Geography of Springfield, Massachusetts
The area of Springfield, as reported by the United States Census Bureau, is 33.1 square miles in total. Of this, 31.9 square miles are land and 1.2 square miles (or 3.65%) are water. Springfield, which was once referred to as "The City in a Forest," has more than 4.0 square miles of municipal parkland, or 12 percent of its total land area.
Springfield, situated in the fertile Connecticut River Valley, is surrounded in all four cardinal directions by mountains, bluffs, and undulating hills. It is situated on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River, in close proximity to its confluence with two significant tributary rivers: the eastern Chicopee River, which empties into the Connecticut less than 0.5 miles north of Springfield, in the city of Chicopee, and the western Westfield River, which empties into the Connecticut opposite Springfield's South End Bridge. Springfield is situated a mere four miles south of the Connecticut state line, adjacent to the affluent suburb of Longmeadow, which underwent its own separation from Springfield in 1783.
The densely populated Metro Center district encircling Main Street in Springfield is comparatively level and parallels the north–south course of the Connecticut River. Nevertheless, as one progresses eastward, the terrain of the city becomes progressively more hilly.
Forest Park, spanning 735 acres, is the second most notable geographical feature in Springfield, following the city's rivers. Situated in the southwestern region of the city, Forest Park is encompassed by Forest Park and Forest Park Heights, two of Springfield's most picturesque garden districts that house more than 600 Victorian Painted Lady residences. Additionally, Forest Park abuts Longmeadow. Springfield is adjacent to the municipalities of Chicopee, East Longmeadow, Wilbraham, and Ludlow, among other suburbs. Springfield's Metro Center is situated less than a mile away from the tiny towns of Agawam and West Springfield, which are separated by the Connecticut River.
Springfield Country Club, situated in the autonomous city of West Springfield, which gained independence from Springfield in 1774, is another property owned by the City of Springfield.
Population of Springfield
As per the 2010 Census, Springfield was home to 153,060 inhabitants, of which 80,487 (52.6%) were female and 72,573 (47.4%) were male. The median age of the population was 32.2 years; 73.0% were older than 18 years old and 10.9% were older than 65 years old. The median age for males was 30.2 years, while that of females was 34.1 years.
Based on the findings of the 2010 Census, Springfield comprised a total of 61,706 housing units, of which 56,752 were occupied. This represented the greatest mean residential occupancy rate among the four separate metropolitan areas in Western New England, with Bridgeport, Connecticut, Hartford, and New Haven rounding out the other three. In addition, as of 2010, Springfield has the highest average homeowner occupancy ratio of any of the four Western New England metropolitan areas, at 50%. This means that 73,232 Springfield residents reside in units that are owned, while 74,111 renters do. By contrast, according to the 2010 Census data, the proprietor occupancy rate in New Haven stands at 31%, while in Hartford it is 26% and in Bridgeport it is 43%.