Hampshire County is a historical and judicial
county
A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...
located in the
U.S. state of
Massachusetts
Massachusetts (Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut Massachusett_writing_systems.html" ;"title="nowiki/> məhswatʃəwiːsət.html" ;"title="Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət">Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət'' En ...
. Following the dissolution of the
county government
A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...
in 1999, county affairs were managed by the
Hampshire Council of Governments, which itself ceased operations in 2019, due to a "fundamentally flawed, unsustainable operational model". As of the
2020 census, the population was 162,308. Its most populous municipality is
Amherst Amherst may refer to:
People
* Amherst (surname), including a list of people with the name
* Earl Amherst of Arracan in the East Indies, a title in the British Peerage; formerly ''Baron Amherst''
* Baron Amherst of Hackney of the City of London, ...
, its largest town in terms of landmass is
Belchertown
Belchertown (previously known as Cold Spring and Belcher's Town) is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 15,350 at the 2020 cen ...
, and its traditional
county seat
A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US ...
is
Northampton
Northampton () is a market town and civil parish in the East Midlands of England, on the River Nene, north-west of London and south-east of Birmingham. The county town of Northamptonshire, Northampton is one of the largest towns in England ...
.
The county is named after the county
Hampshire
Hampshire (, ; abbreviated to Hants) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in western South East England on the coast of the English Channel. Home to two major English cities on its south coast, Southampton and Portsmouth, Hampshire ...
, in England. Hampshire County is part of the
Springfield, MA
Metropolitan Statistical Area
In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally incorporated as a city or tow ...
. Together with
Hampden County, Hampshire County municipalities belong to the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission.
History
Hampshire County was constituted in 1662 from previously unorganized territory comprising the entire western part of
Massachusetts Bay Colony
The Massachusetts Bay Colony (1630–1691), more formally the Colony of Massachusetts Bay, was an English settlement on the east coast of North America around the Massachusetts Bay, the northernmost of the several colonies later reorganized as th ...
. It included the original towns of
Springfield,
Northampton
Northampton () is a market town and civil parish in the East Midlands of England, on the River Nene, north-west of London and south-east of Birmingham. The county town of Northamptonshire, Northampton is one of the largest towns in England ...
, and
Hadley. The original Hampshire County also included territory that is now in modern-day
Hampden County,
Franklin County, and
Berkshire County
Berkshire County (pronounced ) is a county on the western edge of the U.S. state of Massachusetts. As of the 2020 census, the population was 129,026. Its largest city and traditional county seat is Pittsfield. The county was founded ...
, as well as small parts of modern-day
Worcester County. By 1683, three new towns (Westfield (now
Southwick),
Suffield, and
Enfield) had been incorporated south of Springfield. These towns were partly or wholly in the modern state of
Connecticut
Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York (state), New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the ...
at the time of their incorporation and resulted in a border dispute between the Connecticut Colony and Massachusetts Bay Colony.
In 1731, Worcester County was created, which included the original town of
Brookfield (incorporated in 1718 as part of Hampshire County). More territory was lost to Worcester County in 1742 when the town of Western (now
Warren) was created and added to Worcester County. Further territorial losses occurred in 1749 when the towns of Enfield,
Somers (split off from Enfield in 1734), and Suffield unilaterally joined Connecticut Colony. In 1761, Berkshire County was created resulting in even more territorial loss for Hampshire County. In 1811, Franklin County was split off from the northern part of Hampshire, and in the following year, Hampden County was split off from the southern part of Hampshire.
The county government was abolished by the state in 1999 with a
Hampshire Council of Governments formed in its place. With no inherent source of income, given liabilities and no regional planning function, the Council of Governments ceased operations in 2019.
Politics
Geography
According to the
U.S. Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (3.3%) is water.
Hampshire County is the middle section of the
Pioneer Valley
The Pioneer Valley is the colloquial and promotional name for the portion of the Connecticut River Valley that is in Massachusetts in the United States. It is generally taken to comprise the three counties of Hampden, Hampshire, and Frankli ...
, and the northern tip of the Hartford–Springfield
Knowledge Corridor
Knowledge can be defined as awareness of facts or as practical skills, and may also refer to familiarity with objects or situations. Knowledge of facts, also called propositional knowledge, is often defined as true belief that is distin ...
.
Adjacent counties
Hampshire County is the only county in Massachusetts surrounded in all directions by other counties of Massachusetts: all other counties in the state are adjacent to at least one other state or the open ocean.
*
Franklin County (north)
*
Worcester County (east)
*
Hampden County (south)
*
Berkshire County
Berkshire County (pronounced ) is a county on the western edge of the U.S. state of Massachusetts. As of the 2020 census, the population was 129,026. Its largest city and traditional county seat is Pittsfield. The county was founded ...
