Demographics

As of the census of 2004, there were 461,228 people, 175,288 households, and 115,690 families residing in the county. The population density was 738 people per square mile (285/km²). There were 185,876 housing units at an average density of 301 per square mile (116/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 79.10% White

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 8.10% Black

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

 or African American

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 0.26% Native American

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 1.30% Asian

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 0.07% Pacific Islander

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 8.85% from other races

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, and 2.32% from two or more races. 15.17% of the population were Hispanic

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

 or Latino

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

 of any race. 13.3% were of Irish

Irish people

The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...

, 10.9% Polish, 10.2% Italian

Italian people

The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...

, 9.6% French

French people

The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...

, 7.5% French Canadian

French Canadian

French Canadian or Francophone Canadian, , generally refers to the descendents of French colonists who arrived in New France in the 17th and 18th centuries...

 and 5.6% English

English people

The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...

 ancestry according to Census 2000. 77.9% spoke English, 13.0% Spanish, 1.8% Polish, 1.6% French, 1.4% Portuguese and 1.0% Russian as their first language.

There were 175,288 households out of which 31.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.80% were married couples living together, 15.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.00% were non-families. 28.40% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.10.

In the county the age distribution of the population shows 26.10% under the age of 18, 9.20% from 18 to 24, 28.40% from 25 to 44, 21.90% from 45 to 64, and 14.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 91.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.70 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $39,718, and the median income for a family was $49,257. Males had a median income of $37,676 versus $27,621 for females. The per capita income

Per capita income

Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...

 for the county was $19,541. About 11.40% of families and 14.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.70% of those under age 18 and 9.60% of those age 65 or over.

Springfield and Greater Springfield

Hampden County is the economic and cultural center of Western Massachusetts

Western Massachusetts

Western Massachusetts is a loosely defined geographical region of the U.S. state of Massachusetts which contains the Berkshires, the Pioneer Valley, and some or all of the Swift River Valley. The region is always considered to include Berkshire, Franklin, Hampshire, and Hampden counties, and the...

 - a region that spans Massachusetts' three counties in the Connecticut River Valley

Pioneer Valley

The Pioneer Valley is the colloquial name for the U.S. Commonwealth of Massachusetts's portion of the Connecticut River Valley. The Pioneer Valley consists of three counties in Massachusetts which collectively feature much of New England's most fertile farmland...

, and its mountainous, westernmost county, The Berkshires

The Berkshires

The Berkshires , is a highland geologic region located in the western parts of Massachusetts and Connecticut.Also referred to as the Berkshire Hills, Berkshire Mountains, and Berkshire Plateau, the region enjoys a vibrant tourism industry based on music, arts, and recreation.-Definition:The term...

. Western New England

New England

New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...

's largest city, and Western Massachusetts' economic, civic, and recreational capital is Springfield

Springfield, Massachusetts

Springfield is the most populous city in Western New England, and the seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers; the western Westfield River, the eastern Chicopee River, and the eastern...

. Springfield lies on the Connecticut River

Connecticut River

The Connecticut River is the largest and longest river in New England, and also an American Heritage River. It flows roughly south, starting from the Fourth Connecticut Lake in New Hampshire. After flowing through the remaining Connecticut Lakes and Lake Francis, it defines the border between the...

.

Springfield has played a important role throughout American history. Today, it features numerous sites of historic and general interest. As of 2011, Springfield is also several years into an economic and cultural resurgence that began during the new millennium, in conjunction with Springfield and Hartford, Connecticut

Hartford, Connecticut

Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...

 - which is located only 23.9 miles (38.5 km) south—forming the Knowledge Corridor

Knowledge Corridor

The Knowledge Corridor is term for the area comprising north-central Connecticut and the south-central Connecticut River Valley in Western Massachusetts...

 metropolitan region. The two cities which once competed for similar businesses have, in the past decade, taken on more complementary roles, with Hartford increasingly defining itself as a business center and Springfield increasingly defining itself as a recreational center. Whereas Hartford features a post-modern skyline and relatively wider thoroughfares, Springfield has retained its human-scale, Victorian architecture and features and increasingly lively Metro Center

Metro Center, Springfield, Massachusetts

Metro Center is the original colonial settlement of Springfield, Massachusetts, located beside a bend in the Connecticut River. As of 2011, Metro Center features a majority of Western Massachusetts' most important cultural, business, and civic venues...

.

Worldwide, Springfield is best known as the birthplace of the sport of basketball

Basketball

Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...

