Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fremont, CA
VS
Springfield, MA
🏆 Fremont leads 15 of 22 categories
Fremont
California
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
118.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$169,023 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
52 ✓ Safer
Population
228,795 ✓ Larger
Springfield
Massachusetts
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$47,677
Violent Crime Index
235⚠ High
Population
155,305
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Fremont, CA
Pros
Households earn $121,346 more per year on average
78% less violent crime than Springfield
Stronger job market — unemployment is 4.7 pts lower (4.0%)
More college-educated — 61.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (195.7 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 58°F vs 35°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,231,500
Higher rents — median is $2,824/mo
Cost of living runs 20% higher than Springfield
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 118.2)
Springfield, MA
Pros
Homes cost $1033k less ($198,500 vs $1,231,500)
Rent averages $1777/mo less ($1,047 vs $2,824)
20% cheaper overall cost of living than Fremont
Commutes run 12 min shorter each way
Smaller class sizes — 11.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Fremont by $121,346/yr
Violent crime (891.4/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2835.5/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (8.7% vs 4.0%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Fremont
Median Income
$121,346
$169,023 vs $47,677/yr
Fremont
Violent Crime
78% lower
195.7 vs 891.4 per 100k
Fremont
Unemployment
4.7 pp lower
4.0% vs 8.7% unemployment
Springfield
Cost of Living
20% cheaper
COL index 98.4 vs 118.2 (100 = US avg)
Springfield
Median Home Value
$1033k less
$198,500 vs $1,231,500
Springfield
Summer Heat
7.9°F warmer
July avg high 84.9°F vs 77.0°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fremont, CA | Springfield, MA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 118.2⚠ High | 98.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,231,500⚠ High | $198,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,824⚠ High | $1,047 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $169,023 ✓ Higher | $47,677 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 8.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 33.1 min⚠ High | 21.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 28.1% ✓ Higher | 7.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 75 ✓ Safer | 195⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 52 ✓ Safer | 235⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 111⚠ High ✓ Safer | 135⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) ✓ Better | B- (96) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 24.0:1 | 11.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 61.9% ✓ Higher | 20.0% |
| High School or Higher | 93.1% ✓ Higher | 79.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Fremont Unified | Springfield |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.1°F ✓ Warmer | 34.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 77.0°F | 84.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 14.4" ✓ Drier | 50.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 51.7" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 228,795 ✓ Larger | 155,305 |
| Median Age | 38.6 ✓ Older | 33.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 60.7% ✓ Higher | 47.8% |
| Under 18 | 23.0% | 24.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.0% | 13.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fremont's cost of living index is 118.2 vs Springfield's 98.4 (US average = 100).
Springfield is 20% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Fremont leads 15 of 22 categories. Fremont wins 15 and Springfield wins 7. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Fremont to Springfield or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,231,500 vs $198,500 median home), income ($169,023 vs $47,677), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fremont, CA and Springfield, MA are about 2,605 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.