Map the Block › Places › Massachusetts › Berkshire County
Berkshire County, Massachusetts in numbers: crime, income, hazards
Berkshire County averaged 4.2 reported violent crimes per 1,000 residents a year in 2021-2025, 33% higher than the Massachusetts rate (3.1). The median household earns $76,013 and the unemployment rate was 4.1% in August 2026. Population: about 129,430 (Census, 2020-2024).
Last updated . Crime: FBI 2021-2025. Income and housing: Census ACS 2020-2024. Unemployment: BLS August 2026. Road work: October 11, 2026.
Also on the map: income · hazard risk · Superfund · dams
What is the crime rate in Berkshire County?
Police agencies in Berkshire County reported an average of 521 violent crimes and 1,364 property crimes a year from 2021 to 2025. The violent rate, 4.2 per 1,000 people, is 33% higher than the Massachusetts rate (3.1); nationally it is 3.7. For property crime the county rate is 10.9 per 1,000 (Massachusetts: 10.7; U.S.: 18.1). Most violent crimes here are aggravated assaults (79%). CDC death records show about 4 homicide deaths a year in the county (2.9 per 100,000), a count that includes cases police may classify differently.
| Offense (yearly average, 2021-2025) | Berkshire County | Per 1,000 | Massachusetts per 1,000 | U.S. per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crime | 521 | 4.2 | 3.1 | 3.7 |
| Murder | 3 | 0.02 | 0.02 | 0.06 |
| Rape | 68 | 0.54 | 0.28 | 0.40 |
| Robbery | 35 | 0.28 | 0.37 | 0.62 |
| Aggravated assault | 414 | 3.3 | 2.5 | 2.6 |
| Property crime | 1,364 | 10.9 | 10.7 | 18.1 |
| Burglary | 314 | 2.5 | 1.3 | 2.4 |
| Larceny-theft | 953 | 7.6 | 8.4 | 13.0 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 97 | 0.77 | 1.0 | 2.6 |
Most crime never reaches the police, so these are reported crimes, a floor rather than the full count. In 2024 about half of violent crimes (48%) and about 3 in 10 property crimes (31%) were reported to police (U.S. Justice Department, National Crime Victimization Survey). Rates also depend on how completely each agency reports to the FBI. County figures add up the city police and sheriff reports in the county (21 agencies; 96% of residents covered).
What is the median household income in Berkshire County?
Half of households in Berkshire County make more than $76,013 and half make less; across Massachusetts the midpoint is $103,960. Owner-occupied homes have a median value of $305,400, and the median rent is $1,097 a month. 16.5% of households received SNAP benefits in the past year (state: 14.7%). The newest monthly figure from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is 4.1% for August 2026 (preliminary), with 2,663 people out of work and looking.
| Census ACS 2020-2024 | Berkshire County | Massachusetts | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 129,430 | 7,044,056 | 334,922,499 |
| Median household income | $76,013 | $103,960 | $80,734 |
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $305,400 | $562,100 | $332,700 |
| Median gross rent | $1,097 | $1,762 | $1,413 |
| Unemployment rate (2020-2024 average) | 5.4% | 5.2% | 5.2% |
| People below the poverty line | 11.4% | 10.0% | 12.5% |
| Households receiving SNAP (food stamps) | 16.5% | 14.7% | 12.1% |
| Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher | 40.0% | 47.3% | 35.7% |
| Homeowner households | 69.9% | 62.5% | 65.2% |
| Median age | 47.3 | 40.0 | 38.9 |
| Households with broadband internet | 90.3% | 92.8% | 91.0% |
| People without health insurance | 1.7% | 2.6% | 8.4% |
What natural hazards and environmental sites are in Berkshire County?
On FEMA's National Risk Index, Berkshire County has an overall natural-hazard risk rating of “Relatively Moderate”. No single hazard among floods, wildfire, tornadoes, heat waves, earthquakes and hurricanes is rated higher than “Relatively Moderate”. The index compares counties with each other and also weighs how vulnerable and resilient a community is, so it is a long-run estimate, not a forecast.