. The Basketball Hall of Fame

Basketball Hall of Fame

The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, located in Springfield, Massachusetts, United States, honors exceptional basketball players, coaches, referees, executives, and other major contributors to the game of basketball worldwide...

 sits on its riverfront in a $45 million shrine built in 2003. Previous to basketball's popularity boom in the 1980s, Springfield was best known as the site of the Springfield Armory

Springfield Armory

The Springfield Armory, located in the City of Springfield, Massachusetts - from 1777 until its closing in 1968 - was the primary center for the manufacture of U.S. military firearms. After its controversial closing during the Vietnam War, the Springfield Armory was declared Western Massachusetts'...

, a site selected by George Washington

George Washington

George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...

 and Henry Knox

Henry Knox

Henry Knox was a military officer of the Continental Army and later the United States Army, and also served as the first United States Secretary of War....

 in 1777. Closed controversially during the Vietnam War, the Springfield Armory

Springfield Armory

The Springfield Armory, located in the City of Springfield, Massachusetts - from 1777 until its closing in 1968 - was the primary center for the manufacture of U.S. military firearms. After its controversial closing during the Vietnam War, the Springfield Armory was declared Western Massachusetts'...

 National Park

National park

A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...

 features the largest collection of historic firearms in the world, and has been the site of numerous technical innovations—including the first uses of interchangeable parts

Interchangeable parts

Interchangeable parts are parts that are, for practical purposes, identical. They are made to specifications that ensure that they are so nearly identical that they will fit into any device of the same type. One such part can freely replace another, without any custom fitting...

 and assembly line

Assembly line

An assembly line is a manufacturing process in which parts are added to a product in a sequential manner using optimally planned logistics to create a finished product much faster than with handcrafting-type methods...

 mass production

Mass production

Mass production is the production of large amounts of standardized products, including and especially on assembly lines...

. The Springfield Armory helped to give Springfield its nickname, "The City of Firsts," catalyzing developments like the lathe

Lathe

A lathe is a machine tool which rotates the workpiece on its axis to perform various operations such as cutting, sanding, knurling, drilling, or deformation with tools that are applied to the workpiece to create an object which has symmetry about an axis of rotation.Lathes are used in woodturning,...

, (Thomas Blanchard

Thomas Blanchard

Thomas Blanchard was an American inventor who lived much of his life in Springfield, Massachusetts, where in 1819, he pioneered the assembly line style of mass production in America, and also invented the major technological innovation known as interchangeable parts. Blanchard worked, for much of...

, 1819;) the first, American car (1825, Thomas Blanchard

Thomas Blanchard

Thomas Blanchard was an American inventor who lived much of his life in Springfield, Massachusetts, where in 1819, he pioneered the assembly line style of mass production in America, and also invented the major technological innovation known as interchangeable parts. Blanchard worked, for much of...

;) numerous editions of the Springfield rifle

Springfield Rifle

The term Springfield Rifle may refer to any one of several types of small arms produced by the Springfield Armory in Springfield, Massachusetts, for the United States armed forces....

; the gasoline-powered automobile, (1893, the Duryea brothers;) the first successful motorcycle, (1901, "Indian" motorcycle

Indian (motorcycle)

Indian is an American brand of motorcycles. Indian motorcycles were manufactured from 1901 to 1953 by a company in Springfield, Massachusetts, USA, initially known as the Hendee Manufacturing Company but which was renamed the Indian Manufacturing Company in 1928. The Indian factory team took the...

;) and the first modern fire engine and fire department, (1905 & 1907, Knox Automobile

Knox Automobile

The Knox Automobile Company was a manufacturer of automobiles in Springfield, Massachusetts, United States between 1900 and 1914. Knox also built trucks and farm tractors until 1924.-History:...

 and the Springfield Fire Department.)

Other Springfield attractions include The Quadrangle

The Quadrangle

The Quadrangle is a cluster of five museums in Springfield, Massachusetts, on Chestnut Street in Metro Center. Five museums and the Springfield City Library surround the Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden...

 - an impressive museum and outdoor sculpture complex, particularly for a city of only 160,000 residents. The Quadrangle includes five museums located around the Dr. Seuss Memorial

Dr. Seuss Memorial

The Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden is a sculpture garden in Springfield, Massachusetts. Located at The Quadrangle – an extraordinary cultural grouping that features three world-class museums and two regional history museums – the Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden honors the...

 sculpture garden—featuring, in particular, two world-class art museums and one world-class science museum that includes the first U.S. planetarium

Planetarium

A planetarium is a theatre built primarily for presenting educational and entertaining shows about astronomy and the night sky, or for training in celestial navigation...

