Population 6,182 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Monson
Household size in Monson
| Period | Monson | Springfield area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.61 | 2.56 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.46 | 2.57 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.53 | 2.56 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.50 | 2.51 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.11 | −0.05 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
The average household in Monson has 2.50 people, a bit under the U.S. average of 2.65. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.61, a much bigger shift than nationally. Households are largest in the northwest and smallest in the northeast.
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 Monson
| Period | Monson | Springfield area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.8 | 38.8 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 47.0 | 39.4 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 46.3 | 40.3 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 45.2 | 40.7 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.4 | +1.9 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 45.2, Monson is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 42.8, mirroring the country. The youngest areas are in the southwest, the 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 Monson
| Period | Monson | Springfield area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.8% | 15.4% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.2% | 16.7% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 5.9% | 15.8% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.6% | 15.3% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.2 pts | −0.2 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Monson: 7.6% of households, against 11.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 2.2 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Monson
Renters in Monson
| Period | Monson | Springfield area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.6% | 37.0% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 18.3% | 38.5% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 18.3% | 38.9% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 18.0% | 37.8% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.5 pts | +0.8 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Monson is largely a place of homeowners: only 18.0% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Just over four in ten owners (41.5%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. Since 2006–10, the renter share has edged up 1.5 points, in line with the national trend.
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 Monson
| Period | Monson | Springfield area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.0% | 8.4% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 6.4% | 8.3% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.4% | 8.2% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 7.9% | 7.7% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | +2.0 pts | −0.8 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Monson: 7.9% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. The picture is much the same across the Springfield area. Since 2006–10, vacancy has risen 2.0 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 Monson
| Period | Monson | Springfield area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1961 | 1956 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1971 | 1956 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1971 | 1957 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1968 | 1958 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +7 | +2 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Monson is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1968, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. Even so, homes here are newer than in the Springfield area overall, where the median home dates to 1958. The median year built has moved up from 1961 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building.
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 Monson
| Period | Monson | Springfield area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $744 | $809 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $919 | $871 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $860 | $995 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $996 | $1,261 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$252 | +$452 | +$775 | +$606 |
Rent in Monson runs $996 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $252 a month since 2006–10, up 34%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 28.3% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Rents run highest in the northwest and lowest in the northeast.
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 Monson
Bachelor's degrees in Monson
| Period | Monson | Springfield area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.0% | 23.3% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 30.7% | 24.8% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 26.8% | 26.7% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 31.0% | 29.0% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +3.0 pts | +5.8 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are a little less common in Monson than nationally: 31.0% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 3.0 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the southeast and least in the north.
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 Monson
| Period | Monson | Springfield area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 89.9% | 82.4% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 91.0% | 83.3% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 92.7% | 85.2% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.2% | 86.7% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.3 pts | +4.3 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Monson is above the national rate: 93.2% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 3.3 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Compared with other Massachusetts cities, though, Monson has a lower share of high school graduates than most.
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 Monson
| Period | Monson | Springfield area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.4% | 10.2% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.8% | 11.8% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.5% | 6.2% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.2% | 6.3% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.2 pts | −3.9 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little harder to find in Monson than nationally: unemployment was 6.2%, against 5.4%. Unemployment is down 1.2 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. 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).
Monson compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monson | 2.50 | 45.2 | 7.6% | 18.0% | 7.9% | 1968 | $996 | 31.0% | 93.2% | 6.2% |
| Tennyville | 2.54 | 44.7 | 7.8% | 15.7% | 11.8% | 1967 | $983 | 21.9% | 95.3% | 5.9% |
| South Monson | 2.59 | 41.9 | 8.5% | 18.4% | 9.6% | 1966 | $1,150 | 30.7% | 93.7% | 3.6% |
| Wales | 2.47 | 44.3 | 6.1% | 9.4% | 13.4% | 1982 | $1,125 | 25.2% | 91.7% | 5.4% |
| Palmer Town | 2.27 | 45.1 | 10.9% | 28.4% | 8.0% | 1964 | $1,092 | 23.2% | 90.7% | 3.6% |
| Hampden | 2.55 | 50.6 | 2.7% | 5.8% | 4.3% | 1966 | $1,134 | 36.1% | 97.1% | 4.4% |
| Palmer | 2.30 | 42.0 | 6.0% | 27.3% | 8.9% | 1965 | $921 | 27.8% | 92.9% | 11.0% |
| Brimfield | 2.63 | 43.4 | 10.0% | 12.8% | 12.9% | 1987 | $807 | 42.5% | 97.8% | 2.6% |
| Wilbraham | 2.71 | 44.5 | 6.6% | 11.3% | 7.4% | 1967 | $992 | 51.2% | 95.8% | 2.3% |
| Staffordville | 2.66 | 46.0 | 9.3% | 13.8% | 18.3% | 1972 | $1,409 | 22.5% | 95.9% | 4.9% |
| Orcutts | 2.70 | 50.9 | 7.6% | 7.5% | 3.6% | 1978 | $1,159 | 31.4% | 96.7% | 3.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Lake City, MN · Purchase, NY · Loranger, LA · Lee, NH · Lebanon, CT · Lascassas, TN · Lancaster, WI · Lakeland, GA · Lake Los Angeles, CA · Rainier, OR
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 Monson. 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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