Palmer Town, Massachusetts
Palmer Town is a city of 12,381 people in Hampden County, Massachusetts, founded in 1727.
Why visit Palmer Town
Townapedia lists 23 museums and landmarks, 28 parks and trails, 12 places to eat, 1 place to stay and 15 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Crossman Bridge, Friendly Ice Cream sign, Brimfield Center Historic District and Jacob Thompson House.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 82°F; February lows average 15°F, and about 48 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Palmer Town
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Palmer Town
Palmer is a city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. With a population of 12,448 at the 2020 census, Palmer is the least populous city in the Commonwealth. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. Palmer adopted a home rule charter in 2004 with a council-manager form of government.
From the Wikipedia article Palmer, Massachusetts (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do15
Crossman Bridge
Bridge · National Register of Historic Places · 3.5 mi
Bridge in United States of America
Friendly Ice Cream sign
Monument and historic site · 5.1 mi
Advertising sign made of hedges by Massachusetts Turnpike in Wilbraham, Massachusetts
3 more on the map.
Museums and landmarks23
Brimfield Center Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.4 mi
Historic district in Massachusetts, United States
Jacob Thompson House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 5.6 mi
Historic house in Massachusetts, United States
Memorial Town Hall
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 6.3 mi
Rathaus in Massachusetts, United States of America
Monson Center Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 6.3 mi
Historic district in Massachusetts, United States
Monson Developmental Center
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.3 mi
Historical hospital in Massachusetts
Palmer Memorial Hall
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.5 mi
Library in Massachusetts, United States of America
Union Station
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.6 mi
Former railway station in Palmer, Massachusetts, United States
United States Post Office–Palmer Main
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.4 mi
Fixed construction in Massachusetts, United States of America
Ware Center Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 5.2 mi
Historic district in Massachusetts, United States
Ware Millyard Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 6.0 mi
Historic district in Massachusetts, United States
Ware Town Hall
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 5.9 mi
Rathaus in Massachusetts, United States of America
Warren Public Library
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 6.1 mi
Public library of Warren, Massachusetts, United States
11 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds28
16 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes12
Tables at the Farm
Restaurant · American, Breakfast, Burger, Coffee Shop, Diner, Local, Pancake · 2.3 mi
3092 Palmer Street
Mo-Su 06:00-14:00
Domino's
Fast food · Pizza · 1.3 mi
1219 Thorndike Street, Palmer
Mo-Th 10:30-24:00; Fr-Sa 10:30-01:00; Su 10:30-24:00
Subway
Fast food · Sandwich · 2.3 mi
1049 Thorndike Street, Palmer
Mo-Th 09:00-21:00; Fr 09:00-22:00; Sa 09:00-21:00; Su 10:00-20:00
History
Palmer is composed of four separate and distinct villages: Depot Village, typically referred to simply as "Palmer" (named for the ornate Union Station railroad terminal designed by architect Henry Hobson Richardson), Thorndike, Three Rivers, and Bondsville. The villages began to develop their distinctive characters in the 18th century, and by the 19th century two rail lines and a trolley line opened the town to population growth. Today, each village has its own post office, and all but Thorndike have their own fire station.
From the History section of Palmer, Massachusetts on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay1
Churches and places of worship6
Warren First Congregational Church – Federated Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 6.1 mi
Saint Paul's Unitarian Universalist Church of Palmer
Place of worship · 2.4 mi
1060 Central Street, Palmer
Shopping2
Gas and EV charging6
Schools, colleges and libraries17
Healthcare3
Map of Palmer Town
113 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 33°F | 15°F | 3.5 in | 12.3 in |
| Feb | 35°F | 15°F | 3.1 in | 13.7 in |
| Mar | 44°F | 24°F | 3.7 in | 8.8 in |
| Apr | 56°F | 34°F | 3.7 in | 1.4 in |
| May | 68°F | 45°F | 3.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 77°F | 54°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 82°F | 60°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 80°F | 58°F | 4.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 73°F | 52°F | 4.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 60°F | 40°F | 4.8 in | 0.2 in |
| Nov | 49°F | 30°F | 3.5 in | 1.5 in |
| Dec | 38°F | 22°F | 4.0 in | 9.6 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Belchertown (7 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Hampden County has had 19 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2023-09-15: Hurricane Lee (Hurricane)
- 2020-03-27: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2013-04-19: Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2012-10-28: Hurricane Sandy (Hurricane)
- 2012-01-06: Severe Storm And Snowstorm (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Ware Airport (UWA) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 8 miles away.
