In an era where prices keep increasing on what seems like everything including food, heat, fuel, rent, etc., many folks throughout Massachusetts are struggling to find an affordable place to live. For some, it's currently not a reality to have a home of their own or a decent apartment that isn't suffocating them, financially speaking.

Though the cost of living never seems to decrease, some people are still looking to get married, buy a home and start families. If you are possibly interested in putting down roots in Massachusetts you're probably interested in which places throughout the Bay State are the most affordable.

In a previous article, we put the spotlight on three of the most affordable locations in Massachusetts. The original study (which was published by SpaceWise) included five locations. Now we are going to give you some details on the remaining two.

According to SpaceWise, the population of Spencer is 5,790. The median purchase price for a home in Spencer is $202,200 with the median monthly rent at $706. The town's crime rate is 53% safer than Massachusetts cities and the unemployment rate sits at 4.5%

What is There to Do in Spencer?

According to SpaceWise, hiking, mountain biking, and snowmobiling are all activities that you can partake in at Spencer State Forest. You can also check out the Burncoat Wildlife Sanctuary and view an array of nature's finest creatures while visiting the area. Check out more activities in Specer by going here.

According to SpaceWise, the population of Westfield is 41,486. The median purchase price for a home in Westfield is $222,200 with the median monthly rent at $913. The town's crime rate is 46% safer than Massachusetts cities and the unemployment rate sits at 5.4%

What is There to Do in Westfield?

As a graduate of Westfield State College (now Westfield State University), I must say that Westfield was a blast. Campus life was fun and my classmates and professors were very helpful and friendly. Whether it was doing video production in the television studio, hosting a show on the college's radio station (WSKB), or studying at the stacks in the library, I kept busy and had plenty of fun during my Westfield days.

Get our free mobile app

Westfield is definitely convenient as the city is neighbors with a bunch of attractions. Whether it's Six Flags in Agawam, Forest Park in Springfield, various restaurants and shopping plazas on Riverdale Street in West Springfield, or the Holyoke Mall at Ingleside in Holyoke, Westfield is next to plenty of fun activities. You definitely won't complain about being bored if you make Westfield your new home. Plus the city itself is quiet and friendly while still having its own shops and restaurants to keep you entertained.

Those are just two of the most affordable places to live in Massachusetts. Check out three more by going here.

LOOK: Here's where people in every state are moving to most

Stacker analyzed the Census Bureau's 2019 American Community Survey data to determine the three most popular destinations for people moving out of each state.

LOOK: Here are the 50 best beach towns in America

Every beach town has its share of pluses and minuses, which got us thinking about what makes a beach town the best one to live in. To find out, Stacker consulted data from WalletHub, released June 17, 2020, that compares U.S. beach towns. Ratings are based on six categories: affordability, weather, safety, economy, education and health, and quality of life. The cities ranged in population from 10,000 to 150,000, but they had to have at least one local beach listed on TripAdvisor. Read the full methodology here. From those rankings, we selected the top 50. Readers who live in California and Florida will be unsurprised to learn that many of towns featured here are in one of those two states.

Keep reading to see if your favorite beach town made the cut.

LOOK: Here is the richest town in each state

Just saying the names of these towns immediately conjures up images of grand mansions, luxury cars, and ritzy restaurants. Read on to see which town in your home state took the title of the richest location and which place had the highest median income in the country. Who knows—your hometown might even be on this list.

More From WUPE