. The site also features one of Augustus Saint-Gaudens

Augustus Saint-Gaudens

Augustus Saint-Gaudens was the Irish-born American sculptor of the Beaux-Arts generation who most embodied the ideals of the "American Renaissance"...

 most famous outdoor bronze statues, The Puritan

The Puritan (Springfield)

The Puritan is a bronze statue by sculptor Augustus St. Gaudens in Springfield, Massachusetts, USA, which later became so popular that it was reproduced for over 20 other cities, museums, universities, and private collectors around the world. Augustus Saint-Gaudens was one of the most influential...

, depicting early Springfield settler, Deacon Samuel Chapin

Deacon Samuel Chapin

Deacon Samuel Chapin was one of the founders of Springfield, Massachusetts.He was born in Paignton, Devon, England, to John Chapin and Phillippe Easton on October 8, 1598....

.

Forest Park

Forest Park (Springfield)

Forest Park, on the banks of the Connecticut River in Springfield, Massachusetts, is one of the largest municipal parks in the United States, lying on of land. During the holiday season it features the nationally renowned Bright Nights light festival, a 2.6 mile high-tech lighting...

 near the southern border of the city, is, at 735 acres, one of the largest urban parks in the United States. It was designed in 1891 by Frederick Law Olmsted

Frederick Law Olmsted

Frederick Law Olmsted was an American journalist, social critic, public administrator, and landscape designer. He is popularly considered to be the father of American landscape architecture, although many scholars have bestowed that title upon Andrew Jackson Downing...

, the designer of New York City's Central Park.

Springfield is a city of festivals, featuring a festival nearly every week during the warmer months, and at least monthly during the cooler months. Regardless of the time of year, Springfield's 60-establishment Club Quarter is features bars, discos, restaurants, live music, comedy, and theater. The innovative Springfield Symphony Orchestra

Springfield Symphony Orchestra

The Springfield Symphony Orchestra is an orchestra based in Springfield, Massachusetts. It performs at Symphony Hall, a part of the Springfield Municipal Group....

 plays in a Greek Revival Symphony Hall renowned for its "perfect acoustics." One can watch off-Broadway plays at City Stage on Main Street, or see live comedy at Rascal's at Monarch Place.

Most of Springfield's sites are located in its Metro Center

Metro Center, Springfield, Massachusetts

Metro Center is the original colonial settlement of Springfield, Massachusetts, located beside a bend in the Connecticut River. As of 2011, Metro Center features a majority of Western Massachusetts' most important cultural, business, and civic venues...

 district; however, its famous "City of Homes" architecture is found mostly in neighborhoods like Forest Park

Forest Park, Springfield, Massachusetts

Forest Park is a Victorian garden district located in Springfield, Massachusetts, developed between 1880 and 1920. It is the city's most populous neighborhood, and surrounds the 735-acre Frederick Law Olmstead-designed Forest Park, for which the neighborhood is named. The Forest Park neighborhood...

, the neighborhood surrounding the park—and the Quadrangle-Mattoon Street Historic District

Quadrangle-Mattoon Street Historic District

Quadrangle-Mattoon Street Historic District is a historic district in Springfield, Massachusetts, bounded by Chestnut Street to the West; State Street to the South; and includes properties on Mattoon, Salem, Edwards and Elliot Streets...

. The heart of Springfield is Court Square

Court Square

Court Square in Springfield, Massachusetts, USA, is a park and National Historic District in the heart of Springfield's urban Metro Center neighborhood. Court Square is the City of Springfield's only topographical constant since its founding in 1636...

, across from which is the MassMutual Center

MassMutual Center

The MassMutual Center is a multi-purpose arena and convention center, in downtown Springfield, Massachusetts, USA. Built in the city's Metro Center across from Court Square, the facility opened in 1972 as the Springfield Civic Center and was at that time considered to be the largest arena in the...

, named for the Fortune 100 company located in Springfield's Pine Point

Pine Point, Springfield, Massachusetts

Pine Point is a neighborhood in Springfield, Massachusetts. Located along Boston Road -- one of Springfield's commercial thoroughfares, home to the Eastfield Mall -- the middle-class Pine Point neighborhoods features streets of cozy capes and ranches as well as some of the most interesting...

 neighborhood. Springfield is also home to six universities: Springfield College

Springfield College

Springfield College is a private, coeducational university located in the City of Springfield, Massachusetts. Springfield College is most famous as the site where the sport of basketball was invented...

