Holden, Massachusetts facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Holden, Massachusetts
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Holden Center
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Location in Worcester County and the state of Massachusetts.
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| Country | United States | ||
| State | Massachusetts | ||
| County | Worcester | ||
| Settled | 1723 | ||
| Incorporated | 1741 | ||
| Government | |||
| • Type | Open town meeting | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 36.2 sq mi (93.8 km2) | ||
| • Land | 35.0 sq mi (90.6 km2) | ||
| • Water | 1.2 sq mi (3.2 km2) | ||
| Elevation | 860 ft (262 m) | ||
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 19,905 | ||
| • Density | 549.9/sq mi (212.21/km2) | ||
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (Eastern) | ||
| ZIP code |
01520 & 01522
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| Area code(s) | 508 / 774 | ||
| FIPS code | 25-30560 | ||
| GNIS feature ID | 0618365 | ||
Holden is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. It was officially started in 1741. The town's main area, called the Town Square or Common, was given as a gift by John Hancock. He was a famous person who used to be the Governor of Massachusetts. In 2020, about 19,905 people lived in Holden. The town also includes a smaller area called Jefferson.
Contents
History of Holden
Holden was named after a man named Samuel Holden. He was an important director at the Bank of England.
Geography and Nature
Holden covers about 36.2 square miles (93.8 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, about 35.0 square miles (90.6 square kilometers). The rest, about 1.2 square miles (3.2 square kilometers), is water.
The town's landscape has many hills and rivers. One of the rivers flowing through Holden is the Quinapoxet.
Holden shares its borders with several other towns:
- To the west: Rutland
- To the northwest: Princeton
- To the east: Sterling and West Boylston
- To the southeast: Worcester
- To the southwest: Paxton
People of Holden
| Historical population | ||
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| Year | Pop. | ±% |
| 1850 | 1,933 | — |
| 1860 | 1,945 | +0.6% |
| 1870 | 2,062 | +6.0% |
| 1880 | 2,499 | +21.2% |
| 1890 | 2,623 | +5.0% |
| 1900 | 2,464 | −6.1% |
| 1910 | 2,147 | −12.9% |
| 1920 | 2,970 | +38.3% |
| 1930 | 3,871 | +30.3% |
| 1940 | 3,924 | +1.4% |
| 1950 | 5,975 | +52.3% |
| 1960 | 10,117 | +69.3% |
| 1970 | 12,564 | +24.2% |
| 1980 | 13,336 | +6.1% |
| 1990 | 14,628 | +9.7% |
| 2000 | 15,621 | +6.8% |
| 2010 | 17,346 | +11.0% |
| 2020 | 19,905 | +14.8% |
| 2022* | 19,880 | −0.1% |
| * = population estimate. Source: United States Census records and Population Estimates Program data. |
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In 2020, there were 19,905 people living in Holden. There were 7,251 households, which are groups of people living together in one home. About 35.7% of these households had children under 18 years old.
The average household in Holden had about 2.71 people. The average family had about 3.18 people.
The population's age groups in Holden were:
- 24.0% were under 18 years old.
- 7.0% were between 18 and 24 years old.
- 22.4% were between 25 and 44 years old.
- 28.2% were between 45 and 64 years old.
- 18.4% were 65 years old or older.
The median age in Holden was 42.3 years.
Education in Holden
Schools in Holden
Holden is part of the Wachusett Regional School District. This district includes five towns: Holden, Paxton, Princeton, Rutland, and Sterling. These towns share the recently updated Wachusett Regional High School. This was the first regional school district in Massachusetts.
Holden has three elementary schools for younger students:
- Davis Hill Elementary
- Dr. Leroy E. Mayo Elementary
- Dawson Elementary
For students in grades 6 to 8, there is Mountview Middle School. This school was built in 2016.
When students are ready for high school, they can choose to attend Wachusett Regional High School in Holden. Another option is Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School ("Monty Tech") in Fitchburg. This school teaches job skills along with regular subjects.
Holden also has a private Christian school called Holden Christian Academy, which teaches students from preschool to 8th grade.
Holden Public Library
The public library in Holden first opened its doors in 1888. It provides books and resources for everyone in the town.
Places to Visit
- Alden Research Laboratory: This is a place where they do research on water and hydraulics.
- Steel rotating boom: This is an important historical landmark for engineering. It was used to test how well hydraulic meters work.
Famous People from Holden
- Dan Colman: A professional poker player who won a very large poker tournament.
- Lewis Evangelidis: The sheriff of Worcester County and a former state representative.
- Ron Hallstrom: An NFL football player who played for the Green Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles.
- Matthew Quick: An author who wrote the book The Silver Linings Playbook and Boy 21.
- Fran Quinn: A professional golfer.
- Tyler Rand: An American arts executive.
- Bruce Taylor: A former baseball pitcher for the Detroit Tigers.
Images for kids
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A sign welcoming you to Holden on Route 122A.
See also
In Spanish: Holden (Massachusetts) para niños
