Hampshire County, Massachusetts facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Hampshire County
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Old Hampshire County Courthouse
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Location within the U.S. state of Massachusetts
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 Massachusetts's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
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| State |  Massachusetts |
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| Founded | 1662 | |
| Named for | Hampshire, England | |
| Seat | Northampton | |
| Largest town | Amherst | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 545 sq mi (1,410 km2) | |
| • Land | 527 sq mi (1,360 km2) | |
| • Water | 18 sq mi (50 km2) 3.3%% | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 162,308  |
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| • Density | 308.0/sq mi (118.9/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) | |
| Congressional districts | 1st, 2nd | |
Hampshire County is a special area in the state of Massachusetts, USA. It's known for its history and its courts. In 2020, about 162,308 people lived here. The biggest town by population is Amherst, mostly because of students. The main town where the county government used to be is Northampton. The county got its name from a place called Hampshire in England.
Hampshire County is part of the larger Springfield area. It also works with Hampden County on planning for the Pioneer Valley region.
Contents
History of Hampshire County
Hampshire County was first set up in 1662. Back then, it was a huge area that covered almost all of western Massachusetts Bay Colony. It included the first towns like Springfield, Northampton, and Hadley.
Over many years, parts of Hampshire County became new counties. For example, in 1731, Worcester County was created. Then, in 1761, Berkshire County was formed. Later, in 1811, Franklin County was split off from the northern part. The next year, Hampden County was created from the southern part. This is how Hampshire County became the size it is today.
The county government for Hampshire County stopped working in 1999. After that, a group called the Hampshire Council of Governments took over some tasks. However, this council also stopped operating in 2019.
Geography of Hampshire County
Hampshire County covers about 545 square miles. Most of this area, about 527 square miles, is land. The rest, about 18 square miles, is water.
This county is in the middle part of the Pioneer Valley. It's also at the northern end of a busy area known as the Hartford–Springfield Knowledge Corridor.
Neighboring Counties
Hampshire County is unique in Massachusetts. It is the only county completely surrounded by other counties within Massachusetts. All other counties in the state touch another state or the ocean.
- Franklin County (to the north)
- Worcester County (to the east)
- Hampden County (to the south)
- Berkshire County (to the west)
People of Hampshire County
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1790 | 59,656 | — | |
| 1800 | 72,432 | 21.4% | |
| 1810 | 76,275 | 5.3% | |
| 1820 | 26,487 | −65.3% | |
| 1830 | 30,254 | 14.2% | |
| 1840 | 30,897 | 2.1% | |
| 1850 | 35,732 | 15.6% | |
| 1860 | 37,823 | 5.9% | |
| 1870 | 44,388 | 17.4% | |
| 1880 | 47,232 | 6.4% | |
| 1890 | 51,859 | 9.8% | |
| 1900 | 58,820 | 13.4% | |
| 1910 | 63,327 | 7.7% | |
| 1920 | 69,599 | 9.9% | |
| 1930 | 72,801 | 4.6% | |
| 1940 | 72,461 | −0.5% | |
| 1950 | 87,594 | 20.9% | |
| 1960 | 103,229 | 17.8% | |
| 1970 | 123,981 | 20.1% | |
| 1980 | 138,813 | 12.0% | |
| 1990 | 146,568 | 5.6% | |
| 2000 | 152,251 | 3.9% | |
| 2010 | 158,080 | 3.8% | |
| 2020 | 162,308 | 2.7% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 162,502 | 2.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010–2018 |
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In 2010, there were about 158,080 people living in Hampshire County. Most people, about 88.7%, were white. Other groups included Asian (4.5%), Black or African American (2.5%), and American Indian (0.2%). About 4.7% of the population was of Hispanic or Latino background.
Many people in Hampshire County have Irish (22.2%), French (14.4%), Polish (14.3%), or English (14.2%) family backgrounds.
The average age of people in the county was 36.6 years old. About 11.7% of the population lived below the poverty line.
Education in Hampshire County
Hampshire County is famous for its "Five Colleges". These are a group of well-known schools that work together. They include a large public university and four private colleges:
- Amherst College in Amherst
- Hampshire College in Amherst
- Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley
- Smith College in Northampton
- University of Massachusetts Amherst
These colleges let students take classes at other schools in the group. They also have a free bus service that connects all the campuses.
Communities in Hampshire County
Cities
- Easthampton
- Northampton (the historic county seat)
- Amherst
Towns
Census-Designated Places
These are areas that the U.S. Census Bureau defines for gathering information.
Other Small Communities
These are smaller places that are not officially cities or towns.
- Cushman
- Florence
- Haydenville
- Leeds
- Mount Tom
- Ringville
- South Hadley Falls
Former Towns
These towns no longer exist. They were disestablished when the Quabbin Reservoir was created.
See also
- In Spanish: Condado de Hampshire (Massachusetts) para niños