, American International College

American International College

American International College is a private, co-educational liberal-arts college located in the Mason Square neighborhood of Springfield, Massachusetts.-History:...

, Western New England University, Tufts University School of Medicine

Tufts University School of Medicine

The Tufts University School of Medicine is one of the eight schools that constitute Tufts University. Located on the university's health sciences campus in the Chinatown district of Boston, Massachusetts, the medical school has clinical affiliations with thousands of doctors and researchers in the...

, UMass Amherst's School of Urban Design, and Springfield Technical Community College

Springfield Technical Community College

Springfield Technical Community College was built on the site of the Springfield Armory National Historic Site. The armory, established by George Washington was an important supplier of US armaments for over a century and a half before closing in 1968...

, which draw over 20,000 university students to the city annually.

The Town of Agawam, across the South End bridge from Springfield, is the site of Six Flags New England

Six Flags New England

Six Flags New England , formerly Riverside Amusement Park, is a Six Flags theme park, named for the New England region, in which it is located. Located off of Massachusetts State Route 159, Six Flags New England is located less than from the major City of Springfield, Massachusetts, in the nearby...

, which is located beside the Connecticut River. Six Flags New England features 10 roller coasters, including the #1 ranked roller-coaster in the world, the Bizarro. It also features a large water park and seasonal events. Excepting Six Flags New England, Agawam is mostly suburban in character.

The Town of West Springfield - technically a city under Massachusetts law - across the Springfield Memorial Bridge and North End Bridge from Springfield, features a mix of urban and suburban development. Its most prominent cultural attraction is the New England

New England

New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...

 States' collective State Fair, The Big E

The Big E

The Big E, also known as The Eastern States Exposition, is billed as "New England's Great State fair". The Big E serves as the de facto state fair for all six of the New England states: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Each of the New England states is...

 -- the only U.S. fair that includes the participation of more than one state. The 6th largest agricultural fair in the United States, the Big E features rides, games, food, animal shows and various other exhibits. The Avenue of the States features replica state houses of all six New England State Houses, each of which is owned by the particular state. During the Big E, which generally lasts from September 15-October 1 each year, these buildings serve as consulates representing each New England state. Also, the Big E features Storrowton Village, a replica 19th century New England village.

The Town of Longmeadow, bordering Springfield to the south, is the region's most affluent suburb. It is the site of Bay Path College

Bay Path College

Bay Path College is a private undergraduate women's college located in Longmeadow, Massachusetts. The College offers online and on campus Graduate Programs for both men and women, and One-Day-A-Week Saturday College for adult women....

, and dozens of historic homes along Longmeadow Street.

The City of Chicopee, bordering Springfield to the north, is home to Westover Air Reserve Base and Westover Metropolitan Airport

Westover Metropolitan Airport

For the military airport use of this facility, see Westover Joint Air Reserve BaseWestover Metropolitan Airport is a civilian airline, and general aviation airport located in the Massachusetts communities of Chicopee, Granby, and Ludlow, near the cities of Springfield and Holyoke, Massachusetts...

, Hampden County's largest airport. (Bradley International Airport

Bradley International Airport

Bradley International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located in Windsor Locks on the border with East Granby and Suffield, in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. It is owned by the State of Connecticut....

, the Hartford-Springfield area's largest airport, sits 12 miles south of Springfield in Windsor Locks, Connecticut

Windsor Locks, Connecticut

Windsor Locks is a town located in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. As of the 2000 census, its population was 12,043. It is the site of Bradley International Airport, which serves the Greater Hartford-Springfield region. It is also the site of the New England Air Museum...

.) Chicopee hosts the Catholic Elms College

Elms College

The College of Our Lady of the Elms, often called Elms College, is a Catholic liberal arts college located in Chicopee, Massachusetts, near Springfield.- History :...

, and features a mix of urban and suburban developments.

The City of Westfield features Westfield State University, an institution founded by the renowned education reformer Horace Mann

Horace Mann

Horace Mann was an American education reformer, and a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1827 to 1833. He served in the Massachusetts Senate from 1834 to 1837. In 1848, after serving as Secretary of the Massachusetts State Board of Education since its creation, he was...

