County · code 25013
Hampden CountyMassachusetts
Hampden County is a county in Massachusetts with its seat in Springfield. It was established in 1812, named after John Hampden.
- Founded1812
- County seatSpringfield
- Named forJohn Hampden
- Land area617 sq mi + 17 sq mi water
- Population465,825 2020 Census
- Parcels mapped156,167 checked 15 October 2026
Where it is
Hampden on the map of Massachusetts
Massachusetts has 14 counties and county equivalents, each with its own records office. Shapes with a page are links.
History
Formed in 1812 from Hampshire County
An old deed may name a county that no longer exists, or a boundary that has since moved.
Hampden County was created from Hampshire County on August 1, 1812. It exchanged narrow strips with Tolland County in Connecticut in 1826 when an irregularity in the state boundary was straightened. The county gained a small area from Worcester County in 1831 when Palmer gained from Western, and gained from Hampshire in 1909 when Holyoke gained from Northampton.
- 1812Hampden County created Hampden created from Hampshire. · Mass. Acts 1812, ch. 137/p. 291
- 1826Exchanged territory Hampden exchanged narrow strips with Tolland (Connecticut) when an irregularity in the state boundary was straightened. · Bowen, Disputes, 66; Hooker, 28
- 1831Gained territory Hampden gained small area from Worcester when town of Palmer gained from town of Western (now Warren). · Mass. Acts 1831, ch. 37/p. 545
- 1853Lost territory Hampden lost to Hampshire when town of Norwich (now Huntington) gained from towns of Chester and Blandford. · Mass. Acts 1853, ch. 421, sec. 1/p. 639
- 1909Gained territory Hampden gained from Hampshire when town of Holyoke gained from town of Northampton. · Mass. Acts 1909, ch. 480, sec. 1/p. 498
Show all 8 changes
- 1812Hampden County created Hampden created from Hampshire. · Mass. Acts 1812, ch. 137/p. 291
- 1826Exchanged territory Hampden exchanged narrow strips with Tolland (Connecticut) when an irregularity in the state boundary was straightened. · Bowen, Disputes, 66; Hooker, 28
- 1831Gained territory Hampden gained small area from Worcester when town of Palmer gained from town of Western (now Warren). · Mass. Acts 1831, ch. 37/p. 545
- 1853Boundary clarified Boundary between Hampden and Berkshire was clarified when line between towns of Sandisfield and Tolland was clarified (no change).with Berkshireno change· Mass. Acts 1853, ch. 293/p. 535
- 1853Lost territory Hampden lost to Hampshire when town of Norwich (now Huntington) gained from towns of Chester and Blandford. · Mass. Acts 1853, ch. 421, sec. 1/p. 639
- 1855Boundary clarified Boundary between Hampden and Berkshire was redefined when line between towns of Sandisfield and Tolland was redefined (no change).with Berkshireno change· Mass. Acts 1855, ch. 358, sec. 1/p. 755
- 1909Gained territory Hampden gained from Hampshire when town of Holyoke gained from town of Northampton. · Mass. Acts 1909, ch. 480, sec. 1/p. 498
- 1910Boundary clarified Boundary between Hampden and Hampshire was redefined in part when line between towns of Ware and Palmer was redefined (no change).with Hampshireno change· Mass. Acts 1910, ch. 471, sec. 1/p. 422
Land and parcels
What the maps cover in Hampden
Who publishes each layer, how good it is, and when we last checked.
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Parcels Good enough
Lot lines and tax-map numbers for 156,167 parcels from MassGIS (Bureau of Geographic Information), Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Drawn for tax purposes: usually within a few feet of a survey, but not a survey.
checked 15 October 2026 -
Address points Official
One point per address, 227,409 in all from MassGIS.
checked 14 October 2026 -
Buildings Reference
Roof outlines traced from aerial imagery from FEMA Response Geospatial Office with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Good for seeing what is on a lot; not accurate enough to set a fence from.
checked 18 October 2026
- Official
- from the office that keeps the record
- Good enough
- a reliable statewide or national copy
- Fallback
- a guide only; check the official record
- Missing
- nothing public found yet
People and land
Hampden by the Census
Source: US Census Bureau, 2020 Census; US Census Bureau, 2020 Gazetteer Files. Not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Rules and offices
Who to ask before you build, dig or sell
Official county pages only. We link to them; we do not copy them, because they change.
In Massachusetts, permits, zoning and assessing are handled by each city or town, not the county, and deeds are recorded at the county's registry of deeds (search the registries).
GIS and maps
County government
- County government
The official website of Hampden County.
See your own lot on these maps
Open Hampden County on Parcel Chart's free map and click your parcel. Save it with a free account; the full record of your place (site map, projects, documents) is Pro, in early access.
Questions
Common questions about Hampden County
- When was Hampden County founded?
- Hampden County was founded in 1812, formed from Hampshire County, and named after John Hampden.
- What is the county seat of Hampden County?
- The county seat of Hampden County is Springfield.
- Is there an online parcel map for Hampden County?
- Yes. MassGIS (Bureau of Geographic Information), Commonwealth of Massachusetts publishes a parcel map of 156,167 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.
- Has Hampden County's boundary or name changed?
- Hampden County was created in 1812 from Hampshire County. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 4 later changes, chiefly involving Hampshire County, Tolland (Conn.) County and Worcester County.
- Is my lot in a flood zone?
- We do not have flood maps for Hampden County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.
Nearby