(west)
Demographics
2000 census
At the
2000 census there were 152,251 people, 55,991 households, and 33,818 families living in the county. The population density was 288 people per square mile (111/km
2). There were 58,644 housing units at an average density of 111 per square mile (43/km
2). The
racial makeup
A race is a categorization of humans based on shared physical or social qualities into groups generally viewed as distinct within a given society. The term came into common usage during the 1500s, when it was used to refer to groups of variou ...
of the county was 91.10% White, 1.96% Black or African American, 0.19% Native American, 3.40% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 1.50% from other races, and 1.80% from two or more races. 3.42% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 14.7% were of
Irish, 12.8%
Polish, 9.6%
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ...
, 9.5%
French
French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents
** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
, 8.5%
French Canadian
French Canadians (referred to as Canadiens mainly before the twentieth century; french: Canadiens français, ; feminine form: , ), or Franco-Canadians (french: Franco-Canadiens), refers to either an ethnic group who trace their ancestry to Fre ...
, 6.9%
Italian and 6.4%
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
ancestry, 88.8% spoke
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ...
, 3.4%
Spanish, 1.7%
French
French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents
** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
and 1.4%
Polish as their first language.
Of the 55,991 households 28.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.40% were married couples living together, 9.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.60% were non-families. 28.60% of households were one person and 10.20% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.96.
The age distribution was 19.60% under the age of 18, 19.30% from 18 to 24, 26.80% from 25 to 44, 22.20% from 45 to 64, and 12.00% 65 or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.90 males.
The median household income was $46,098 and the median family income was $57,480. Males had a median income of $39,327 versus $30,362 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,685. About 5.10% of families and 9.40% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, including 8.20% of those under age 18 and 6.70% of those age 65 or over.
2010 census
At the
2010 census, there were 158,080 people, 58,702 households, and 34,480 families living in the county.
The population density was . There were 62,603 housing units at an average density of .
The
racial makeup
A race is a categorization of humans based on shared physical or social qualities into groups generally viewed as distinct within a given society. The term came into common usage during the 1500s, when it was used to refer to groups of variou ...
of the county was 88.7% white, 4.5% Asian, 2.5% black or African American, 0.2% American Indian, 1.5% from other races, and 2.5% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 4.7% of the population.
The largest ancestry groups were:
*22.2%
Irish
*14.4%
French
French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents
** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
*14.3%
Polish
*14.2%
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ...
*10.8%
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
*9.1%
Italian
*7.1%
French Canadian
French Canadians (referred to as Canadiens mainly before the twentieth century; french: Canadiens français, ; feminine form: , ), or Franco-Canadians (french: Franco-Canadiens), refers to either an ethnic group who trace their ancestry to Fre ...
*3.2%
Scottish
*2.6%
American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
*2.3%
Puerto Rican
*2.3%
Scotch-Irish
*2.1%
Russian
*1.7%
Chinese
*1.5%
Swedish
*1.4%
Portuguese
*1.0%
Lithuanian
*1.0%
Dutch
Of the 58,702 households, 26.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.8% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 41.3% were non-families, and 29.7% of households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.89. The median age was 36.6 years.
The median household income was $59,505 and the median family income was $80,891. Males had a median income of $52,686 versus $43,219 for females. The per capita income for the county was $28,367. About 6.2% of families and 11.7% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, including 11.8% of those under age 18 and 7.8% of those age 65 or over.
Demographic breakdown by town
Income
The ranking of unincorporated communities that are included on the list are reflective if the census designated locations and villages were included as cities or towns. Data is from the 2007–2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates.
Education
Hampshire County is notable for the presence within its borders of the "
Five Colleges", comprising the University of Massachusetts flagship campus and four well-known private colleges:
*
Amherst College
Amherst College ( ) is a private liberal arts college in Amherst, Massachusetts. Founded in 1821 as an attempt to relocate Williams College by its then-president Zephaniah Swift Moore, Amherst is the third oldest institution of higher educati ...
,
Amherst Amherst may refer to:
People
* Amherst (surname), including a list of people with the name
* Earl Amherst of Arracan in the East Indies, a title in the British Peerage; formerly ''Baron Amherst''
* Baron Amherst of Hackney of the City of London, ...
*
Hampshire College
Hampshire College is a private liberal arts college in Amherst, Massachusetts. It was opened in 1970 as an experiment in alternative education, in association with four other colleges in the Pioneer Valley: Amherst College, Smith College, Mo ...
,
Amherst Amherst may refer to:
People
* Amherst (surname), including a list of people with the name
* Earl Amherst of Arracan in the East Indies, a title in the British Peerage; formerly ''Baron Amherst''
* Baron Amherst of Hackney of the City of London, ...
*
Mount Holyoke College
Mount Holyoke College is a private liberal arts women's college in South Hadley, Massachusetts. It is the oldest member of the historic Seven Sisters colleges, a group of elite historically women's colleges in the Northeastern United States. ...
