Information on Springfield and local area (Chicopee, Westfield: real estate, best schools, income)

[JNKANDREWS]

Hello everyone. My family and I will soon be moving to Westover AFB. I have ready through several of the post on the site about Springfield and its "burbs" but most of them are a little old for my taste. The city of Springfiled seems to be kind of a place that sounds like someplace Id like to avoid living in. Does anyone have recent information on the city and the surrounding places like Chicopee, Wilbraham, Granby and Ludlow. We are a middle income family with two kids so im interested in places that have nice cost of living along with good schools for my kids.

[mamom1]

Granby and Wilbraham are nice areas with decent schools. Ludlow is a nice town but they are having a lot of problems with the school system right now. I live in Ludlow and have considered sending my kids to a charter school to avoid the Ludlow schools.

Wilbraham housing is a little more expensive but is close to major shopping(depending on where in Wilbraham you are). Granby is a more rural town. Ludlow is somewhere in between.

Hope this helps somewhat.

[JNKANDREWS]

That is helpful what about westfield?

[mamom1]

Originally Posted by JNKANDREWS

That is helpful what about westfield?

Westfield is nice, but you need to be careful where you live as some parts are better than others. For the most part it is safe though. Traffic there on the main roads is not very good. They are in the process of building a bridge heading toward/away from the pike so hopefully that will ease the traffic in that area. The schools are decent. The best part of the schools is that they have a regular high school and a vocational high school if your children want to go there. There is also a private elementary school, or at least there used to be. The commute to Westover would be quick if you hop on the pike.

Personally, I like Southwick, but it is a little more expensive then Westfield and takes longer to get anywhere because it is more rural.

Agawam is decent too and probably a little more expensive than Westfield but not as expensive as Southwick, depending on where you live. I can't say much for the Agawam schools though, I've heard some good and bad. I went to Agawam schools but that was a long time ago and things have changed since then.

[south-bound]

Probably the best schools in this area are in Wilbraham and Longmeadow, but you will pay for it, as real estate in those two towns is very expensive. Ludlow is a great little town; a used to live there and still have family and friends there. It is mostly middle class, and it isn't as expensive as Wilbraham and Longmeadow.