Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Of the 279 Massachusetts towns we compare, none has a lower typical home value than Heath. Heath’s trail density is 0.2 miles per square mile, where Massachusetts’ towns sit at 1.8 and U.S. towns at 0.4. H.O. Cook State Forest, at 897 acres with 1.8 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve. Heath has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Where Heath beats most towns.
Census counts: 379 in 1790, a low of 304 in 1960, 723 in 2020. The archive holds 10 old photos and papers going back to 1871 and 7 maps from 1886 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Heath. Close and well known come first.
18 mi MountainMount Greylock
38 mi MountainMount Monadnock
35 mi LakeQuabbin Reservoir
20 mi MuseumClark Art Institute
34 mi TheatreTanglewood
38 mi MuseumNorman Rockwell MuseumMount Greylock: Jstergis, CC BY 3.0 · Mount Monadnock: Jonwmcinenrey, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Quabbin Reservoir: engineerchange, CC BY 2.0 · Clark Art Institute: Daderot, Public domain · Tanglewood: Daderot., CC BY-SA 3.0 · Norman Rockwell Museum: User:Rmrfstar, CC BY 2.5
Who provides power, water and the rest in Heath, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Heath.
The typical Heath home is worth about $187,000, up 2.6% in a year, 71% below the Massachusetts typical home. 88% of households own their home in Heath, above both the Massachusetts town median (79%) and the median of U.S. towns (73%).
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
People 65 and older are 34% of residents (18% statewide); children under 18 are 13% of residents (19% statewide). The median age in Heath is 53.8 years. 47% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 47% across Massachusetts.
| Heath | Massachusetts towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 53.8 years | 43.4 years | 40.5 years |
| Under 18 | 13% | 20% | 22% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 47% | 47% | 29% |
Somewhere between 32% and 55% women
The Census survey reached too few of Heath’s residents to say more: its margin here is ±11.5 points. Across Massachusetts, 51.1% of residents are women.
| Heath | MA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 4.8% | 10.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 8.2% | 9.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 10.1% | 9.8% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 8.4% | 14% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 10.7% | 13% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 9.7% | 12.3% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 14.5% | 13.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 28.1% | 10.5% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 5.5% | 7.4% | 7% |
| No diploma | 4.8% | 8.6% | 10.4% |
| High school | 24.8% | 22.6% | 26% |
| Some college | 12.9% | 14.1% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 10.7% | 7.5% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 24% | 25.5% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 22.8% | 21.8% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 700, single groups can be off by several points
1.1% of working residents work locally in Heath. The top destinations are Greenfield (13%), Charlemont (11%) and Shelburne (6%). Heath’s average trip to work is 35 minutes.
| Heath | Massachusetts towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 35 minutes | 30 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 1.1% | 9.8% | 8% |
| Median household income | $99,000 | $120,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 6.6% | 6% | 9.6% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 78% of U.S. communities. Since 1987, 7 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Heath.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. H.O. Cook State Forest | 1.8 mi | 897 |
| 2. Town Land | 0.2 mi | 318 |
| 3. Crowningshield Conservation Area | — | 251 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Heath has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with plenty of rain. July afternoons reach 79°, January nights drop to 12° and about 77 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Heath beats the Massachusetts average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 6. 26% of Heath adults have obesity.
| Heath | Massachusetts towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 28% | 35% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 36% | 32% | 35% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 82% | 82% | 79% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 24% | 23% |
| What stands out | Heath | MA |
|---|---|---|
| More adults screened for colon cancer | 73.7% | 68.4% |
| More adults with COPD | 7.8% | 5.9% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
2 within 15 miles of the center of Heath
About 3 of every 100 Heath residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across Massachusetts.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
3 notable people were born in Heath.
Town in Massachusetts, United States
Heath is a town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 723 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Heath has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
3 notable people were born here, including William W. Snow and Frank E. Howe.
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