Population 162,028 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Hampshire County
Household size in Hampshire County
| Period | Hampshire County | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.23 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.43 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.42 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.31 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.09 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Hampshire County are small: just 2.31 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Household size has crept up from 2.23 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Hampshire County
| Period | Hampshire County | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.8 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.4 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.7 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.8 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.9 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
At 40.8, the median age in Hampshire County is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 38.8, mirroring the country. Residents skew youngest in the northeast and oldest in the northwest.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Hampshire County
| Period | Hampshire County | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.3% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.6% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.4% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.1% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.2 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Hampshire County: 8.1% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share is down 1.2 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Only two of Massachusetts' 14 counties have a lower share of single-parent households.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Hampshire County
Renters in Hampshire County
| Period | Hampshire County | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.0% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 34.3% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 33.1% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 32.2% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.2 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting in Hampshire County is about as common as it is nationally: 32.2% of households rent, against 34.8%. Renters make up a smaller share here than in Massachusetts overall (37.5%). Among homeowners, 39.0% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. Rentals cluster in the northeast; owners are most common in the northwest.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Hampshire County
| Period | Hampshire County | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.5% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.2% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 10.5% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 10.0% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | +2.4 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Hampshire County as nationally: 10.0%, against 9.6%. The rate is higher than in Massachusetts as a whole (7.9%). Since 2006–10, vacancy has risen 2.4 points, even as the national rate fell.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Hampshire County
| Period | Hampshire County | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1962 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1964 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1965 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1967 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +5 | +6 |
Hampshire County is a place of older homes: half were built before 1967, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The median year built has moved up from 1962 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the east, while the center has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Hampshire County
| Period | Hampshire County | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $873 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $932 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,134 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,516 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$643 | +$775 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Hampshire County costs $1,516 a month with utilities, close to the national median of $1,571. Rents here are lower than in Massachusetts overall ($1,860). Rents are up $643 a month from 2006–10, a 74% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 33.9% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Hampshire County
Bachelor's degrees in Hampshire County
| Period | Hampshire County | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.7% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 45.7% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 49.0% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 52.5% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +9.8 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
Hampshire County is highly educated: just over half of adults 25 and older (52.5%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 9.8 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the center and least in the southeast.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Hampshire County
| Period | Hampshire County | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 92.9% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 94.1% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 94.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 95.9% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.0 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Hampshire County: 95.9% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 3.0 points, in line with the national trend. Only two of Massachusetts' 14 counties have a higher share of high school graduates.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Hampshire County
| Period | Hampshire County | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.5% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.5% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.8% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.4% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.1 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Hampshire County is the same as the national rate: 5.4% of the labor force. Unemployment has fallen 2.1 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Hampshire County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hampshire County | 2.31 | 40.8 | 8.1% | 32.2% | 10.0% | 1967 | $1,516 | 52.5% | 95.9% | 5.4% |
| Berkshire County | 2.18 | 47.3 | 10.7% | 30.1% | 16.0% | 1956 | $1,361 | 39.5% | 94.0% | 5.4% |
| Worcester County | 2.56 | 41.1 | 11.7% | 34.2% | 6.8% | 1965 | $1,549 | 39.8% | 90.9% | 5.3% |
| Columbia County | 2.25 | 49.0 | 11.1% | 23.7% | 19.4% | 1965 | $1,305 | 38.7% | 91.6% | 5.5% |
| Middlesex County | 2.56 | 40.3 | 8.3% | 38.7% | 5.9% | 1962 | $2,208 | 59.5% | 93.0% | 4.3% |
| Greene County | 2.43 | 48.0 | 6.9% | 22.8% | 28.7% | 1967 | $1,099 | 31.2% | 89.9% | 4.1% |
| Norfolk County | 2.59 | 41.9 | 7.9% | 31.3% | 5.0% | 1965 | $2,148 | 59.8% | 94.1% | 4.8% |
| Suffolk County | 2.36 | 35.9 | 12.1% | 63.5% | 9.3% | 1957 | $2,151 | 50.4% | 86.9% | 6.7% |
| Delaware County | 2.22 | 49.0 | 9.5% | 22.7% | 32.4% | 1968 | $916 | 28.3% | 88.8% | 6.0% |
| Chenango County | 2.31 | 45.8 | 10.8% | 24.6% | 18.2% | 1965 | $910 | 19.9% | 89.8% | 6.1% |
| Tompkins County | 2.11 | 36.3 | 8.1% | 45.9% | 9.9% | 1971 | $1,436 | 61.0% | 95.4% | 5.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Citrus County, FL · Pitt County, NC · Indian River County, FL · Houston County, GA · Greene County, OH · Franklin County, PA · Fairfield County, OH · Ector County, TX · Dorchester County, SC · Davidson County, NC
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Hampshire County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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