Hampden County, Massachusetts: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Springfield, Chicopee and Westfield
The data center boom is not abstract in Hampden County: it is on the ground here. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 7 data centers in Hampden County, 13% of Massachusetts's total. Hampden County is home to Springfield, Chicopee, Westfield and Holyoke. 10 MW of new generation is planned here across 2 units, led by Holyoke MA BESS 1 LLC (battery storage), the 6th largest pipeline among Massachusetts's counties. 10 MW of it is already under construction or built. 261 MW has retired here since 2019, including Essential Power Massachusetts LLC (natural gas, 234 MW, 2022). Unemployment was 5.7% in August 2026, against 4.3% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Hampden County
Hampden County is home to Springfield, Chicopee, Westfield and Holyoke.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Blandford, Chester, Holland, Longmeadow, Monson Center, Russell, Wilbraham.
Residents are 2025 Census estimates for the part of each city, town or township inside this county. Census publishes no annual estimate for unincorporated communities.
What changed in Hampden County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 463,651 | 464,338 | ▲ 0.1% | 8th of 14 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 212,505 | 201,216 | ▼ 5.3% | 12th of 14 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $50,619 | $64,686 | ▲ 27.8% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 7,765 | 8,095 | ▲ 4.2% | 5th of 8 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,238 | 1,405 | ▲ 13.5% | — |
| Electric utility jobs (2019 → 2025) | 895 | 878 | ▼ 1.9% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.3% | 5.7% | ▲ 1.4pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 121 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 261 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 10 MW | 1% of today's fleet | 6th of 8 by size |
Its power plants have 1,420 MW of capacity, 57% of it natural gas, the 4th largest fleet in Massachusetts. Electrical contractors employ 1,405, up 13.5% since 2019 against up 3.4% statewide, at an average $96,841 a year. Construction employs 8,095, up 4.2% since 2019. 121 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Employers here counted 201,216 jobs in 2025, down 5.3% from 2019. NSTAR Electric Company is the largest utility serving Hampden County, one of 7 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 29.91¢/kWh in 2024, above the 16.18¢ median for Massachusetts utilities. 464,338 people live here, up 0.1% since 2020, 8th of 14 Massachusetts counties by population.
Who powers Hampden County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: −140 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Hampden County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NSTAR Electric Company | Investor Owned | Bundled | 1,303,076 | 29.91¢ | 27% |
| Massachusetts Electric Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 1,210,113 | 33.60¢ | 24% |
| City of Chicopee - (MA) | Municipal | Bundled | 23,218 | 16.16¢ | 28% |
| City of Westfield - (MA) | Municipal | Bundled | 16,200 | 17.59¢ | 29% |
| City of Holyoke - (MA) | Municipal | Bundled | 15,040 | 16.58¢ | 60% |
| Town of Chester | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Russell - (MA) | — | — | — | — | — |
Customer counts, prices and sales shares cover each utility's whole system in the state, not only this county. Commercial sales include data centers.
Operating power plants 82
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 811 MW | 57% |
| Petroleum | 288 MW | 20% |
| Solar | 185 MW | 13% |
| Hydro | 102 MW | 7% |
| Battery storage | 22 MW | 2% |
| Other technologies | 8 MW | 1% |
| Wind | 5 MW | 0% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stony Brook | Massachusetts Mun Wholes Electric Co | Petroleum | 542 MW | 1981 |
| Berkshire Power | Berkshire Power Co LLC | Natural gas | 289 MW | 1999 |
| Masspower | Masspower | Natural gas | 261 MW | 1993 |
| Hadley Falls | City of Holyoke Gas and Elec Dept - (MA) | Hydro | 33 MW | 1952 |
| Cobble Mountain | City of Holyoke Gas and Elec Dept - (MA) | Hydro | 33 MW | 1930 |
| Huxley Solar | Agilitas Energy, Inc. | Battery storage | 10 MW | 2022 |
Planned generation 2
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Holyoke MA BESS 1 | Batteries | 5 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2026 | Holyoke MA BESS 1 LLC |
| Chicopee BESS | Batteries | 5 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2026 | Uriel Renovables S.A |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essential Power Massachusetts LLC | Natural gas | 234 MW | 2022 |
| Essential Power Massachusetts LLC | Petroleum | 17 MW | 2022 |
| Pioneer Valley Resource Recovery | Other technologies | 9 MW | 2022 |
| Harris Energy Realty | Hydro | 1 MW | 2019 |
The Hampden County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 201,216 | $64,686 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 8,095 | $91,350 | 0.76 |
| Electrical contractors | 1,405 | $96,841 | 0.97 |
| Electric utilities | 878 | $178,534 | 1.61 |
Concentration is the BLS location quotient: 1.0 means the industry holds the same share of local jobs as it does nationally. Industry rows count private employers; cells BLS suppresses are left out.
Data centers and local rules in Hampden County
7 data centers in Hampden County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Hampden County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Hampden County, Worcester County carries the most build-out activity: data centers, planned generation and operating plants combined.
| County | Population | Jobs since 2019 | Operating MW | Planned MW | Data centers | Local measures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hampden County | 464,338 | ▼ 5.3% | 1,420 MW | 10 MW | 7 | — |
| Berkshire County | 128,224 | ▼ 5.4% | 1,024 MW | — | — | — |
| Hampshire County | 164,065 | ▼ 2.3% | 160 MW | — | — | — |
| Hartford County CT | — | — | 407 MW | 206 MW | 6 | — |
| Litchfield County CT | — | — | 171 MW | — | — | — |
| Tolland County CT | — | — | 51 MW | — | — | — |
| Worcester County | 888,502 | ▲ 0.9% | 1,956 MW | 205 MW | 8 | — |
More of Massachusetts
Hampden County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Hampden County, Massachusetts?
7 utilities have service territory in Hampden County in the EIA-861 2024 report: NSTAR Electric Company, Massachusetts Electric Co, City of Chicopee - (MA), City of Westfield - (MA). The largest, NSTAR Electric Company, charged residential customers 29.91¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Springfield, MA in?
Springfield is in Hampden County, Massachusetts. About 154,702 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Chicopee, MA in?
Chicopee is in Hampden County, Massachusetts. About 55,310 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Westfield, MA in?
Westfield is in Hampden County, Massachusetts. About 40,546 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Hampden County?
82 operating plants with 1,420 MW of capacity. The largest is Stony Brook (542 MW, petroleum).
How much new power is planned in Hampden County?
10 MW across 2 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 10 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Holyoke MA BESS 1 LLC.
Are there data centers in Hampden County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 7 data centers in Hampden County.
Is Hampden County adding jobs?
Employers counted 201,216 jobs in 2025 against 212,505 in 2019 (-5.3%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 7,765 to 8,095.
Does Hampden County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Hampden County. Massachusetts has 17 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.