Berkshire County, Massachusetts


Berkshire County is the westernmost county in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. As of the 2020 census, the population was 129,026. Its largest city and traditional county seat is Pittsfield. The county was founded in 1761. The Berkshire Hills are centered on Berkshire County. Residents are known as Berkshirites. It exists today only as a historical geographic region, and has no county government, with the exception of the retirement board for former county workers, and the offices of the sheriff and the registrar of deeds.

Law and government

Of the fourteen Massachusetts counties, Berkshire County is one of eight that exists today only as a historical geographic region; it has limited county government. Berkshire County government was abolished effective July 1, 2000. Most former county functions were assumed by state agencies, and there is no county council or commission. The sheriff became a Commonwealth employee, but remains locally elected to perform duties within the county region and retains administrative and operational control over the Berkshire Sheriff's Office, an independent state agency created after the county government was abolished. The Berkshire Sheriff's Office runs the county jail and house of correction.
Local communities were granted the right to form their own regional compacts for sharing services, and the towns of Berkshire County have formed such a regional compact known as the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission.
Berkshire County has three Registry of Deeds Districts, one for each district.
Berkshire County is in the, a primarily rural district that makes up most of Western Massachusetts.
Berkshire County has three districts and elected Representatives in the Massachusetts House of Representatives.
Berkshire County comprises only part of one district for the Massachusetts Senate due to its low population. The district consists of all 32 cities and towns in Berkshire County as well as the following 25 communities: Ashfield, Buckland, Charlemont, Colrain, Conway, Hawley, Heath, Monroe, Shelburne, Rowe and Whately, in the county of Franklin; Blandford, Chester, Granville, Southwick, and Tolland in the county of Hampden; Chesterfield, Cummington, Goshen, Huntington, Middlefield, Plainfield, Westhampton, Williamsburg and Worthington, in the county of Hampshire. Paul Mark is the current Senator.
The Massachusetts Governor's Council, also known as the Executive Council, is composed of eight individuals elected from districts, and the Lt. Governor who serves ex officio. The eight councillors are elected from their respective districts every two years. Berkshire County is part of the 8th District.
The Council generally meets at noon on Wednesdays in its State House Chamber, next to the Governor's Office, to act on issues such as payments from the state treasury, criminal pardons and commutations, and approval of gubernatorial appointments such as judges, notaries and justices of the peace.
See also the and .

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of of which is land and is water. It is the second-largest county in Massachusetts by land area, only behind Worcester. The highest natural point in Massachusetts, Mount Greylock at, is in Berkshire County.
Berkshire County is one of two Massachusetts counties that borders three neighboring states ; the other is Worcester County. The two counties are also the only ones to touch both the northern and southern state lines.
Running north-south through the county are the Hoosac Range of the Berkshire Hills in the eastern part of the county and the Taconic Mountains in the western part of the county. Due to their elevation, the Berkshires attract tourists and summer residents eager to escape the heat of the lowlands.

Adjacent counties

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 129,026. Of the residents, 17.3% were under the age of 18 and 24.4% were 65 years of age or older; the median age was 47.8 years. For every 100 females there were 94.7 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 93.1 males. 65.3% of residents lived in urban areas and 34.7% lived in rural areas.
The racial makeup of the county was 85.9% White, 3.3% Black or African American, 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 2.5% from some other race, and 6.5% from two or more races. [Hispanic and Race (United States Census)|Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino] residents of any race comprised 5.5% of the population.
There were 57,015 households in the county, of which 22.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 30.4% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 35.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 69,759 housing units, of which 18.3% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 66.7% were owner-occupied and 33.3% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.6% and the rental vacancy rate was 7.4%.
Race / Ethnicity Pop 2000Pop 2010% 2000% 2010
White alone 126,961118,926109,26394.07%90.63%84.68%
Black or African American alone 2,5703,3344,0641.90%2.54%3.14%
Native American or Alaska Native alone 1771971650.13%0.15%0.12%
Asian alone 1,3121,6021,9990.97%1.22%1.54%
Pacific Islander alone 4023180.02%0.01%0.01%
Other race alone 1612396320.11%0.18%0.48%
Mixed race or Multiracial 1,4462,3685,8211.07%1.80%4.51%
Hispanic or Latino 2,2864,5307,0641.69%3.45%5.47%
Total134,953131,219129,026100.00%100.00%100.00%

2010 census

At the 2010 census, there were 131,219 people, 56,091 households, and 33,618 families in the county. The population density was. There were 68,508 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup of the county was 92.5% white, 2.7% black or African American, 1.2% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 1.2% from other races, and 2.1% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 3.5% of the population. The largest ancestry groups were:
Of the 56,091 households, 25.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.9% were married couples living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 40.1% were non-families, and 33.0% of households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.82. The median age was 44.7 years.
The median household income was $48,907 and the median family income was $64,783. Males had a median income of $47,401 versus $35,964 for females. The per capita income for the county was $28,300. About 7.9% of families and 11.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.5% of those under age 18 and 7.3% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census

