The Town FilesHolden, Massachusetts
Town in Worcester County · population 19,905 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $470,700
- Household income
- $141,923
- Jan low / Jul high
- 17° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 73 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 16
- Median age
- 41.5
Holden is a town of 19,905 people in Worcester County, Massachusetts. The median home is worth $470,700, below the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). It ranks better for families than 92% of Massachusetts towns, more of a college town than 84% of Massachusetts towns, more upscale than 83% of Massachusetts towns.
How Holden ranks
Percentile among Massachusetts towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Massachusetts towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Holden is worth $470,700, below the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). Homes cost about 3.3 times the median household income of $141,923, which is more affordable than 94% of Massachusetts towns. Median rent is $1,648 a month. 85.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Holden | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $470,700 | $510,150 |
| Median rent | $1,648 | $1,561 |
| Median household income | $141,923 | $108,622 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.3× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 85.3% | 80.7% |
| Median year built | 1971 | 1968 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Holden
| People | Holden | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.5 | 44.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.7% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 24.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 58.2% | 45.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.4% | 6.3% |
| Veterans | 4.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 9.4% | — |
| Work from home | 18.2% | 17.7% |
| Average commute | 27.3 min | 30.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 96.3% | 93.9% |
Weather in Holden
July highs average 79.8°F and January lows 17.1°F. About 48.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 72.9 inches of snow (typical Massachusetts town: 49.5 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 130 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Holden since 1950, compared with 8 for the typical Massachusetts town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on June 9, 1953 about 2.2 miles from the town center and killed 90. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 92 deaths and 1,230 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on September 6, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 29 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on June 30, 1960.
Severe weather in Worcester County since 1996
Worcester County has been included in 32 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 15, 2024 | Flood | DR-4780: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| September 15, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3599: Hurricane Lee |
| March 27, 2020 | Biological | DR-4496: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3438: Covid-19 |
| July 19, 2018 | Snowstorm | DR-4379: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
Jobs and pay in Worcester County
Worcester County had 351,476 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $71,641 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Holden itself the ACS puts it at 4.7%.
Public schools in Holden
6 public schools with 4,194 students, about 14.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wachusett Regional High | 9-12 | 1,861 | 13.8 |
| Mountview Middle | 6-8 | 751 | 14.2 |
| Dawson | K-5 | 488 | 15.3 |
| Leroy E.Mayo | K-5 | 479 | 15.5 |
| Davis Hill Elementary | K-5 | 475 | 15.8 |
| Early Childhood Center | PK-PK | 140 | 20.0 |
Towns near Holden
- West Boylston, MA4.1 mi · 7,877 people · home $440,000
- Paxton, MA5.0 mi · 5,004 people · home $472,300
- Rutland, MA5.9 mi · 9,049 people · home $462,800
- Worcester, MA6.6 mi · 206,518 people · home $374,400
- Princeton, MA6.8 mi · 3,495 people · home $520,500
- Boylston, MA7.5 mi · 4,849 people · home $578,600
- Sterling, MA7.7 mi · 7,985 people · home $498,800
- Leicester, MA8.5 mi · 11,087 people · home $413,100
Holden questions
Is Holden, Massachusetts a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Holden scores better for retirees than 45% of Massachusetts towns and quieter than 24%. 18.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.5).
How much does a house cost in Holden?
The median owner-occupied home in Holden is valued at $470,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $141,923, so homes cost about 3.3 times income. Median rent is $1,648 a month.
What is the weather like in Holden?
July highs average 79.8°F and January lows 17.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.3 inches of precipitation a year and 72.9 inches of snow.
Does Holden get tornadoes?
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Holden since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on June 9, 1953. The typical Massachusetts town has had 8.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)