Holyoke, Massachusetts Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Holyoke, MA Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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B
Health Around average
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D
Income Well below average
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D
Education Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | Holyoke | Massachusetts Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 37,770 | 7,031,620 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 1656.5 | 666.0 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -0.80% | 0.53% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 40.0 | 39.0 | 37.3 |
| Households | 15,580 | 2,777,931 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Holyoke declined by 6.7% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 37,770 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Holyoke is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 21.7% of residents. That is 0.1 points above Massachusetts as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 8,187 21.7% +0.1 pts
- Millennials 29–44 8,162 21.6% -0.3 pts
- Gen X 45–60 7,338 19.4% -1.7 pts
- Boomers 61–79 5,872 15.5% -1.8 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below Massachusetts, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 51.7% of the people living in Holyoke and men 48.3%.
- Women 51.7% Massachusetts 51.2%
- Men 48.3% Massachusetts 48.8%
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100% of everyone living in Holyoke
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Economy
Holyoke has a the economy index of D, which means it is barely prosperous.
| Metric | Holyoke | Massachusetts Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $55,443 | $104,336 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.56% | 4.91% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 7.7% | 5.1% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Holyoke is about 47% lower than in Massachusetts.
Housing
| Metric | Holyoke | Massachusetts Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $217,923 | $494,523 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,021 | $1,761 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 41.3% | 62.5% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Holyoke is about 17.8 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,021 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Holyoke spend about 37 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 155 hours, about 6.4 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Holyoke | Massachusetts Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 18.6 | 25.6 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 37.1 | 51.1 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 155 | 213 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,794 | $6,603 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 11.1% | 18.6% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 10,191 | 14,741 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 2,075 | 2,164 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in Holyoke is 19 minutes, shorter than the 26 minutes in Massachusetts.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Holyoke has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Holyoke | Massachusetts Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.3% | 42.7% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.34 | 2.44 | 2.53 |
Health
Holyoke has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Holyoke | Massachusetts Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 77.9 | 80.5 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 23.1% | 11.8% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 19.5% | 13.9% | 19.0% |
Holyoke, MA Compared With Nearby Cities
Holyoke, MA is the 2nd largest of the 4 cities compared here, 37,770 residents against a local median of 30,986. The measure that sets Holyoke, MA apart most is median household income: $55,443, 20% below the local median of $68,973. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
The cities themselves spread $19,692 on median household income, so Holyoke, MA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Holyoke, MA has the 4th highest median household income of the 4 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Holyoke, MA | 37,770 | $55,443 #4/4 | $217,923 #3/4 | 18.6 min #4/4 |
| Chicopee, MA | 55,293 | $61,597 | $208,931 | 18.2 min |
| West Springfield Town, MA | 28,772 | $68,973 | $225,000 | 17.8 min |
| Northampton, MA | 30,986 | $81,289 | $427,564 | 18.2 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Holyoke, Massachusetts.
How big is Holyoke, Massachusetts by population?
About 37,770 people live in Holyoke, Massachusetts, in 15,580 households of 2.3 people on average. The median age is 40.0, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 3 years.
Is Holyoke, Massachusetts urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Holyoke, Massachusetts has 1,657 people per square mile, a density typical of urban and suburban areas. That is about 19 times the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Holyoke, Massachusetts?
The median home costs 3.9 times the median household income ($217,923 against $55,443), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $1,021 a month takes about 22% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is unemployment high in Holyoke, Massachusetts?
Unemployment in Holyoke, Massachusetts is 7.7%, well above the U.S. rate of 5.2%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
How common is a college degree in Holyoke, Massachusetts?
20.3% of adults in Holyoke, Massachusetts hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 5), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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