Housing data for Palmer Town, MA
Palmer Town, MA has an estimated 12,381 residents and 5,907 homes (US Census Bureau, 2020–2024 American Community Survey).
It is a city in Hampden County.
28.5% of households rent.
The median gross rent is $1,075 a month.
Its population grew measurably since 2015–2019 (+1.2%).
Figures last updated on .
- Residents
- 12,381 (±35)
- Housing units
- 5,907 (±423)
- Households that rent
- 28.5%
- Median gross rent
- $1,075
- Residents since 2015–2019
- +1.2%
What stands out in Palmer Town
Homes heated by fuel oil: 60.1% (±6.0 points) in Palmer Town, higher than in Hampden County (22.3%).
Households without a vehicle: 6.3% (±2.3 points) in Palmer Town, lower than in Hampden County (12.0%).
Average commute: 31.3 minutes (±5.2) in Palmer Town, higher than in Hampden County (22.7 minutes).
Homes in buildings of 5 or more units: 11.7% (±4.2 points) in Palmer Town, lower than in Hampden County (18.0%).
Housing in Palmer Town at a glance
- Median rent: $1,075 median gross rent a month
- Rent by bedrooms: $1,215 median gross rent, 2 bedrooms
- Rent burden: 52.9% of renters pay 30% or more of income
- Renters and owners: 28.5% of households rent
- Income and affordability: $78,480 median household income
- Home values: $271,400 median home value
- Homeowner costs: $2,035 median monthly cost with a mortgage
- Property taxes: $4,540 median real estate taxes a year
- Types of homes: 11.7% of homes are in buildings of 5 or more units
- Bedrooms: 59.2% of homes have 3 or more bedrooms
- Age of homes: 72.0% of homes were built before 1980
- Vacancy rate: 10.1% rental vacancy rate
- Heating fuel: 60.1% heat with fuel oil or kerosene
- Commute and cars: 31.3 minutes average trip to work
- Crime reported to police: 462 violent crimes per 100,000 residents
- Growth: +1.2% residents since 2015–2019
- How long people stay: 19.3% moved in since 2020
- Crowding and facilities: 0.6% of homes have more than 1 person per room
Palmer Town against Hampden County, its state and the nation
| Palmer Town | Hampden County | Massachusetts | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 12,381 (±35) | 462,815 (exact) | 7,044,056 (exact) | 334,922,499 |
| Housing units | 5,907 (±423) | 197,591 (±170) | 3,030,406 (±453) | 143,775,355 |
| Households that rent | 28.5% (±5.2 points) | 37.8% (±0.8 points) | 37.5% (±0.3 points) | 34.8% |
| Median gross rent | $1,075 (±$103) | $1,136 (±$23) | $1,762 (±$9) | $1,413 |
| Median household income | $78,480 (±$7,854) | $71,306 (±$1,758) | $103,960 (±$527) | $80,734 |
| Median home value | $271,400 (±$21,289) | $298,800 (±$3,575) | $562,100 (±$2,169) | $332,700 |
| Median real estate taxes (a year) | $4,540 (±$320) | $4,455 (±$42) | $5,992 (±$18) | $3,119 |
| Built before 1980 | 72.0% (±9.1 points) | 76.3% (±1.6 points) | 67.4% (±0.4 points) | 49.7% |
| Average commute | 31.3 minutes (±5.2) | 22.7 minutes (±0.4) | 29.1 minutes (±0.1) | 26.4 minutes |
| Households with broadband | 90.4% (±3.3 points) | 89.0% (±0.7 points) | 92.8% (±0.1 points) | 91.0% |
| Median age of residents | 47.8 years (±5.6) | 40.0 years (±0.3) | 40.0 years (±0.1) | 38.9 years |
Palmer Town covers 31.6 square miles of land, about 392 residents per square mile (Census Bureau Gazetteer).
How Palmer Town has changed since 2015–2019
| 2015–2019 | 2020–2024 | Amount of change | Verdict | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 12,237 (±21) | 12,381 (±35) | +1.2% | Measurable increase |
| Housing units | 5,377 (±239) | 5,907 (±423) | +9.9% | Measurable increase |
| Median gross rent | $962 (±$81) | $1,075 (±$103) | +11.7% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median home value | $197,000 (±$12,883) | $271,400 (±$21,289) | +37.8% | Up after inflation |
| Median household income | $64,651 (±$10,828) | $78,480 (±$7,854) | +21.4% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median owner cost with a mortgage | $1,599 (±$97) | $2,035 (±$141) | +27.3% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median real estate taxes | $3,555 (±$174) | $4,540 (±$320) | +27.7% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Households that rent | 28.3% (±3.9 points) | 28.5% (±5.2 points) | +0.2 percentage points | Not a measurable change |
| Rental vacancy rate | 3.5% (±3.9 points) | 10.1% (±8.0 points) | +6.6 percentage points | Not a measurable change |
The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.
Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.
The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.
Crime reported to police in Palmer Town
In 2025, the Palmer Police Department reported 462 violent and 688 property crimes per 100,000 residents to the FBI.
Across Hampden County, the departments that report recorded 555 violent and 1,712 property crimes per 100,000 residents that year.
ZIP codes in Palmer Town
| ZIP code | Share of the ZIP’s land in this place | Residents | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01009 | 100% | 804 | $1,286 | $274,200 | $72,841 |
| 01079 | 100% | 438 | — | $263,400 | $70,588 |
| 01080 | 100% | 2,454 | $1,125 | $270,000 | $89,063 |
| 01069 | 97% | 8,821 | $1,013 | $274,000 | $80,190 |
A ZIP code is a mail route rather than a boundary, so the Census Bureau publishes figures for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas built from census blocks; the share column says how much of each one’s land lies in this place.
