Hampden County, Massachusetts
Among the top 1% of US counties for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade F, better than 5% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade F, better than 6% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade D, better than 20% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A+, better than 99% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B, better than 61% of US counties
- top 3% for airport distance
- top 4% for walkability
- bottom 5% for estimated total tax burden
Hampden County is a county in Massachusetts with about 465,000 residents. It grades A+ for getting around and F for affordability. Standout strengths include airport distance, walkability, and school quality. It rates lower on violent crime and estimated total tax burden.
Official websitepvpc.org (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Heavy snow
very cold
cold
cool
comf.
warm
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v.cold
58%46%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.4 in3.6 in
humid 99%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$67k67th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$48kbetter than 27% of US counties
Home Value$258k82nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 20% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 11% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.62%better than 10% of US counties
Income Tax8.85%better than 9% of US counties
Sales Tax6.25%better than 77% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden17.18%better than 5% of US counties
Unemployment6.2%better than 24% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)26°F27th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)74°F28th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation49.3 in70th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall49.2 inbetter than 12% of US counties
Sunny Days185 daysbetter than 8% of US counties
Summer Humidity62°Fbetter than 66% of US counties
Comfortable Days80 daysbetter than 52% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk92.8better than 7% of US counties
Air Quality46 AQIbetter than 30% of US counties
School Quality100.0better than 96% of US counties
Violent Crime1976/100kbetter than 7% of US counties
Property Crime1928/100kbetter than 16% of US counties
Community
Population464,57595th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age39.532nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.4775th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9515th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+189th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)60.4%24th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)7.5%72nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)26.8%89th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)2.5%87th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)2.8%33rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time23 minbetter than 62% of US counties
Walkability10.9/20better than 96% of US counties
Airport Distance16 mibetter than 97% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access85.5%better than 64% of US counties
Amenities Nearby5.23better than 68% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 40% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Hampden County an affordable place to live?
- Hampden County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $48k, better than 27% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Hampden County?
- The median home value in Hampden County is $258k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Hampden County?
- Median household income in Hampden County is $67k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Hampden County?
- Median gross rent in Hampden County is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Hampden County safe?
- Hampden County is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1976/100k (better than 7%). Property crime is 1928/100k.
- What is the weather like in Hampden County?
- Hampden County averages 74°F in July and 26°F in January, with 49.3 in of annual precipitation and about 185 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Hampden County?
- Public-school quality in Hampden County is above average, scoring better than 96% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Hampden County?
- The average one-way commute in Hampden County is 23 min.
Other counties in Massachusetts
Explore Massachusetts
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)