Palmer Town receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Holyoke
Palmer Town
Opportunity
37 · Bottom 14%
vs53 · Bottom 44%
Growth
58 · Top 36%
vs47 · Bottom 44%
Climate
60 · Bottom 13%
vs60 · Bottom 13%
Physical resilience
60 · Top 48%
vs60 · Top 48%
Housing affordability
66 · Bottom 28%
vs95 · Top 20%
Schools
17 · Bottom 8%
vs38 · Bottom 33%
Access
100 · Top 3%
vs92 · Top 48%
Economic stability
30 · Bottom 7%
vs60 · Bottom 48%
Measured values
| Metric | Holyoke | Palmer Town | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 37,813 | 12,381 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $53,605 | $78,480 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $31,236 | $45,032 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,786/sq mi | 392/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $274,100 | $271,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,021 | $1,075 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 41.3% | 71.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.9% | 4.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.8% | -0.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.9% | 23.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 27.0% | 8.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 47 | 9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.2 | 0.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 123.8% | 28.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 85°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 16°F | 16°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 45.2" | 45.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 5 mi | 21 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.1 min | 32.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.0 | 47.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 12 | 3 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.75 | 10.69 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 6.9% | 22.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 15.8% | 31.3% | 2019-20 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Holyoke
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Palmer Town
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Holyoke
54
Your Score
51
Area Score
Palmer Town
63
Your Score
60
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Holyoke, MA · Palmer Town, MA · How this is calculated: methodology