Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 2,577, incorporated in 1783.
For most people who can afford it, yes. Holland grades B overall, ranked 178th of 282 in Massachusetts. It has 9 miles of trail. Crime is low: it reports less per resident than 89% of U.S. towns. The trade-off is money: homes are expensive, about $380K for a typical one and 5.3 times the Springfield metro’s $71K median household income. 20% of the land in Holland is conserved, near the Massachusetts town median (19%) and above the median of U.S. towns (4.3%). No town in Massachusetts scores lower than Holland on history. The biggest park or preserve is Norcross Wildlife Sanctuary, at 729 acres.
Where Holland beats most towns.
Where Holland’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Massachusetts), ordered by how far Holland is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 428 in 1790, a low of 137 in 1930, 2,603 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1937 and 8 maps from 1887 on.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Holland, 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 Holland.
Holland is a second-home town, sends most of its workers to Sturbridge and beyond and is healthy by national standards but behind most towns in Massachusetts.
Reported crimes fell from 14 to 1 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings. Violent crime is rare: 0 reported in 2025, 0 per 1,000 residents.
At 0.4 per 1,000 residents, Holland’s property crime rate is against 4.9 in Massachusetts’ towns and 9.9 across U.S. towns. Holland’s violent crime rate is 0 per 1,000 residents.
| Holland | Massachusetts towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0.4 per 1,000 residents | 4.9 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0 per 1,000 residents | 1.5 | 1.6 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Its public schools are run by the Holland school district. Its one school is below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Holland ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 212 | B− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MA on state tests and graduation
95% of Holland households own their home. Typical home values rose 4.9% in the year to September 2026. The median rent in Holland is $1,750 a month.
| Holland | Massachusetts towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 95% | 79% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,750 a month | $1,682 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Holland has 134 jobs for its 1,152 working residents: even if every job went to a resident, most would still commute out. The average commute takes 36.2 minutes, against 29.1 across Massachusetts.
Most working residents leave Holland for work: only 3% work in town. Since 2013, Holland has added 24 jobs, to 134 in 2023. The top destinations are Sturbridge (9%), Worcester (8%) and Southbridge Town (7%).
| Holland | Massachusetts towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 36 minutes | 30 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 3.2% | 9.9% | 8% |
| Median household income | $92,000 | $120,000 | $80,000 |
| Work from home | 12% | 18% | 11% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Quinebaug Woods | 1.3 mi | 43 |
| 2. Leadmine Wildlife Management Area | 1.2 mi | 316 |
| 3. Norcross Wildlife Sanctuary | 0.2 mi | 729 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Holland has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with plenty of rain. July afternoons reach 81°, January nights drop to 17° and about 64 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Within Massachusetts it is less healthy than 83% of the 279 graded towns: Massachusetts sets a high bar.
Holland beats the Massachusetts average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 6. 28% of adults have been diagnosed with depression in Holland.
| Holland | Massachusetts towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 24% | 23% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 16% | 17% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 35% | 33% | 33% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 12% | 14% |
| What stands out | Holland | MA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 4.1% | 5.2% |
| More smokers | 14% | 11.3% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 58% of U.S. communities. Since 2005, 4 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Holland.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Holland. Close and well known come first.
Big draw17 mi LakeLake Chaubunagungamaug
21 mi National Historic SiteSpringfield Armory National Historic Site14K visitors a year
22 mi LakeQuabbin Reservoir
22 mi Theme parkSix Flags New England
6 mi MuseumOld Sturbridge Village
32 mi Stadium & arenaPeoplesBank ArenaLake Chaubunagungamaug: Bree from Worcester, MA, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Springfield Armory National Historic Site: National Park Service, Public domain · Quabbin Reservoir: engineerchange, CC BY 2.0 · Six Flags New England: Canadaolympic989, Public domain · Old Sturbridge Village: Wgmleslie at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 2.5 · PeoplesBank Arena: PeoplesBank Arena, CC BY 2.5
1 within 15 miles of the center of Holland
About 5 of every 100 Holland residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across Massachusetts.
3 notable people were born in Holland.
Town in Massachusetts, United States
Holland is a town in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 2,603 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The area around the town center comprises the census-designated place of Holland.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
3 towns share a border with Holland.
| Town | MA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Holland | #178 | B | D | A | B | B |
| Wales | — | — | C | A+ | B | B |
| Brimfield | #103 | A− | C | A | B | A− |
| Sturbridge | #146 | B+ | C | B− | B | A |
Wales has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Compare Holland with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
For most people who can afford it, yes. Holland grades B overall, better than 57% of U.S. towns and #178 of 282 in Massachusetts. It grades B for health, A for safety and B for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a D.
Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D.
Holland was incorporated in 1783. 3 notable people were born here, including George Henry Chapman and Joel Crouse.
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