. It was the first institution in the country to admit people regardless of sex, race, age, religion, or economic status. Westfield too features a mix of urban, suburban, and even rural development—at 48 square miles, it is the largest place in Western Massachusetts. (Plymouth is the largest place in Massachusetts at 96 square miles.)

The City of Holyoke—one of the first planned, industrial cities in the United States—features the Holyoke Canal System

Holyoke Canal System

The Holyoke Canal System is a system of power canals in Holyoke, Massachusetts. Its major canals are called the First Level Canal, Second Level Canal, and Third Level Canal.- History :...

 and numerous bars and nightclubs downtown. As of 2011, Holyoke is in the early stages of an urban revitalization, with high-tech and water power catalyzing its resurgence. Interestingly, while the City of Holyoke currently has a predominately Puerto Rican

Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...

 population, it hosts the second largest St. Patrick's Day parade in the United States, attracting over 400,000 people annually. The city is also home to Holyoke Community College

Holyoke Community College

Holyoke Community College is a state-funded public two-year community college located in Holyoke, Massachusetts. It offers associate degrees as well as a transfer program for students to earn credits for transfer to other colleges...

, which educates approximately 6,500 students.

Other towns in Hampden County are located either in the "Springfield Mountains" to the east of the city, or in the foothills of The Berkshires

The Berkshires

The Berkshires , is a highland geologic region located in the western parts of Massachusetts and Connecticut.Also referred to as the Berkshire Hills, Berkshire Mountains, and Berkshire Plateau, the region enjoys a vibrant tourism industry based on music, arts, and recreation.-Definition:The term...

, to the west of the city. Predominately suburban or rural in character, each of these towns feature unique histories and sites. For example, Ludlow, Massachusetts

Ludlow, Massachusetts

Ludlow is a town in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 21,103 as of the 2010 census. It is located in western Massachusetts, north of Springfield, east of Chicopee, southeast of Granby, southwest of Belchertown, west of Wilbraham and is considered part of the...

 features a large and centralized Portugese

Portugal

Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...

 diaspora. Palmer, Massachusetts

Palmer, Massachusetts

The Town of Palmer is a city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 12,140 as of the 2000 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area...

 is a well-known railroad city, and also the site of a proposed Mohegan Sun

Mohegan Sun

Mohegan Sun, located in Uncasville, Connecticut, is the second largest casino in the United States with of gaming space. It is located on along the banks of the Thames River. It is at the heart of the scenic foothills of southeastern Connecticut, where 60 percent of the state's tourism is...

 casino. Wilbraham, Massachusetts

Wilbraham, Massachusetts

Wilbraham is a town in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. It is also a suburb of the City of Springfield, Massachusetts and part of the Springfield Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 14,868 at the 2010 census...

 is a genteel suburb.

Largest Cities

12 largest cities (2010)

• Springfield (city) = 153,060
• Chicopee (city) = 55,298
• Westfield (city) = 41,094
• Holyoke (city) = 39,880
• Agawam (city) = 28,438
• West Springfield (city) = 28,391
• Ludlow (town) = 21,103
• Longmeadow (town) = 15,784
• East Longmeadow (town) = 15,720
• Wilbraham (town) = 14, 219
• Palmer (city) = 12,140
• Southwick (city) = 9,502

Cities, towns, subdivisions and villages*

• Agawam
  Agawam, Massachusetts
  The Town of Agawam is a city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 28,438 at the 2010 census. Agawam sits on the western side of the Connecticut River, directly across from the City of Springfield, Massachusetts...
  
  
  • Feeding Hills (a subsection of Agawam)
• Blandford
  Blandford, Massachusetts
  Blandford is a town in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 1,233 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is the home of the Blandford Ski Area.- History :...
  
  
• Brimfield
  Brimfield, Massachusetts
  Brimfield is a town in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 3,609 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
  
  
• Chester
  Chester, Massachusetts
  Chester is a town in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States, situated in the western part of the state. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts metropolitan statistical area. The town includes the Chester Factory Village Historic District. The total population was 1,337 in the 2010...
  
  
• Chicopee
  Chicopee, Massachusetts
  Chicopee is a city located on the Connecticut River in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States of America. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 55,298, making it the second largest city in...
  
  
  • Aldenville (a section of Chicopee)
  • Burnett Road (a section of Chicopee)
  • Chicopee Falls (a section of Chicopee, alternate name: Skipmuck)
  • Fairview (a section of Chicopee)
  • Willimansett (a section of Chicopee, alternate name: Cabotville)
• East Longmeadow
  East Longmeadow, Massachusetts
  As of the census of 2010, there were 16,187 people, 5,248 households, and 3,988 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,087.1 people per square mile . There were 5,363 housing units at an average density of 413.5 per square mile...
  