Superfund sites
EPA lists 1 active Superfund site (final or proposed) in Berkshire County: Rose Disposal Pit. A listing means EPA is managing a long-term cleanup; it does not by itself mean anyone is exposed today.
High-hazard dams
The National Inventory of Dams lists 47 high-hazard dams in Berkshire County. 6 are rated Poor or Unsatisfactory in condition, 40 Satisfactory or Fair. The two tallest are Bear Swamp - South Dike (140 ft) and Fife Brook (130 ft). “High hazard” describes what lies downstream (people would probably die if the dam failed), not how likely the dam is to fail.
Industrial chemical releases
9 facilities in the county filed Toxics Release Inventory reports for 2024, together reporting 31,935 pounds of listed chemicals released on site. Reported releases are legal permitted amounts in most cases.
Disasters, air and water
No federal major disaster declaration covered Berkshire County from 2016 through 2025 (COVID-19 excluded). In 2024, 0 of 366 monitored days had an air quality index of “unhealthy for sensitive groups” or worse (EPA). Of 41 community water systems, none had an open health-based drinking-water violation in EPA's records (September 2026). EPA puts the county in radon zone 2 (moderate). NHTSA counted 13 traffic deaths in the county in 2024, including 3 pedestrians.
Is there road construction in Berkshire County?
On October 11, 2026 the state transportation feed listed 25 highway work zones in Berkshire County (5 active that day). Where crews are working: I-90, US 7 and RT-8. 9 are on interstates. The map's construction layer is refreshed every morning.
See today's work zones on the map →
How many schools, nursing homes and parks are in Berkshire County?
Berkshire County has 49 public schools (2024-25) and 14 private schools (2023-24) in federal school lists. 13 nursing homes are certified by Medicare or Medicaid here; star ratings for each are on the map and on Medicare's Care Compare. USGS mapping shows 45 fire or EMS stations and 28 police or sheriff stations. 9 state parks or recreation areas: Ashmere Lake State Park, Balance Rock State Park, Bash Bish Falls State Park, Bates Memorial State Park and Clarksburg State Park and 4 more.
Gun shops, liquor stores and Planned Parenthood in Berkshire County
Gun shops
4 gun shops with a public storefront are on the map in Berkshire County, plus 10 more licensed dealers without a public storefront (not shown). On the ATF list: Bill's Sporting Goods (No Adams), Charland Jewelers INC (Pittsfield), Cheshire Sporting Goods (Pittsfield) and Daves Sporting Goods INC (Pittsfield).
Liquor stores
37 liquor stores are on the map in Berkshire County: A&B Package & Variety (Housatonic), Berkshire Liquors (2 in Lee), Berkshire Wine & Liquor (Pittsfield), Cheshire Liquor Center (Cheshire), Chico's Wine and Spirits (Pittsfield), Dare Bottleshop and Provisions (Lenox), Daves Package Store (North Adams), Domaney's Liquors and Fine Wines (Great Barrington) and 28 more. Massachusetts has no complete public liquor licence list we can use, so this count also draws on OpenStreetMap and Overture Maps and may miss some stores or include closed ones.
Planned Parenthood
There is no Planned Parenthood health center in Berkshire County on the map.
See them on the map: gun shops · liquor stores →
Sources: ATF licensee list (Sept 2026); state liquor licence lists, OpenStreetMap and Overture Maps (non-official; partial in some states); HHS Title X directory and CMS NPPES.
Common questions
What is the crime rate in Berkshire County?
Berkshire County averaged 521 reported violent crimes a year in 2021-2025, or 4.2 per 1,000 residents, 33% higher than the Massachusetts rate (3.1). The property-crime rate was 10.9 per 1,000 (FBI Uniform Crime Reporting).
What is the median household income in Berkshire County?
