Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Grand Prairie, TX
VS
Springfield, MA
🏆 Grand Prairie leads 16 of 23 categories
Grand Prairie
Texas
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$76,626 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
58 ✓ Safer
Population
197,279 ✓ 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.
Grand Prairie, TX
Pros
75% less violent crime than Springfield
Households earn $28,949 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.7 pts lower (5.0%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (221.2 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 58°F vs 35°F
More college-educated — 26.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,381/mo
Longer commutes — 28.1 min average each way
Cost of living runs 5% higher than Springfield
Springfield, MA
Pros
Rent averages $334/mo less ($1,047 vs $1,381)
Homes cost $44k less ($198,500 vs $242,900)
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
Cooler summers — July highs near 85°F vs 96°F
Smaller class sizes — 11.4:1 student-teacher ratio
5% cheaper overall cost of living than Grand Prairie
Cons
Median income trails Grand Prairie by $28,949/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 5.0%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Grand Prairie
Median Income
$28,949
$76,626 vs $47,677/yr
Grand Prairie
Violent Crime
75% lower
221.2 vs 891.4 per 100k
Grand Prairie
Unemployment
3.7 pp lower
5.0% vs 8.7% unemployment
Grand Prairie
Summer Heat
10.6°F warmer
July avg high 95.5°F vs 84.9°F
Springfield
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 98.4 vs 103.3 (100 = US avg)
Springfield
Median Home Value
$44k less
$198,500 vs $242,900
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Grand Prairie, TX | Springfield, MA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.3⚠ High | 98.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $242,900 | $198,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,381⚠ High | $1,047 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $76,626 ✓ Higher | $47,677 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 8.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.1 min⚠ High | 21.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 9.1% ✓ Higher | 7.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 65 ✓ Safer | 195⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 58 ✓ Safer | 235⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 76 ✓ Safer | 135⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (92) | B- (96) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.1:1 | 11.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 26.9% ✓ Higher | 20.0% |
| High School or Higher | 81.3% ✓ Higher | 79.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | GRAND PRAIRIE ISD | Springfield |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.3°F ✓ Warmer | 34.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 95.5°F ✓ Warmer | 84.9°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.3" ✓ Drier | 50.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.8" ✓ Less | 51.7" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 197,279 ✓ Larger | 155,305 |
| Median Age | 33.7 ✓ Older | 33.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 59.2% ✓ Higher | 47.8% |
| Under 18 | 27.6% ✓ More | 24.4% |
| Over 65 | 10.3% | 13.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Grand Prairie's cost of living index is 103.3 vs Springfield's 98.4 (US average = 100).
Springfield is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Grand Prairie leads 16 of 23 categories. Grand Prairie wins 16 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 Grand Prairie to Springfield or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($242,900 vs $198,500 median home), income ($76,626 vs $47,677), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Grand Prairie, TX and Springfield, MA are about 1,486 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.