  
• Granville
  Granville, Massachusetts
  Granville is a town in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 1,566 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History and Description :...
  
  
• Hampden
  Hampden, Massachusetts
  -Transportation:Hampden is one of sixteen towns in Massachusetts that has no numbered highways or state routes. Of these, half are on the islands, and one is the North Shore town of Nahant. Of the rest, Hampden is the easternmost town to have this distinction. In fact, the town does not even have...
  
  
• Holland
  Holland, Massachusetts
  -Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water. Holland is bounded on the east by Sturbridge; on the south by Union, Connecticut; on the west by Wales; and on the north by Brimfield. Holland is equidistant...
  
  
• Holyoke
  Holyoke, Massachusetts
  Holyoke is a city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States, between the western bank of the Connecticut River and the Mount Tom Range of mountains. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a population of 39,880...
  
  
• Longmeadow
  Longmeadow, Massachusetts
  As of the census of 2000, there were 15,633 people, 5,734 households, and 4,432 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 5,879 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 95.42% White, 0.69% African American, 0.05% Native American, 2.90%...
  
  
• Ludlow
  Ludlow, Massachusetts
  Ludlow is a town in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 21,103 as of the 2010 census. It is located in western Massachusetts, north of Springfield, east of Chicopee, southeast of Granby, southwest of Belchertown, west of Wilbraham and is considered part of the...
  
  
• Monson
  Monson, Massachusetts
  Monson is a town in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 8,560 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.The village of Monson Center lies at the center of the town....
  
  
  • Monson Center
    Monson Center, Massachusetts
    Monson Center is a census-designated place in the town of Monson in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 2,103 at the 2000 census...
    
     (a village of Monson)
• Montgomery
  Montgomery, Massachusetts
  Montgomery is a town in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 838 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
  
  
• Palmer
  Palmer, Massachusetts
  The Town of Palmer is a city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 12,140 as of the 2000 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area...
  
  
  • Bondsville
    Bondsville, Massachusetts
    Bondsville is a village and former census-designated place located primarily in the town of Palmer in Hampden County in the western part of the U.S. state of Massachusetts. The CDP boundaries extend slightly into the adjacent town of Belchertown in Hampshire County. The population of the CDP was...
    
     (a village of Palmer)
  • Depot Village (a village of Palmer)
  • Thorndike (a village of Palmer)
  • Three Rivers
    Three Rivers, Massachusetts
    Three Rivers is a village and former census-designated place in the town of Palmer in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area...
    
     (a village of Palmer)
• Russell
  Russell, Massachusetts
  Russell is a town in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 1,775 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
  
  
  • Woronoco (a section of Russell)
• Southwick
  Southwick, Massachusetts
  Southwick is a town in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 9,502 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
  
  
• Springfield
  Springfield, Massachusetts
  Springfield is the most populous city in Western New England, and the seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers; the western Westfield River, the eastern Chicopee River, and the eastern...
  
   - the most populous city, and economic and cultural capital of Western Massachusetts
  Western Massachusetts
  Western Massachusetts is a loosely defined geographical region of the U.S. state of Massachusetts which contains the Berkshires, the Pioneer Valley, and some or all of the Swift River Valley. The region is always considered to include Berkshire, Franklin, Hampshire, and Hampden counties, and the...
  
  
  • Bay
    Bay, Springfield, Massachusetts
    The Bay neighborhood is located in Springfield, Massachusetts, near the city's geographic center, approximately two miles east of Metro Center, Springfield, Massachusetts. It contains 556 acres of land, plus streets and railroads. Bay is one of the smallest of the city's seventeen neighborhoods...
    
     (an historically black neighborhood in central Springfield)
  • Boston Road
    Boston Road, Springfield, Massachusetts
    Boston Road was Springfield, Massachusetts' principal commercial corridor until the resurgence of Main & State Streets since approximately 2007. The Boston Road neighborhood is located on the eastern edge of the city, beginning about five miles from Metro Center. It is a medium-sized Springfield...
    
     (a commercial district in eastern Springfield)
  • Brightwood
    Brightwood, Springfield, Massachusetts
    The Brightwood neighborhood of Springfield, Massachusetts is located in the northwest corner of the city, along the Connecticut River; however, it is separated from the rest of Springfield by the Interstate 91 elevated highway...
    
