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Westfield named ‘happiest’ city

Date: 10/17/2014

WESTFIELD – Once again Westfield has topped a better living list. This time, CreditDonkey.com named it the “Happiest City in Massachusetts.” This past summer, Nerdwallet.com named Westfield the “No. 1 City on the Rise.”

The list was compiled based upon cities that had populations of 15,000 or more people and a cumulative scored assessment of restaurants, crime rate, commute, departure time, income, divorce rate and housing based upon U.S. Census and FBI crime data.

The site’s description of Westfield states, “The city of Westfield, which sits near Springfield in the western part of the state, has definitely earned the seal of approval from its 41,000 residents. Around 4.5 percent of workers begin their day before 5 a.m., the highest percentage in our study, and they have the shortest drive time, clocking in at just over 23 minutes. Crime isn’t something people contend with too often and housing prices are fairly moderate, based on the $57,000 median income. At the end of the day, you can unwind at places like Santiago’s, which serves some of the best empanadas around.”

The following is a breakdown of the city’s score:

• “Restaurants per capita: 1 per 567 inhabitants.

• Odds of being the victim of a violent crime: 1 in 545.9.

• Average commute time: 23.4 minutes.

• Percentage of residents leaving for work before 5 a.m.: 4.5 percent.

• Median household income: $57,018.

• Percentage of divorced residents: 8.3 percent of males, 11.4 percent of females.

• Percentage of income spent on housing: 21.2 percent.”

Mayor Daniel Knapik said, “We’re in really good company. We work really hard to make sure those statistics mean something.”

State Rep. John Velis
said, “We are a community of people who have lived here for generations and we love Westfield. Even when it was at its worst, we didn't give up. We saw a vision for Westfield and we continue to make great advancements to make that vision a reality.”

Velis continued, “We are a welcoming community as well. People from all over chose to live here because of what Westfield offers. The people that serve the community promote involvement and continued service. We have strong values that support education and family. The caring we have for each other and the love we have for our community is present throughout the city.”

Velis concluded, “No matter how far away I went, from Florida for college to Afghanistan to serve my country, Westfield was always home and it will continue to be for the rest of my life. This is a great place to work and live and we’re happy!”