- Springfield 13 mi southwest, about 21 min by car
- Chicopee 14 mi west, about 22 min by car
- Amherst Town 16 mi northwest, about 25 min by car
- Holyoke 17 mi west, about 28 min by car
- Longmeadow 17 mi southwest, about 27 min by car
- Easthampton 19 mi west, about 31 min by car
- Agawam Town 20 mi southwest, about 32 min by car
- Northampton 21 mi northwest, about 34 min by car
- Windsor Locks 25 mi southwest, about 41 min by car
- Worcester 26 mi east, about 42 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- St Pauls Church, Palmer MA, John Phelan, CC BY 3.0
- WarrenMA CrossmanBridge, User:Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Union Station, Palmer, Mass, reivax from Washington, DC, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Ware Mills District, Marcbela (Marc N. Belanger), CC0
- Memorial Hall, June 2012, Monson MA, John Phelan, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Warren Mass Library, Marcbela (Marc N. Belanger), Public domain
- Post Office, Palmer MA, John Phelan, CC BY 3.0
- MonsonMA DevCenter 3, User:Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Congregational Meeting House, Ware MA, John Phelan, CC BY 3.0
- WarrenMA FederatedChurch, Kamundell, CC BY-SA 3.0
- MonsonMA JacobThompsonHouse, Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Hitchcock Free Academy - Brimfield, MA - DSC04631, Daderot, CC0
- William Norcross House, Monson, Massachusetts, Doug Kerr from Albany, NY, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Ware Town Hall, Pmeleski, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Memorial Hall, Palmer MA, John Phelan, CC BY 3.0
- Town Hall, Warren MA, John Phelan, CC BY-SA 4.0
- WareMA OtisMillNumberOne, Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 3.0
- St. Mary's Church, Ware MA, John Phelan, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Monson First Congregational Church, Monson MA, John Phelan, CC BY 4.0
- Civic lessons, User:ktr101, CC BY-SA 4.0
- State Street railroad crossing, Palmer MA, John Phelan, CC BY 4.0
- Central Massachusetts Railroad tracks at Summer Street, June 2021, Pi.1415926535, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Big Y (Palmer, Massachusetts) (41874929891), JJBers from Willimantic, Connecticut, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Central Mass track east of Bondsville, June 2021, Pi.1415926535, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Deck of Central Mass bridge over Hampden Railroad, June 2021, Pi.1415926535, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Central Mass bridge over Hampden Railroad, June 2021, Pi.1415926535, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Porpidia albocaerulescens 118169167, Lynn Harper, CC0
- Four Corners Cemetery, Thorndike MA, John Phelan, CC BY 4.0
- Hampden Railroad abutments at Thorndike Road, October 2014, Kevin Rutherford from United States, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Hampden Railroad abutments at Thorndike Street, June 2021, Pi.1415926535, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Deck of Central Mass bridge over State Street, June 2021, Pi.1415926535, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Central Mass bridge over State Street, June 2021, Pi.1415926535, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Central Mass tracks near State Street, June 2021, Pi.1415926535, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Hampden Railroad abutments at Sykes Street (2), December 2014, Pi.1415926535, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Hampden Railroad abutments at Sykes Street, December 2014, Pi.1415926535, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Hampden Railroad abutment at Sykes Street, June 2021, Pi.1415926535, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Hampden Railroad memorial stone, June 2021, Pi.1415926535, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Springfield & Eastern Street Railway workers in downtown Palmer, Massachusetts with Car 369 (1905), Unknown author Unknown author, Public domain
- Saint Bartholomews Church, Bondsville MA, John Phelan, CC BY-SA 4.0
- West approach to SNE West Brimfield bridge, June 2021, Pi.1415926535, CC BY-SA 4.0
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