COUNTY
Berkshire County
Massachusetts · 128,224 residents (2025 est.) · 927 sq mi
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Part of the Pittsfield metro area
The short version
With 129,430 people, Berkshire County is a county in Massachusetts. At a median age of 47.3, this is an older place than the country as a whole. Few US counties rank higher on income. Households here earn about 27% less than in Massachusetts as a whole. 6% of locals were born outside the United States. Getting to work takes 21 minutes on average.
At a glance
Lower income
median household income $76,013, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 47.3
US median: 38.9
More educated
40% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 46%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Berkshire County
What changed most since 1990
- Median home value (2024 dollars)$274,808 → $305,400 (+11%)US over the same years: +67%
- Median age35.9 → 47.3 (+11.4 years)US over the same years: +6.0 years
- White share96.5% → 84.8% (−11.7 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
Among the 14 counties in Massachusetts
- 12th in household income$76,013
- 11th in share with a bachelor's degree40.0%
- 13th in home value$305,400
- 12th in diversity score34.3
Section 01
Population & growth
129,430
−4%since 2000
from 134,953 in 2000
128,224 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Land area
927 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
2024129K
Age distribution, 2024
Under 53.8%(4,925)
5 to 94.5%(5,818)
10 to 144.4%(5,681)
15 to 196.6%(8,507)
20 to 246.5%(8,412)
25 to 3410.5%(13,537)
35 to 4411.5%(14,887)
45 to 5411.4%(14,781)
55 to 6415.8%(20,465)
65 to 7414.3%(18,565)
75 to 847.5%(9,757)
85 and over3.2%(4,095)
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy
$76,013
+7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $39,047 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Households earning $100K+
50.5%
+19.9 ptssince 2009
from 30.6% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information10.7%
Retail trade7.6%
Wholesale trade5.9%
Other services5.4%
Finance & insurance3.9%
Public administration3.8%
Professional, scientific, technical3.1%
Arts, entertainment, food1.9%
Transportation & warehousing1.3%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1.1%
Construction1%
Education & health services0.8%
Manufacturing0.1%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03
Housing
$305,400
+46%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $115,100 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
4.0
−1%since 2009
from 4.1 in 2009
1990 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
56
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity
2000
White, non-Hispanic94.1%(126,961)
Black1.9%(2,570)
Hispanic / Latino1.7%(2,286)
Asian1%(1,312)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic84.8%(109,712)
Black2.6%(3,310)
Hispanic / Latino5.9%(7,591)
Asian1.9%(2,458)
Other4.9%(6,359)
34
+88%since 2009
from 18 in 2009
1990 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
35
+14%since 2020
from 31 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry
Hispanic origin
Puerto Rican2.1%(2,744)
South American1.4%(1,758)
Central American0.9%(1,153)
Colombian0.8%(1,065)
Salvadoran0.6%(719)
Mexican0.4%(534)
Ecuadorian0.3%(346)
Guatemalan0.2%(280)
Peruvian0.2%(268)
Dominican0.2%(261)
Spaniard0.2%(214)
Cuban0.2%(210)
+ 6 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Chinese0.5%(639)
Asian Indian0.3%(417)
Nepalese0.3%(353)
Korean0.3%(324)
Vietnamese0.1%(138)
Malaysian0.1%(105)
Cambodian0.1%(97)
Filipino0%(57)
Laotian0%(52)
Japanese0%(47)
Taiwanese0%(45)
Bangladeshi0%(39)
+ 2 more asian origin groups with data
Indonesian0%(33)
Thai0%(31)
Ancestry
Irish19%(24,567)
Italian14.8%(19,190)
English13.8%(17,922)
German10.4%(13,411)
French9%(11,692)
Polish6.6%(8,552)
American4.2%(5,498)
French Canadian3.2%(4,095)
Scottish2.6%(3,347)
Russian1.4%(1,823)
Subsaharan African1%(1,277)
Swedish0.9%(1,229)
+ 44 more ancestry groups with data
Dutch0.9%(1,200)
Scotch-Irish0.7%(908)
Canadian0.6%(801)
Arab0.6%(716)
Ukrainian0.5%(707)
British0.5%(673)
Lebanese0.5%(655)
Welsh0.5%(613)
Lithuanian0.4%(560)
Norwegian0.4%(540)
Austrian0.4%(520)
Danish0.4%(511)
Hungarian0.4%(459)
West Indian0.3%(451)
