Hampshire County, MA elected officials: county commissioners, sheriff, school board and cities

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Hampshire County: 5 seats on 5 elected bodies. 2 seats were on the November 3, 2026 ballot; they update once the county certifies its results.

County officers

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
Clerk of CourtsDaniel R. Carey Democratic source
Register of ProbateMark Smith Ames Democratic sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
SheriffPatrick J. Cahillane Democratic source
Register of Deeds, Hampshire DistrictMary K. Olberding Democratic source
District Attorney, Northwestern DistrictDavid E. Sullivan Democratic sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet

How many local governments Hampshire County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 41 local governments in Hampshire County. This page lists the ones whose offices are elected.

Kind of governmentCensus count (2022)Listed on this page
Cities, towns, villages and townships (3 municipal, 17 township)200
School districts (school boards)50
Special districts (elected boards)160

Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments: Government Units Listing (census.gov).

About these counts

The Census Bureau counts every independent local government once, in the county it assigns it to: the one it mostly serves or where it's based. A city or district that crosses county lines is counted in only one county, so it may be listed on this page but counted elsewhere, or the other way around. Many special districts, such as housing authorities, have appointed boards, and some places have more than one elected body, so the two columns measure different things. School systems run by a county, city or the state aren't counted as separate governments (14 in Hampshire County), though their boards may be listed here; in some states the Bureau counts community or state colleges as school districts. The counts are as of 2022.

Who lives in Hampshire County

162,028people
37.4median ageU.S.: 38.9
$87,001 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
11.3%below the U.S.: 12.5%
51.6%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$390,300median home valueU.S.: $332,700
5%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
8.4%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
5.1%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
1.7%U.S.: 8.4%
56.6%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
27.7%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 7.4% · White 80.3% · Black 2.5% · Asian 5.3% · Other or more than one race 4.5% (Hispanic or Latino people can be of any race; the other groups are non-Hispanic.)

Census Bureau, 2020–2024 5-year estimates (data.census.gov).

About these figures

The American Community Survey asks about 3.5 million households a year about who lives there, their work, income, schooling and housing. The 5-year estimates pool 2020–2024 answers so that every county and district has enough of them. They're estimates with a (larger for smaller places), and they're different from the once-a-decade census count. "Median" means half are above and half below. Household income is before taxes and includes everyone in the household. The unemployment share here is the survey's five-year average, so it differs from the monthly rate in the BLS jobs report. Race and Hispanic origin are as people describe themselves.

Health insurance means any coverage, private or public (such as Medicaid or Medicare), when people answered; the share is of everyone except people on active military duty and people living in institutions such as prisons and nursing homes. The housing shares are of renting households, and of homeowners with a mortgage, for whom the Census Bureau can compute them (households with no income, or renters who pay no cash rent, are left out). Rent here is gross rent, rent plus utilities; owner costs include the mortgage, property taxes, insurance, utilities and fees.

Jobs in Hampshire County

3.8%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 4.2%. Massachusetts: 4.1%.
3,256people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
81,468people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
84,724in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Hampshire County 0.0%2.0%4.0%6.1%8.1% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)3.8%3,25681,46884,724
August 20263.9%3,36182,38985,750
July 20264.2%3,58581,66285,247
June 20263.6%3,09582,15285,247
May 20263.8%3,15380,61783,770
April 20263.8%3,18781,01984,206
March 20264.1%3,48081,09884,578
February 20264.8%4,08080,94685,026
January 20264.9%4,13980,58784,726
December 20254.5%3,90982,25586,164
November 20254.5%3,85482,25386,107
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20254.2%3,56881,85785,425
August 20254.3%3,69082,57086,260
July 20254.3%3,66682,38986,055
June 20254.0%3,50783,57287,079
May 20254.1%3,57482,88686,460
April 20253.7%3,24383,89087,133
March 20254.3%3,75083,30487,054
February 20254.3%3,76582,90386,668
January 20254.1%3,53381,68185,214
December 20243.7%3,25583,77687,031
November 20243.7%3,23783,61386,850
October 20243.6%3,14883,44786,595
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)4.2%3,64282,68786,329
20243.8%3,25782,84686,103
20233.3%2,75281,24683,998
20223.5%2,99881,62884,626
20214.8%4,02979,35383,382
20207.7%6,29175,43981,730
20192.9%2,52983,91186,440
20183.2%2,79383,40486,197
20173.7%3,09881,21684,314
20163.9%3,27479,70382,977

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, : BLS publishes county figures only that way, so they rise and fall with the seasons; compare a month with the same month a year earlier rather than with the month before. Massachusetts's figure above is on the same basis; seasonally adjusted, as in BLS's monthly state release, it was 4.3% in September 2026. The latest month is preliminary and is revised the next month, and BLS revises earlier years each spring. People are counted where they live. October 2025 wasn't collected during the 2025 federal government shutdown, so 2025's yearly average covers 11 months.

Police in Hampshire County

Police staffing

1.48 per 1,000 residents2025, 17 agencies serving 168,090 people.
248sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.
39civilian staff2025, full-time.
Agencies counted (17), 2025
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Amherst Police Department411745,764
Northampton Police Department53031,862
South Hadley Police Department30718,513
Easthampton Police Department30216,018
Belchertown Police Department22115,380
Hadley Police Department1765,276
Ware Police Department21110,169
Granby Police Department1146,055
Southampton Police Department1116,171
Hatfield Police Department403,317
Williamsburg Police Department402,469
Pelham Police Department201,359
Cummington Police Department10817
Worthington Police Department101,178
Chesterfield Police Department001,171
Goshen Police Department00938
Westhampton Police Department001,633
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
20252481.483917
20242541.526017
20232571.514517

Full-time employees of the county's city police departments and sheriff's office, as each reported them to the FBI (Uniform Crime Reporting, Law Enforcement Employees), per 1,000 people in the areas those agencies serve (the FBI's population figures). A year is shown only when every one of these agencies sent a count; a count under half or over double the agency's own counts in nearby years is treated as not sent. Towns policed under contract by another agency are counted through that agency. State police, campus and other agencies aren't included. Sheriffs' offices often also run the county jail and courthouse security, so their staff counts include those jobs.

Quick answers

Who is the Hampshire County Clerk of Courts?
Daniel R. Carey (Democratic) is the Clerk of Courts of Hampshire County, Massachusetts.
Who is the Hampshire County Register of Probate?
Mark Smith Ames (Democratic) is the Register of Probate of Hampshire County, Massachusetts. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Hampshire County Sheriff?
Patrick J. Cahillane (Democratic) is the Sheriff of Hampshire County, Massachusetts.
Who is the Hampshire County Register of Deeds, Hampshire District?
Mary K. Olberding (Democratic) is the Register of Deeds, Hampshire District of Hampshire County, Massachusetts.
Who is the Hampshire County District Attorney, Northwestern District?
David E. Sullivan (Democratic) is the District Attorney, Northwestern District of Hampshire County, Massachusetts. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
What is the population of Hampshire County?
About 162,028 people, with a median age of 37.4; the median household income is $87,001 and 11.3% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Hampshire County?
3.8% in September 2026 (preliminary): 3,256 people unemployed in a labor force of 84,724, against 4.2% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Hampshire County?
41 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 3 municipal, 17 township, 5 school district and 16 special district governments.

Officeholders as of November 6, 2026, from the Secretary of the Commonwealth's certified election statistics (PD43+) of each seat's last election, and the county governments' own pages for their commissioners; officials appointed since an election may differ; each name links to its source. Officials change between elections (appointments, resignations), and the body's own website is the authority. Party is shown only for offices elected on a partisan ballot.

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