Heath, MA Demographics

Population 487 · Census ACS 2020–24

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Heath, MA map of median age by neighborhood
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Population and households in Heath

Household size in Heath

Household size, people per household
PeriodHeathMassachusettsU.S.
2006–102.302.532.68
2010–142.322.572.73
2015–192.602.572.71
2020–242.162.522.65
Change−0.15−0.01−0.03
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Heath is a place of small households, averaging 2.16 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has dropped from 2.30 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next.

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 Heath

Median age, years
PeriodHeathMassachusettsU.S.
2006–1046.239.437.7
2010–1449.840.138.6
2015–1949.841.039.6
2020–2454.441.440.1
Change+8.2+2.0+2.3
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Heath skews older: half of its residents are older than 54.4, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families.

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 Heath

Single-parent households, % of households
PeriodHeathMassachusettsU.S.
2006–106.1%11.0%12.3%
2010–149.6%11.0%12.3%
2015–1910.1%10.3%11.6%
2020–245.1%10.6%11.6%
Change−1.0 pts−0.4 pts−0.6 pts
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Single parents head only 5.1% of households in Heath, well below the national share of 11.6%.

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 Heath

Renters in Heath

Renters, % of occupied homes
PeriodHeathMassachusettsU.S.
2006–1018.6%36.0%33.3%
2010–1417.0%37.7%35.6%
2015–1911.7%37.6%36.0%
2020–2410.5%37.5%34.8%
Change−8.1 pts+1.5 pts+1.5 pts
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Only 10.5% of households in Heath rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 39.4% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally.

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 Heath

Vacant homes, % of all homes
PeriodHeathMassachusettsU.S.
2006–1048.1%9.5%11.4%
2010–1440.8%9.1%11.4%
2015–1939.9%8.9%11.1%
2020–2434.1%7.9%9.6%
Change−14.0 pts−1.6 pts−1.8 pts
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Vacant homes make up 34.1% of the housing in Heath, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand.

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 Heath

Age of homes, median year built
PeriodHeathMassachusettsU.S.
2006–10197319581974
2010–14197619591975
2015–19197219611977
2020–24197719631980
Change+4+5+6
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The typical home in Heath was built around 1977, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). Homes here are newer than in Massachusetts as a whole, where the median home dates to 1963.

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 Heath

Rent, per month
PeriodHeathMassachusettsU.S.
2006–10$658$1,085$965
2010–14$973$1,157$1,040
2015–19$934$1,398$1,213
2020–24$1,163$1,860$1,571
Change+$505+$775+$606
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A typical rental in Heath costs $1,163 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent takes 14.7% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.

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 Heath

Bachelor's degrees in Heath

Bachelor's degrees, % of adults 25+
PeriodHeathMassachusettsU.S.
2006–1028.1%38.5%28.4%
2010–1429.1%40.1%29.6%
2015–1931.0%43.6%32.1%
2020–2441.9%47.2%35.6%
Change+13.8 pts+8.7 pts+7.2 pts
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Just over four in ten adults 25 and older in Heath (41.9%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, a bit above the national share of 35.6%. Still, the share is lower than in Massachusetts as a whole (47.2%).

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 Heath

High school graduates, % of adults 25+
PeriodHeathMassachusettsU.S.
2006–1087.7%88.4%84.9%
2010–1485.2%89.3%86.1%
2015–1992.4%90.5%87.7%
2020–2494.0%91.0%89.3%
Change+6.3 pts+2.6 pts+4.3 pts
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High school completion in Heath is above the national rate: 94.0% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%.

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 Heath

Unemployment, % of the labor force
PeriodHeathMassachusettsU.S.
2006–107.6%7.5%8.1%
2010–146.2%8.7%9.4%
2015–192.5%5.0%5.6%
2020–242.9%5.2%5.4%
Change−4.7 pts−2.3 pts−2.7 pts
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Unemployment in Heath has been low: just 2.9% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current 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).

Heath compared with nearby cities

CityHousehold sizeMedian ageSingle parentsRentersVacant homesMedian year builtMedian rentBachelor's degreeHigh school diplomaUnemployment
Heath2.1654.45.1%10.5%34.1%1977$1,16341.9%94.0%2.9%
Rowe2.1254.67.4%14.2%24.2%1958$99126.4%91.6%4.4%
Charlemont2.1257.45.7%17.0%20.8%1963$1,00935.0%92.9%5.2%
Zoar2.1154.58.0%15.2%23.5%1953$97024.0%91.0%4.3%
Colrain2.2450.76.4%13.9%18.6%1968$1,11939.5%94.7%3.5%
West Hawley2.0361.83.2%20.1%20.1%1969$1,03937.3%93.0%9.0%
Griswoldville2.2052.56.7%14.6%13.3%1969$1,23841.6%95.5%3.8%
Whitingham2.3846.53.5%21.5%35.7%1972$66637.3%93.3%7.0%
Monroe Bridge2.1154.57.9%15.0%23.1%1954$96724.0%91.1%4.5%
Shelburne Falls2.1454.57.2%29.3%12.8%1953$1,19847.3%95.5%4.1%
Buckland2.2557.83.4%14.2%6.9%1970$1,18849.5%96.5%4.4%

All figures 2020–24.

Cities with similar populations: Knapp, MN · Lewisburg, OR · Lattimore, NC · Langworthy, IA · Lakeside, MO · Lake Harmony, PA · Labish Village, OR · La Crosse, GA · Kurthwood, LA · Kranzburg, SD

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 Heath. 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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