Population 129,430 · Census ACS 2020–24
Choose a measure to map it.Tap a measure to map it. Swipe the row for more. Arrows show the change since 2006–10.
Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Younger residents
Older residents
Colorblind friendly
off
More maps of Berkshire County: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in Berkshire County
Household size in Berkshire County
| Period | Berkshire County | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.29 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.26 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.19 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.18 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.10 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Berkshire County are small: just 2.18 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Household size has dropped from 2.29 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Berkshire County has the smallest households of any Massachusetts county.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Berkshire County
| Period | Berkshire County | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 43.8 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 45.1 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 47.2 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 47.3 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.5 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
Berkshire County skews older: half of its residents are older than 47.3, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 43.8, in line with the national trend.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Berkshire County
| Period | Berkshire County | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.3% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.8% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.4% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.6 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are about as common in Berkshire County as they are nationally: 10.7%, against 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has edged down 0.6 points, as it has nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Berkshire County
Renters in Berkshire County
| Period | Berkshire County | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.1% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 31.5% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 30.8% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 30.1% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.0 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
About three in ten households in Berkshire County rent their homes (30.1%), a little below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. About four in ten owners (39.2%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. Rentals cluster in the center; owners are most common in the southwest. Since 2006–10, the renter share has edged down 1.0 points, even as the national share rose.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Berkshire County
| Period | Berkshire County | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.3% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 17.4% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 19.9% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 16.0% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.3 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Berkshire County: 16.0% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Vacancy has edged down 1.3 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Berkshire County
| Period | Berkshire County | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1953 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1954 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1954 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1956 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +5 | +6 |
Berkshire County is a place of older homes: half were built before 1956, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The newest homes are mostly in the southwest, the oldest in the northeast. Berkshire County has the oldest homes of any Massachusetts county.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Berkshire County
| Period | Berkshire County | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $784 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $840 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $960 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,361 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$577 | +$775 | +$606 |
Rent in Berkshire County runs $1,361 a month at the median, utilities included, below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $577 a month since 2006–10, up 74%, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 32.9% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the southwest; the most affordable are in the northeast.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Berkshire County
Bachelor's degrees in Berkshire County
| Period | Berkshire County | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 30.0% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 32.0% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 34.1% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 39.5% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +9.5 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are a bit more common in Berkshire County than nationally: 39.5% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. Still, the share is lower than in Massachusetts as a whole (47.2%). The share with a degree is up 9.5 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Of Massachusetts' 14 counties, only two have a lower share of college graduates.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Berkshire County
| Period | Berkshire County | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 90.2% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 90.6% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 91.4% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.0% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.8 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Berkshire County is above the national rate: 94.0% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 3.8 points, as it has nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Berkshire County
| Period | Berkshire County | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.5% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.5% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.1% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.4% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.1 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.4%, unemployment in Berkshire County is the same as the national rate. Unemployment has fallen 2.1 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Berkshire County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berkshire County | 2.18 | 47.3 | 10.7% | 30.1% | 16.0% | 1956 | $1,361 | 39.5% | 94.0% | 5.4% |
| Hampshire County | 2.31 | 40.8 | 8.1% | 32.2% | 10.0% | 1967 | $1,516 | 52.5% | 95.9% | 5.4% |
| Franklin County | 2.23 | 47.6 | 9.8% | 29.9% | 8.9% | 1962 | $1,211 | 40.0% | 94.4% | 5.4% |
| Worcester County | 2.56 | 41.1 | 11.7% | 34.2% | 6.8% | 1965 | $1,549 | 39.8% | 90.9% | 5.3% |
| Otsego County | 2.38 | 42.0 | 9.1% | 26.1% | 19.9% | 1961 | $939 | 33.9% | 92.1% | 6.4% |
| Middlesex County | 2.56 | 40.3 | 8.3% | 38.7% | 5.9% | 1962 | $2,208 | 59.5% | 93.0% | 4.3% |
| Suffolk County | 2.36 | 35.9 | 12.1% | 63.5% | 9.3% | 1957 | $2,151 | 50.4% | 86.9% | 6.7% |
| Chenango County | 2.31 | 45.8 | 10.8% | 24.6% | 18.2% | 1965 | $910 | 19.9% | 89.8% | 6.1% |
| Cortland County | 2.26 | 39.0 | 11.1% | 33.7% | 10.0% | 1961 | $1,046 | 28.3% | 90.4% | 4.7% |
| Tompkins County | 2.11 | 36.3 | 8.1% | 45.9% | 9.9% | 1971 | $1,436 | 61.0% | 95.4% | 5.7% |
| Schuyler County | 2.40 | 46.7 | 9.3% | 20.8% | 21.9% | 1967 | $1,117 | 26.3% | 90.6% | 6.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Cache County, UT · Humboldt County, CA · Napa County, CA · Brunswick County, NC · Cochise County, AZ · Linn County, OR · Florence County, SC · Ponce Municipio, PR · Hampton City, VA · Strafford County, NH
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Berkshire County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
No other site shows detail at this level for free. We are able to keep this site free by receiving a small commission from the referring links on this page. Please share or cite this page if you aren’t able to otherwise support our work.