Greek0.3%(427)
Portuguese0.3%(418)
Finnish0.3%(401)
Croatian0.3%(371)
Swiss0.3%(331)
Czech0.2%(289)
Romanian0.2%(217)
Ghanaian0.2%(211)
Brazilian0.1%(172)
Cape Verdean0.1%(168)
Slovak0.1%(165)
Jamaican0.1%(147)
Belgian0.1%(138)
Serbian0.1%(131)
Armenian0.1%(121)
Trinidadian & Tobagonian0.1%(111)
Turkish0.1%(81)
Latvian0.1%(74)
Nigerian0.1%(69)
Haitian0%(57)
Iranian0%(53)
Israeli0%(37)
Moroccan0%(23)
Slovene0%(20)
Palestinian0%(14)
Egyptian0%(13)
Syrian0%(11)
Ethiopian0%(9)
Kenyan0%(3)
Bulgarian0%(2)
Section 05
Education
High school or higher
94.1%
+9.0 ptssince 2000
from 85.1% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Section 06
Commute & transportation
Section 07
Work & employment
Women 20-64 in the labor force
77.7%
−1.0 ptssince 2020
from 78.7% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Section 08
People & community
Computer in household
94.3%
+3.9 ptssince 2020
from 90.4% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married38%(20,881)
Married47.5%(26,058)
Widowed3.4%(1,852)
Divorced11.1%(6,111)
Women 15+
Never married31.9%(18,560)
Married45.4%(26,360)
Widowed9%(5,256)
Divorced13.6%(7,928)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage
Direct-purchase
16.7%
−0.7 ptssince 2020
from 17.4% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
VA health care
1.7%
−0.7 ptssince 2020
from 2.4% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
70.7%
−0.5 ptssince 2020
from 71.2% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
46.9%
+1.2 ptssince 2020
from 45.7% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans
Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)16.1%(1,029)
Gulf War (1990s)13.9%(894)
Vietnam era38.7%(2,480)
Korean War7.1%(458)
World War II1.8%(116)
Share of the 6,411 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time
Berkshire County, decade by decade
| Year | Population | Median household income | Median home value | Bachelor's degree+ | Diversity score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 139,352 | $73,130 | $274,808 | 20.9% | 8.6 |
| 2000 | 134,953 | $71,130 | $209,672 | 26.0% | 14.3 |
| 2010 | 131,219 | $70,356 | $298,935 | 29.6% | 22.0 |
| 2020 | 129,026 | $75,348 | $267,861 | 35.3% | 34.7 |
| 2024 | 129,430 | $76,013 | $305,400 | 40.0% | 34.3 |
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
Drill deeper
Places similar to Berkshire County
Newton County
Pop 125,583
Clark County
Pop 130,451
Tazewell County
Pop 130,049
Carroll County
Pop 131,036
Places similar to Berkshire CountyHead to head
Compare Berkshire County to nearby counties
BERKSHIRE COUNTY VS
Columbia County
Income$81,528+7%
Home value$347,100+14%
Population60,168−53%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BERKSHIRE COUNTY VS
Rensselaer County
Income$87,915+16%
Home value$258,400−15%
Population160,510+25%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BERKSHIRE COUNTY VS
Hampshire County
Income$87,001+14%
Home value$390,300+28%
Population164,065+28%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BERKSHIRE COUNTY VS
Hampden County
Income$71,306−6%
Home value$298,800−2%
Population464,338+262%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Berkshire County, Massachusetts?
Berkshire County, Massachusetts has about 129,430 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Berkshire County, Massachusetts?
The typical household in Berkshire County, Massachusetts earns about $76,013 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Berkshire County, Massachusetts expensive?
In Berkshire County, Massachusetts, the median home is worth about $305,400, and the typical rent is about $1,097 a month.
How educated are people in Berkshire County, Massachusetts?
About 40.0% of adults age 25 and over in Berkshire County, Massachusetts hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Berkshire County, Massachusetts?
About 11.4% of people in Berkshire County, Massachusetts live below the federal poverty line.
Has Berkshire County, Massachusetts grown since 1990?
Yes, Berkshire County, Massachusetts has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 9,922 residents, a change of about -7 percent over that period.
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All counties in MassachusettsDATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024