Places near Palmer Town
| Place | Distance | Median gross rent | Median home value | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ware (community) | 5.2 mi | $1,039 | $253,400 | 42.6% |
| Warren | 5.5 mi | $890 | $333,700 | 35.5% |
| Ware | 6.1 mi | $1,043 | $289,700 | 27.7% |
| Monson Center | 6.3 mi | $746 | $289,200 | 44.7% |
| Warren (community) | 6.5 mi | $720 | $248,800 | 54.8% |
| Monson | 6.6 mi | $871 | $348,400 | 17.5% |
| Brimfield | 6.7 mi | $886 | $389,100 | 12.5% |
| Belchertown (community) | 7.6 mi | $970 | $346,900 | 30.0% |
Places in Massachusetts most like Palmer Town
| Place | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ware | $1,043 | $289,700 | $67,475 | 27.7% |
| Athol | $1,150 | $268,100 | $69,316 | 27.6% |
| Buckland | $1,111 | $321,400 | $82,877 | 25.4% |
| Westfield | $1,117 | $325,100 | $87,753 | 31.4% |
| Northfield (community) | $1,089 | $300,500 | $68,333 | 23.8% |
| Shelburne | $1,080 | $405,400 | $83,000 | 32.2% |
Matched on rent, home value, income, the share who rent, the age of the homes, the share in apartment buildings and the commute, each measured against the spread across Massachusetts.
HUD Fair Market Rent for Palmer Town, fiscal year 2027
| Studio | 1 bedroom | 2 bedrooms | 3 bedrooms | 4 bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $1,264 | $1,421 | $1,800 | $2,241 | $2,370 |
HUD income limits for Palmer Town, fiscal year 2026
| Household size | Extremely low (30%) | Very low (50%) | Low (80%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $27,650 | $46,000 | $73,650 |
| 2 people | $31,600 | $52,550 | $84,200 |
| 3 people | $35,550 | $59,200 | $94,700 |
| 4 people | $39,450 | $65,750 | $105,200 |
| 5 people | $42,650 | $71,050 | $113,650 |
| 6 people | $45,800 | $76,300 | $122,050 |
| 7 people | $50,040 | $81,550 | $130,450 |
| 8 people | $55,720 | $86,800 | $138,900 |
These are the limits HUD sets for its housing programs in the Springfield, MA MSA, where HUD’s median family income for fiscal year 2026 is $96,700.
A program can use its own limits; tax-credit and local programs often do.
Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.
Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.
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Questions about Palmer Town
What is the average rent in Palmer Town, MA?
The Census Bureau publishes the median rather than the average: the median gross rent in Palmer Town is $1,075 (±$103) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey), so half of renting households pay less and half pay more.
How much is a one-bedroom apartment in Palmer Town?
The median gross rent for a one-bedroom home in Palmer Town, MA is $845 (±$75) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Are renters in Palmer Town rent-burdened?
52.9% of renting households in Palmer Town pay 30% or more of their income in gross rent, the share housing researchers usually call rent-burdened (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
How many renters are there in Palmer Town?
Palmer Town has an estimated 1,567 (±317) renting households, 28.5% of its occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the median household income in Palmer Town?
The median household income in Palmer Town is $78,480 (±$7,854) a year (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the average home value in Palmer Town, MA?
The Census Bureau publishes the median: $271,400 (±$21,289) for owner-occupied homes in Palmer Town (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Is Palmer Town growing?
In Palmer Town, the number of residents went from 12,237 in 2015–2019 to 12,381 in 2020–2024 (+1.2%), a measurable increase.
What ZIP codes are in Palmer Town?
The ZIP codes that cover Palmer Town are 01009, 01079, 01080, 01069.
What is the median rent in ZIP code 01009?
The median gross rent in ZIP Code Tabulation Area 01009 is $1,286 (±$808) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Sources
- Demographic and Housing Estimates (DP05), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Palmer Town city, Massachusetts
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Palmer Town city, Massachusetts
- Selected Economic Characteristics (DP03), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Palmer Town city, Massachusetts
- Median Real Estate Taxes Paid by Mortgage Status (B25103), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Palmer Town city, Massachusetts
- Selected Social Characteristics (DP02), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Palmer Town city, Massachusetts
- Total Population (B01003), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Palmer Town city, Massachusetts
- Median Gross Rent (B25064), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Palmer Town city, Massachusetts
- HUD Fair Market Rents, fiscal year 2027: Springfield, MA MSA
- HUD Income Limits, fiscal year 2026: Springfield, MA MSA
- US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas
- FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Crime Data Explorer: Palmer Police Department (ORI MA0071500)
- FBI: Uniform Crime Reporting statistics and their proper use
- Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, all items, US Bureau of Labor Statistics: annual averages 2019 and 2024
- US Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files
To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) for Palmer Town city, Massachusetts (place:52144, in state:25).
Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).
The 2015–2019 figures are B01003_001E, B01003_001M, B25064_001E, B25064_001M from the 2019 release.
The API needs a free key.
DP05_0001E, DP05_0001M, DP04_0001E, DP04_0001M, DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0134E, DP04_0134M, DP03_0062E, DP03_0062M, DP04_0089E, DP04_0089M
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.
Figures last updated on .