Berkshire County, Massachusetts
Among the top 2% of US counties for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade F, better than 7% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade F, better than 1% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade C, better than 49% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A+, better than 98% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade A, better than 94% of US counties
- top 5% for school quality
- top 10% for walkability
- bottom 5% for estimated total tax burden
Berkshire County is a county in Massachusetts with about 129,000 residents. It grades A+ for getting around and F for weather. Standout strengths include school quality, walkability, and airport distance. It rates lower on annual snowfall and estimated total tax burden.
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Heavy snow
freez.
very cold
cool
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warm
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v.cold
63%43%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.4 in3.1 in
humid 97%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$70k73rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$52kbetter than 16% of US counties
Home Value$266k83rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 23% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 15% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.40%better than 18% of US counties
Income Tax9.00%better than 9% of US counties
Sales Tax6.25%better than 77% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden16.40%better than 5% of US counties
Unemployment5.3%better than 39% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)23°F17th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)69°F10th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation46.0 in57th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall62.4 inbetter than 7% of US counties
Sunny Days186 daysbetter than 8% of US counties
Summer Humidity62°Fbetter than 69% of US counties
Comfortable Days72 daysbetter than 31% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk84.0better than 16% of US counties
Air Quality41 AQIbetter than 61% of US counties
School Quality100.0better than 96% of US counties
Violent Crime943/100kbetter than 39% of US counties
Property Crime1129/100kbetter than 39% of US counties
Community
Population128,76384th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age47.588th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.2241st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9621st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+482nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)86.4%62nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)2.7%56th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)5.3%53rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)1.7%81st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)3.9%61st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time21 minbetter than 74% of US counties
Walkability9.2/20better than 90% of US counties
Airport Distance42 mibetter than 84% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access87.7%better than 77% of US counties
Amenities Nearby5.51better than 70% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 84% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Berkshire County an affordable place to live?
- Berkshire County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $52k, better than 16% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Berkshire County?
- The median home value in Berkshire County is $266k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Berkshire County?
- Median household income in Berkshire County is $70k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Berkshire County?
- Median gross rent in Berkshire County is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Berkshire County safe?
- Berkshire County is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 943/100k (better than 39%). Property crime is 1129/100k.
- What is the weather like in Berkshire County?
- Berkshire County averages 69°F in July and 23°F in January, with 46.0 in of annual precipitation and about 186 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Berkshire County?
- Public-school quality in Berkshire County is above average, scoring better than 96% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Berkshire County?
- The average one-way commute in Berkshire County is 21 min.
Other counties in Massachusetts
Explore Massachusetts
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)