     (a largely Puerto Rican
    Puerto Rico
    Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
    
     neighborhood on the Connecticut River in northwestern Springfield)
  • East Forest Park
    East Forest Park, Springfield, Massachusetts
    East Forest Park is a neighborhood in the south central part of Springfield, Massachusetts, beginning about two miles from Metro Center. It is a medium sized neighborhood, containing plus rights of way and water bodies...
    
     (an upper-middle-class neighborhood in south-central Springfield)
  • East Springfield
    East Springfield, Springfield, Massachusetts
    East Springfield is located in the northern tier of Springfield, Massachusetts, beginning about two and a half miles east of Metro Center. It contains 1,504 Acres, plus rights-of-way and is the third largest of Springfield's seventeen neighborhoods. Its principal boundaries are Chicopee,...
    
     (a working-class neighborhood in north-central Springfield)
  • Forest Park
    Forest Park, Springfield, Massachusetts
    Forest Park is a Victorian garden district located in Springfield, Massachusetts, developed between 1880 and 1920. It is the city's most populous neighborhood, and surrounds the 735-acre Frederick Law Olmstead-designed Forest Park, for which the neighborhood is named. The Forest Park neighborhood...
    
     (a multi-faceted, historic neighborhood in southern Springfield, surrounding Frederick Law Olmsted
    Frederick Law Olmsted
    Frederick Law Olmsted was an American journalist, social critic, public administrator, and landscape designer. He is popularly considered to be the father of American landscape architecture, although many scholars have bestowed that title upon Andrew Jackson Downing...
    
    's Forest Park
    Forest Park (Springfield)
    Forest Park, on the banks of the Connecticut River in Springfield, Massachusetts, is one of the largest municipal parks in the United States, lying on of land. During the holiday season it features the nationally renowned Bright Nights light festival, a 2.6 mile high-tech lighting...
    
    )
  • Indian Orchard
    Indian Orchard, Springfield, Massachusetts
    Indian Orchard is a neighborhood in the City of Springfield, Massachusetts. It is located in the northeastern corner of the city, beginning about four and a half miles from Metro Center. Containing 1,251 acres plus rights of way and water bodies, it is the fifth largest of Springfield's seventeen...
    
     (a northeastern neighborhood of Springfield, which developed separately and distinctly)
  • Liberty Heights
    Liberty Heights, Springfield, Massachusetts
    The Liberty Heights neighborhood comprises smaller Springfield, Massachusetts neighborhoods including Hungry Hill, Lower Liberty Heights, and Atwater Park and is located in the northwest quadrant of the city, beginning about one mile north of Springfield's Metro Center. It contains 1,384 acres,...
    
      (northern neighborhood of Springfield that features three large hospitals)
  • McKnight
    McKnight, Springfield, Massachusetts (and Mason Square)
    The McKnight National Historic District in Springfield, Massachusetts is known worldwide to urban-planners as the first planned residential neighborhood in the United States of America. McKnight is located one mile from the urban Metro Center and is one of the smallest of the city's seventeen...
    
     (an historic neighborhood in central Springfield that features large black, LGBT
    LGBT
    LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
    
    , and student populations)
  • Memorial Square
    Memorial Square, Springfield, Massachusetts
    Memorial Square is a neighborhood located in the northwest corner of Springfield, Massachusetts. Memorial Square is geographically one of the smallest of the city's seventeen neighborhoods. It contains 274 acres, plus street and railroads...
    
     (a commercial neighborhood in the North End of Springfield)
  • Metro Center
    Metro Center, Springfield, Massachusetts
    Metro Center is the original colonial settlement of Springfield, Massachusetts, located beside a bend in the Connecticut River. As of 2011, Metro Center features a majority of Western Massachusetts' most important cultural, business, and civic venues...
    
     (a neighborhood on the Connecticut River that features the Club Quarter
    Club Quarter
    The Club Quarter is located in Springfield, Massachusetts, in the Metro Center district surrounding historic Stearns Square. Stearns Square is bordered by Worthington Street to the north and Bridge Street to the south; however, the Club Quarter extends for several city blocks north, south, east,...
    
    , the Downtown Business District, and numerous historical and cultural sites)
  • Old Hill
    Old Hill, Springfield, Massachusetts
    Old Hill is one of the seventeen neighborhoods of Springfield, Massachusetts. It is composed, almost entirely, of Victorian architecture overlooking Springfield's Metro Center. The Old Hill neighborhood is located approximately one mile east of Metro Center. Old Hill is one of the smallest of the...
    
