City profile · Massachusetts · Census ACS 2023

Holyoke, MA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Holyoke - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

37,949
Residents
$51,892
Median income
$255,300
Median home
$1,734
Median rent (state)

Holyoke - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Holyoke lands in the 23rd percentile for household income and the 3rd percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

23rd
percentile, household income
57th
percentile, home value
70th
percentile, median rent
3rd
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Holyoke, MA

37,949 people live in Holyoke, Massachusetts - a small city by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Holyoke brings in $51,892 a year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 18.0%. Holyoke's housing stock carries a median value of $255,300, and the median resident age is 39.1 years. Educational attainment runs 24.3% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 52.2% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 10 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Rapid Growth), up 25% from five years earlier. Holyoke's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 5273.1 crimes per 100,000 residents, above the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score).

Massachusetts carries a cost-of-living premium: the state registers 105.8 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Above Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,734 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $330 across Massachusetts, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 92.8 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

37,949 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Massachusetts

Median Household Income

$51,892 /yr

Poverty 18.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

105.8 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Massachusetts average

How does Holyoke compare to other US cities?

Holyoke measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 23% higher than other cities
Home value 57% pricier than other cities
Median rent 70% pricier than other cities
Safety 3% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Massachusetts, Holyoke ranks #149 of 149 Massachusetts cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Holyoke against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Massachusetts only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Massachusetts-relative analysis

Poverty Rate is Holyoke's strongest outlier among Massachusetts cities

Among the 247 Massachusetts cities PlainCities tracks with reported poverty rate data, Holyoke ranks #6 - the 98th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Holyoke only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#229 of 233
2nd percentile in Massachusetts
Median Gross Rent
#211 of 247
10th percentile in Massachusetts
Median Home Value
#224 of 240
7th percentile in Massachusetts
Poverty Rate
#6 of 247
98th percentile in Massachusetts
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#218 of 247
12th percentile in Massachusetts

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Massachusetts only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

23rdIncome percentile
3rdSafety percentile

23rd percentile nationally for median household income · 3rd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Holyoke's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Holyoke's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 21 Avg. percentile National median
Holyoke's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Holyoke's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$255,300 43rd percentile more affordable than 43% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). This entry sits in this band. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Holyoke $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Holyoke, MA Holyoke, MA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Holyoke, MA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Holyoke, MA median $51,892/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Holyoke, MA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Holyoke, MA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 24.3%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 18.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 52.2%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
37,949
Median Income
$51,892
Median Home Value
$255,300
Median Age
39.1
Poverty Rate
18.0%
Labor force participation
52.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
24.3%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
5273.1
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
1041.0
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
4232.1
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
14
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
37,600 residents37,800 residents38,000 residents38,200 residents 202020212022202320242025 38,142 residents 38,023 residents ▼ -0.3%
Holyoke's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Rapid Growth
Total Permits (2024)
10
housing units authorized
Single-Family
4
detached homes
Multifamily
6
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.3
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 8
2020 3
2021 0
2022 5
2023 14
2024 10

Permit volume increased 25% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
76.6%
Carpool
8.4%
Public Transit
2.7%
Walk
2.4%
Work from Home
9.1%
Other
0.8%

Based on 15,530 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Massachusetts - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$160
avg/month
Natural Gas
$110
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$60
avg/month
Total Utilities
$330
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Massachusetts state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Massachusetts state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Holyoke sits in

Cost of Living Index
105.8
Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,734/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
92.8 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Massachusetts

Braintree
38,762 people
Chelsea
39,460 people
Amherst
35,472 people
Watertown
35,270 people
Westfield
40,673 people
Woburn
41,205 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Holyoke's 37,949 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Portage, IN
37,951 people
Northglenn, CO
37,953 people
Adelanto, CA
38,010 people
Lewiston, ME
37,886 people
Sun, AZ
38,018 people
Hot Springs, AR
38,023 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Holyoke's $51,892 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Oroville, CA
$51,893 median income
Poplar-Cotton Center, CA
$51,893 median income
Struthers, OH
$51,894 median income
Piedmont, SC
$51,896 median income
Milwaukee, WI
$51,888 median income
Jamestown, CA
$51,886 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Holyoke, MA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Holyoke, MA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 60.3% 10.7% 23.4% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 51.5% White 60.3% Black or African American 4.2% Asian 0.8% American Indian 0.6% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 10.7% Two or more races 23.4% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Holyoke compares to nearby Massachusetts cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Holyoke (this city) 37,949 $51,892
Braintree 38,762 $125,305
Chelsea 39,460 $72,220
Amherst 35,472 $65,938
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Holyoke, MA?

What is the population of Holyoke, MA? +

Holyoke, MA has a population of 37,949 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Holyoke, MA? +

Median annual household income in Holyoke runs $51,892, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Holyoke? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Holyoke; the closest available measure is the Massachusetts state average, a cost of living index of 105.8 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Massachusetts vary by metro area.

Is Holyoke, MA safe? +

Holyoke has a total crime rate of 5273.1 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Holyoke, MA? +

The median home value in Holyoke is $255,300, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.