Town · Massachusetts
Pelham, Massachusetts
Pelham, town, in Hampshire County, Massachusetts. Pelham had 1,308 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 2.8% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 1,280 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,335 (±244). GEOID 2501552560.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
1,308
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 1,280 · ACS 2020-2024: 1,335 ±244
Median household income
$113,750
±$23,513 (90% margin)
Massachusetts: $103,960
Median home value
$447,600
±$33,486 (90% margin)
Massachusetts: $562,100
Median gross rent
$1,205
±$560 (90% margin)
Massachusetts: $1,762
Where is Pelham and what county is it in?
Pelham is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts. It covers 25.1 square miles of land, 51 residents per square mile in 2020.
Pelham is in the Amherst Town-Northampton, MA metropolitan statistical area (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Pelham, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 1,308 people lived in Pelham on July 1, 2025, up 2.8% since 2020, faster than Massachusetts (+1.7%). The 2020 Census counted 1,280 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 1,335 (±244).
| Measure | Pelham | Hampshire County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,335±244 | 162,028 | no clear change |
| Households | 536±97 | 62,114 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.49±0.25 | 2.24 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 588±109 | 66,786 | no clear change |
Pelham's population since 2000
From 1,403 in 2000 to 1,308 in 2025: down 6.8%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Pelham as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Pelham?
The median resident of Pelham is 45.0 years old; 21.0% are under 18 and 26.7% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 80.3%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 8.7%. 5.8% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Pelham | Hampshire County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.0±8.4 | 37.4 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 21.0%±4.3 pts | 14.2% | – |
| 65 years and over | 26.7%±8.0 pts | 19.4% | – |
| Male | 47.4%±4.7 pts | 46.5% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 6.5%±5.1 pts | 7.4% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 80.3%±9.0 pts | 80.3% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 8.7%±7.5 pts | 2.5% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.6%±0.8 pts | 5.3% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±3.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±3.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.9%±2.8 pts | 4.1% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±3.1 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 5.8%±3.5 pts | 8.4% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 9.7%±5.1 pts | 12.9% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 5.8%±2.8 pts | 5.1% | – |
| With a disability | 11.9%±4.9 pts | 12.6% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 2.3%±2.2 pts | 1.7% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 98.5%±1.2 pts | 95.4% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 64.8%±7.7 pts | 51.6% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 38.2%±7.6 pts | 27.6% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 96.4%±2.5 pts | 80.1% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.0%±1.0 pts | 3.5% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Pelham earn?
Half of Pelham's 536 households earn less than $113,750 a year (±$23,513), against $87,001 in Hampshire County and $103,960 in Massachusetts. In 2015-2019 it was $116,275 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 10.3% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Pelham | Hampshire County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $113,750±$23,513 | $87,001 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $137,533±$19,666 | $117,323 | – |
| Per capita income | $58,372±$6,581 | $45,568 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 10.3%±4.7 pts | 11.3% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 8.6%±8.3 pts | 11.5% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 10.6%±6.8 pts | 12.5% | – |
| Households with a computer | 92.9%±5.7 pts | 96.4% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 92.4%±5.1 pts | 92.9% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Pelham?
Owners occupy 79.1% of Pelham's occupied homes and renters 20.9%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $447,600 by its owner (±$33,486). The median renter pays $1,205 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Pelham | Hampshire County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $447,600±$33,486 | $390,300 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $1,205±$560 | $1,388 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 35.4%±28.1 pts | 44.5% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,437±$242 | $2,256 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 79.1%±7.3 pts | 67.8% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 20.9%±7.3 pts | 32.2% | – |
| Housing units | 588±109 | 66,786 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 2.8%±4.5 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 5.9%±7.4 pts | 6.5% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 78.7%±7.5 pts | 59.3% | – |
| Mobile homes | 1.4%±1.5 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.5%±0.8 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 1.9%±1.8 pts | 5.5% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 32.5%±7.8 pts | 27.1% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 3.7%±3.9 pts | 7.4% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Pelham building?
Builders took permits for 1 new housing units in Pelham in 2025 (1 in single-family houses), 0.8 per 1,000 residents against 1.7 across Massachusetts.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Pelham work and get to work?
57.7% of Pelham's workers drive alone and 32.8% work from home. The average trip to work takes 22.9 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 6.6%.
| Measure | Pelham | Hampshire County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 61.9%±8.5 pts | 61.5% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 6.6%±3.2 pts | 5.0% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 57.7%±7.8 pts | 64.5% | – |
| Carpooled | 5.3%±5.2 pts | 5.2% | – |
| Public transportation | 1.5%±1.4 pts | 2.8% | – |
| Walked | 0.0%±6.8 pts | 7.4% | – |
| Worked from home | 32.8%±7.7 pts | 18.4% | +20.1 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 22.9 min±3.3 | 23.2 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Pelham?
No census tract lies mostly in Pelham; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 8202.05Hampshire County | 7,518 | $125,575 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Pelham) · Census block assignment files
How does Pelham compare with other places in Massachusetts?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Pelham is the 6,503rd-most populous of the 16,079 U.S. towns and townships that have one and the 229th-most populous of 266 in Massachusetts.
Pelham ranks 211th of 453 places in Massachusetts with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 229th | 266 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 88th | 292 |
| Residents per square mile | 446th | 461 |
| Median household income | 211th | 453 |
| Per capita income | 200th | 460 |
| Median home value | 296th | 459 |
| Median gross rent | 310th | 410 |
| Poverty rate | 77th | 338 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 84th | 459 |
| Median age | 216th | 461 |
| Owner-occupied share | 240th | 460 |
| Work from home | 29th | 429 |
| Travel time to work | 395th | 459 |
Pelham's figures with every place in Massachusetts (CSV)
Every place in Massachusetts, sortable · Compare Pelham with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Pelham?
20 of the 57 figures for Pelham on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Pelham are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.