,
South Hadley
*
Smith College
Smith College is a private liberal arts women's college in Northampton, Massachusetts. It was chartered in 1871 by Sophia Smith and opened in 1875. It is the largest member of the historic Seven Sisters colleges, a group of elite women's coll ...
,
Northampton
Northampton () is a market town and civil parish in the East Midlands of England, on the River Nene, north-west of London and south-east of Birmingham. The county town of Northamptonshire, Northampton is one of the largest towns in England ...
*
University of Massachusetts Amherst
The University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass Amherst, UMass) is a public research university in Amherst, Massachusetts and the sole public land-grant university in Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Founded in 1863 as an agricultural college, ...
The
Five College Consortium
The Five College Consortium (often referred to as simply the Five Colleges) comprises four liberal arts colleges and one university in the Connecticut River Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts: Amherst College, Hampshire College, Mount Hol ...
provides course cross-registration between the schools and funds free bus service, provided by
Pioneer Valley Transit Authority
The Pioneer Valley Transit Authority (PVTA) oversees and coordinates public transportation in the Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts. Currently the PVTA offers fixed-route bus service as well as paratransit service for the elderly and disab ...
, between the campuses.
Communities
Cities
*
Easthampton
*
Northampton
Northampton () is a market town and civil parish in the East Midlands of England, on the River Nene, north-west of London and south-east of Birmingham. The county town of Northamptonshire, Northampton is one of the largest towns in England ...
(historic county seat)
Towns
*
Amherst Amherst may refer to:
People
* Amherst (surname), including a list of people with the name
* Earl Amherst of Arracan in the East Indies, a title in the British Peerage; formerly ''Baron Amherst''
* Baron Amherst of Hackney of the City of London, ...
*
Belchertown
Belchertown (previously known as Cold Spring and Belcher's Town) is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 15,350 at the 2020 cen ...
*
Chesterfield
*
Cummington
Cummington is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 829 at the 2020 census, down from 872 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.
History
Cummington ...
*
Goshen
*
Granby
*
Hadley
*
Hatfield
*
Huntington
*
Middlefield
*
Pelham
*
Plainfield
*
South Hadley
*
Southampton
Southampton () is a port city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. It is located approximately south-west of London and west of Portsmouth. The city forms part of the South Hampshire built-up area, which also covers Po ...
*
Ware
*
Westhampton
*
Williamsburg
*
Worthington
Census-designated places
*
Amherst Center
*
Belchertown
Belchertown (previously known as Cold Spring and Belcher's Town) is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 15,350 at the 2020 cen ...
*
Granby
*
Hatfield
*
Huntington
*
North Amherst
*
South Amherst
*
Ware
Other unincorporated communities
*
Cushman
*
Florence
Florence ( ; it, Firenze ) is a city in Central Italy and the capital city of the Tuscany region. It is the most populated city in Tuscany, with 383,083 inhabitants in 2016, and over 1,520,000 in its metropolitan area.Bilancio demografico ...
*
Haydenville
*
Leeds
Leeds () is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire, England. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the third-largest settlement (by popul ...
*
Mount Tom
*
Ringville
*
South Hadley Falls
Former towns
The following towns were disincorporated for the creation of the
Quabbin Reservoir.
*
Dana
*
Enfield
*
Greenwich
Greenwich ( , ,) is a town in south-east London, England, within the ceremonial county of Greater London. It is situated east-southeast of Charing Cross.
Greenwich is notable for its maritime history and for giving its name to the Greenwich ...
*
Prescott
See also
*
List of Massachusetts locations by per capita income
Massachusetts is the second wealthiest state in the United States of America, with a median household income of $77,378 (as of 2019), per capita income of $41,794 (as of 2018), and a personal per capita income of $39,815 (as of 2003). Many of th ...
*
National Register of Historic Places listings in Hampshire County, Massachusetts
*
Registry of Deeds (Massachusetts) The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has 21 separate Registries of Deeds, each functioning in districts dealing with real estate
Real estate is property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, ...
*
Tofu Curtain
The Tofu Curtain is a cultural or socioeconomic divide between two geographic regions of Massachusetts and the people who reside in them, with the concept of tofu symbolizing certain lifestyles and political leanings. The term was coined to id ...
*
USS ''Hampshire County'' (LST-819)
References
General references
* Wall & Gray (1871)
''Atlas of Massachusetts''.Map of Massachusetts.USA
New England
Counties �
Berkshire
Franklin
Hampshire and Hampden
Worcester
Middlesex
Essex and Norfolk
Boston – SuffolkPlymouth
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.
External links
Hampshire County Sheriff's OfficeHampshire Council of Governments(archived)
{{Authority control
1662 establishments in Massachusetts
1999 disestablishments in Massachusetts
Massachusetts counties
Populated places disestablished in 1999
Populated places established in 1662
Springfield metropolitan area, Massachusetts