound. In greater Springfield itself, notable attractions include Springfield Symphony Hall, Six Flags New England, The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, AHL hockey team – the Springfield Thunderbirds, and five Springfield Museums featuring art, history, science and the Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum.
In Springfield and its surrounding communities, attractive housing for every taste and lifestyle is available at a cost significantly less than in the eastern part of Massachusetts. The Greater Springfield area enjoys a superb network of highways, providing access in all directions. The Massachusetts Turnpike, with exits in Ludlow and Springfield, connects residents to Boston, an hour and a half to the east, and the Berkshires and Albany to the west. I- 91, a north/south artery with six centrally located exits to the area, connects Greater Springfield to the Connecticut shoreline to the south and Vermont’s ski slopes to the north, both within drive times of less than 1½ hours. Bradley International Airport, one of the most convenient and efficient airports in the nation, is located in Windsor Locks, Connecticut, a short drive south on I-91.
Attractive communities, accessible recreation, affordability, ideal geography, and a lack of urban congestion combine to offer the employees and physicians of Baystate Health an outstanding environment in which to live and work.
Springfield | Boston | Worcester | Hartford | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Cost of Living (100 is = national average) |
107.1 | 148.8 | 115.3 | 105 |
Median Home Cost | 120,000 | 427,050 | 165,000 | 116,450 |
Average Commute Time (28 minutes = national average) |
24 | 33 | 26 | 26 |
* According to Sperling’s Best Places