$76,013 (Census American Community Survey, 2020-2024 average), compared with $103,960 for Massachusetts and $80,734 nationally.
What is the unemployment rate in Berkshire County?
The newest monthly figure from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is 4.1% for August 2026 (preliminary), with 2,663 people out of work and looking.
What natural hazards affect Berkshire County?
On FEMA's National Risk Index, Berkshire County has an overall natural-hazard risk rating of “Relatively Moderate”. No single hazard among floods, wildfire, tornadoes, heat waves, earthquakes and hurricanes is rated higher than “Relatively Moderate”.
Are there Superfund sites in Berkshire County?
EPA lists 1 active Superfund site (final or proposed) in Berkshire County: Rose Disposal Pit.
Is there road construction in Berkshire County right now?
On October 11, 2026 the state transportation feed listed 25 highway work zones in Berkshire County (5 active that day). Where crews are working: I-90, US 7 and RT-8. 9 are on interstates.
How many nursing homes are in Berkshire County?
13 Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing homes (CMS provider data, September 2026).
How does Berkshire County compare with neighboring counties?
| County | Population | Violent crimes per 1,000 (2021-25) | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bennington County, VT | 37,269 | 2.7 | $73,325 |
| Columbia County, NY | 61,100 | 0.53 | $81,528 |
| Dutchess County, NY | 298,220 | 1.2 | $99,478 |
| Franklin County | 70,944 | 2.9 | $74,907 |
| Hampden County | 462,815 | 5.6 | $71,306 |
| Hampshire County | 162,028 | 2.3 | $87,001 |
| Northwest Hills Planning Region, CT | 113,216 | 0.82 | $93,551 |
| Rensselaer County, NY | 160,332 | 2.0 | $87,915 |
More: Massachusetts statewide numbers · Sex-offender registry search (U.S. Justice Department, NSOPW)
Where do these numbers come from?
- Crime: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting 2021-2025 (agency level, Return A), averaged and summed by county by Map the Block; Census population; state and national rates: FBI estimated crimes 2021-2025.
- Income, housing, education: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year, table B19013 (median household income) and related tables.
- Monthly unemployment: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS), county data, not seasonally adjusted. Public domain.
- Hazards: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), county scores; disasters: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
- Superfund: U.S. EPA, Superfund site boundaries and NPL status (October 2026). Dams: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National Inventory of Dams (public map service, October 2026). Chemical releases: U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory, reporting year 2024 (basic data file).
- Air and water: U.S. EPA AirData, annual AQI by county 2024; EPA Air Quality Design Values 2023-2025 (June 2026); U.S. EPA SDWIS via ECHO drinking-water download (September 30, 2026). Traffic deaths: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2024; Census population.
- Work zones: State departments of transportation, via the U.S. DOT Work Zone Data Exchange (WZDx) and state 511 feeds; refreshed every morning (snapshot October 11, 2026).
- Schools: National Center for Education Statistics, EDGE public school locations 2024-25; budgets: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances, fiscal year 2024; National Center for Education Statistics, EDGE Private School geocodes (Private School Survey 2023-24). Nursing homes: U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Nursing Home Provider Information and Penalties (September 2026). Stations: U.S. Geological Survey, National Structures Dataset (Fire Stations/EMS Stations), October 2026 pull.
- Parks: USGS Protected Areas Database of the U.S. (PAD-US 4.1); state park agencies' open data (CA, NY, PA, TN, TX, FL, NJ, KY, HI, UT, MT and others); OpenStreetMap contributors for some hours, phones, fees and camping; U.S. National Park Service: unit boundaries (Land Resources Division), Acreage Report (Sept 30, 2026), park pages on nps.gov (hours, fees), Visitor Use Statistics (2025).
Map the Block shows public statistics about places, not people, and does not rate or rank neighborhoods as places to live. Figures are as published by each source; check the source before relying on a number.
Home · Open the map · All places · About the data · Privacy · Terms