Hampden, Massachusetts
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Hampden is a town located in Hampden County, Massachusetts. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 5,171.
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History
Think of other villages and towns with which you are acquainted. Undoubtedly, you will recognize that many beginnings of settlements bordered upon streams or rivers. It was so with Hampden. The first grist and saw mills required the waters of the Scantic to provide them with power. Since their businesses had to be near the river, so also did the owners need to be close to their mills. So many of the earliest homes were built bordering the river or its tributaries.
The first settler who followed the Nipmuck Indians arrived in Hampden about 1741. Directly following him, the first sawmill was erected on the Scantic in the vicinity of the V.F.W. building.
During the first hundred years as South Wilbraham, Hampden was an agricultural town with Wilbraham as the "mother" town.
At the time of separation from Wilbraham in 1878, industries were becoming active in Hampden. There is every evidence that Hampden could have well turned into one of the many New England factory or industrial towns.
Several factors, however, changed the destiny of the town. The lack of transportation to deliver the materials manufactured is probably the greatest deterrent. When the proposed railroad from Stafford to Springfield failed, quarries and mills were forced to use limited facilities, thereby slowing delivery of goods.
Fires leveled some of the mills and, with the lack of marketing, other businesses failed. The advent of automobiles enabled men to find occupations outside of the town.
There was then the trend back to agriculture with many orchards developed throughout the area, with the herds of milk-producing cows, and with farmers growing their many crops.
At about this time numerous summer type vacation homes were built for Springfield residents who vacationed in Hampden. From these many year-round homes developed.
Now the mills and quarries, orchards and cows are about gone and Hampden has become a residential town.
Hampden was first settled in 1741 and was officially incorporated in 1878.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 50.9 km² (19.6 mi²). 50.9 km² (19.6 mi²) of it is land and 0.05% is water.
Demographics
As of the census2 of 2000, there are 5,171 people, 1,818 households, and 1,463 families residing in the town. The population density is 101.7/km² (263.3/mi²). There are 1,846 housing units at an average density of 36.3/km² (94.0/mi²). The racial makeup of the town is 98.32% White, 0.17% African American, 0.19% Native American, 0.43% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.27% from other races, and 0.58% from two or more races. 0.64% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 1,818 households out of which 37.3% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 71.6% are married couples living together, 6.1% have a female householder with no husband present, and 19.5% are non-families. 16.2% of all households are made up of individuals and 8.0% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.80 and the average family size is 3.15.
In the town the population is spread out with 26.3% under the age of 18, 5.2% from 18 to 24, 26.9% from 25 to 44, 28.3% from 45 to 64, and 13.2% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 41 years. For every 100 females there are 93.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 91.7 males.
The median income for a household in the town is $65,662, and the median income for a family is $75,407. Males have a median income of $49,320 versus $30,870 for females. The per capita income for the town is $26,690. 2.2% of the population and 1.4% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 1.4% of those under the age of 18 and 3.0% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
External Links
Town of Hampden (http://www.hampden.org)