     (a neighborhood in central Springfield that features Springfield College
    Springfield College
    Springfield College is a private, coeducational university located in the City of Springfield, Massachusetts. Springfield College is most famous as the site where the sport of basketball was invented...
    
    )
  • Pine Point
    Pine Point, Springfield, Massachusetts
    Pine Point is a neighborhood in Springfield, Massachusetts. Located along Boston Road -- one of Springfield's commercial thoroughfares, home to the Eastfield Mall -- the middle-class Pine Point neighborhoods features streets of cozy capes and ranches as well as some of the most interesting...
    
     (a middle-class neighborhood near the geographical center of Springfield that features MassMutual)
  • Six Corners and Maple High
    Six Corners/Maple Heights, Springfield, Massachusetts
    The Six Corners and Maple Heights neighborhoods are, combined, Springfield, Massachusetts' smallest neighborhood. Often combined for political purposes, although they feature dramatically different political and socioeconomic characteristics. Six Corners and Maple Heights contain 274 acres of land,...
    
     (a multi-faceted, historic neighborhood in western Springfield)
  • Sixteen Acres (Springfield's most suburban neighborhood, developed recently)
  • South End
    South End, Springfield, Massachusetts
    South End is the smallest of the seventeen neighborhoods of the city of Springfield, Massachusetts. It is located immediately south of Metro Center. It contains of land, plus streets and railroads...
    
     (neighborhood directly south of Metro Center in Springfield, featuring the Basketball Hall of Fame
    Basketball Hall of Fame
    The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, located in Springfield, Massachusetts, United States, honors exceptional basketball players, coaches, referees, executives, and other major contributors to the game of basketball worldwide...
    
    )
  • Upper Hill
    Upper Hill, Springfield, Massachusetts
    The Upper Hill neighborhood is located towards the center of the city of Springfield, Massachusetts, about from downtown. This neighborhood contains , plus streets and the former rail right-of-way. It numbers among the smallest of Springfield's seventeen neighborhoods...
    
     (a neighborhood in central Springfield)
• Tolland
  Tolland, Massachusetts
  Tolland is a town in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 485 at the 2010 census, making it the smallest town in Hampden County by population. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. Tolland formerly had a popular "Black Fly Day"...
  
  
• Wales
  Wales, Massachusetts
  Wales is a town in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 1,838 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
  
  
• West Springfield
  West Springfield, Massachusetts
  The Town of West Springfield is a city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 28,391 at the 2010 census...
  
  
  • Merrick, West Springfield
    Merrick, West Springfield
    Merrick is a neighborhood in the southeast corner of West Springfield, Massachusetts. Borders are, Park Ave to the north, Union St. and it's industrial buildings to the west, and Bridge St. to the south and U.S. Route 5. Downtown is to the north and northwest and the neighborhood Memorial, is to...
    
    
• Westfield
  Westfield, Massachusetts
  Westfield is a city in Hampden County, in the Pioneer Valley of western Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 41,094 at the 2010 census. The ZIP Code is 01085 for homes and businesses, 01086 for Westfield State...
  
  
• Wilbraham
  Wilbraham, Massachusetts
  Wilbraham is a town in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. It is also a suburb of the City of Springfield, Massachusetts and part of the Springfield Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 14,868 at the 2010 census...
  
  

* Villages are census division, but have no separate corporate existence from the towns they are in.

External links

• Macaroni Kid Westfield-Southwick Edition Find all the family-friendly events going on each week in Hampden County!
• Map of cities and towns of Massachusetts
• Our County and Its People: A History of Hampden County, Massachusetts by Alfred Minard Copeland. 1902
• Wall & Gray. 1871 Atlas of Massachusetts. Map of Massachusetts. USA. New England. Counties - Berkshire, Franklin, Hampshire and Hampden, Worcester, Middlesex, Essex and Norfolk, Boston - Suffolk,Plymouth, Bristol, Barnstable and Dukes (Cape Cod). Cities - Springfield, Worcester, Lowell, Lawrence, Haverhill, Newburyport, Salem, Lynn, Taunton, Fall River. New Bedford. These 1871 maps of the Counties and Cities are useful to see the roads and rail lines.
• Beers, D.G. 1872 Atlas of Essex County Map of Massachusetts Plate 5. Click on the map for a very large image. Also see detailed map of 1872 Essex County Plate 7.