At the 2000 census there were 134,953 people, 56,006 households, and 35,115 families in the county. The population density was. There were 66,301 housing units at an average density of. The county's racial makeup was 95.02% White, 1.99% Black or African American, 0.15% Native American, 0.99% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.59% from other races, and 1.23% from two or more races. 1.69%. were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 16.5% were of Italian, 16.4% Irish, 10.8% French, 10.3% English, 8.0% Polish, 7.1% German, 5.8% American and 5.1% French Canadian ancestry, 94.1% spoke English, 1.6% Spanish and 1.1% French as their first language.
Of the 56,006 households 27.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.00% were married couples living together, 11.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.30% were non-families. 31.60% of households were one person and 13.90% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.89.
The age distribution was 22.40% under the age of 18, 8.40% from 18 to 24, 26.40% from 25 to 44, 24.90% from 45 to 64, and 17.90% 65 or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 91.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.10 males.
The county's median household income was $39,047, and the median family income was $50,162. Males had a median income of $36,692 versus $26,504 for females. The county's per capita income was $21,807. About 6.50% of families and 9.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.30% of those under age 18 and 7.20% of those age 65 or over.

Demographic breakdown by town

Income

The ranking of unincorporated communities included on the list are reflective if the census designated locations and villages were included as cities or towns. Data is from the 2007–2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates.
RankTownPer capita
income		Median
household
income		Median
family
income		PopulationNumber of
households
1TyringhamTown$55,836$94,375$126,875358149
2RichmondTown$51,808$88,125$94,4231,671702
3AlfordTown$49,272$85,833$102,750501232
4OtisTown$44,085$63,672$70,5471,248571
5Mount WashingtonTown$40,073$68,750$69,68815064
6WilliamstownTown$39,451$72,743$97,0607,8282,859
7EgremontTown$39,236$50,848$66,5001,043529
8BecketTown$37,233$41,852$62,8231,775790
LenoxCDP$37,192$48,158$62,5691,349782
9SheffieldTown$36,640$52,181$75,0003,2551,464
10New AshfordTown$35,676$63,854$75,750225109
11West StockbridgeTown$35,092$75,543$97,7841,573640
12Great BarringtonTown$34,585$48,561$73,3697,1312,792
13CheshireTown$34,413$56,597$74,2503,2451,408
14LenoxTown$33,405$54,622$74,8445,0132,084
HousatonicCDP$33,281$28,837$27,4481,024556
15WindsorTown$33,234$74,866$99,091902321
16LanesboroughTown$33,058$66,071$82,4003,0741,240
17WashingtonTown$32,501$69,286$71,250583240
18New MarlboroughTown$32,451$67,528$68,7501,499591
19MontereyTown$32,404$42,083$47,625793302
20StockbridgeTown$31,821$53,698$69,0381,755765
WilliamstownCDP$31,808$46,622$100,8333,6521,312
21SandisfieldTown$31,746$60,104$69,706985381
22HinsdaleTown$30,753$62,596$71,4422,136860
23HancockTown$29,851$78,571$79,911713254
Berkshire CountyCounty$29,387$48,705$64,393131,22155,793
Great BarringtonCDP$28,282$40,393$66,5002,4641,021
24LeeTown$28,270$51,835$67,4075,9322,486
25PeruTown$28,080$68,523$72,344863337
26SavoyTown$27,725$58,068$58,452706293
LeeCDP$27,549$43,750$70,4171,843874
27DaltonTown$26,854$52,285$61,7396,7532,663
28PittsfieldCity$26,767$44,513$57,67344,69119,966
29FloridaTown$25,666$46,458$58,281719337
AdamsCDP$25,096$38,256$46,5545,3672,508
30ClarksburgTown$25,013$54,095$61,8361,702727
31AdamsTown$24,423$39,080$46,0218,4943,770
32North AdamsCity$20,330$36,424$51,02813,7635,867
CheshireCDP$14,088$47,361$56,125610209

History

The Mahican Native American tribe lived in the area that now makes up Berkshire County until the early 18th century, when the first English settlers and frontiersmen appeared and began setting up farms and homesteads. On April 25, 1724, "The English finally paid the Indians 460 pounds, 3 barrels of cider, and 30 quarts of rum" for what is today southern Berkshire County. This deal did not include modern Stockbridge, Richmond, and Lenox, or any northern towns. Berkshire County was the western part of Hampshire County until separated in 1761.
In the 19th century, Berkshire County became popular with the American elite, which built what they called "cottages" throughout the countryside. The Gilded Age ended in the early 20th century with the income tax, World War I, and the Great Depression. In the 20th century, some of these cottages were torn or burned down, while others became prep schools, historic sites, or bed-and-breakfast inns.
Today Berkshire is known throughout the East Coast and the country as the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra at Tanglewood. It includes attractions such as the Clark Art Institute, Norman Rockwell Museum, Naumkeag, Mass MOCA, and Hancock Shaker Village.

Communities

Cities

Towns

Census-designated places

Transportation

County-wide bus service is provided by the Berkshire Regional Transit Authority. Amtrak train service and Peter Pan intercity bus service is provided at Pittsfield.

Airports

Notable residents

Economy

This county is the highest milk producer in the state.