Pittsfield, MA

Pittsfield, Massachusetts

Introduction to Pittsfield, Massachusetts

Pittsfield, Massachusetts, in Berkshire county, is 29 miles SE of Albany, New York (center to center) and 111 miles W of Boston, Massachusetts. It's situated at the fork of the west and east branches of the Housatonic River and is bordered by the Berkshire Hills and the Taconic Range. The city is regarded as one of the primary population centers located in Western Massachusetts. In 2005 Farmers Insurance ranked the city as the 20th "Most Secure Place to Live" in the nation for towns with a population under 150,000. GE Advanced Materials, Chemex Corporation, General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems, Laurin Publishing and General Systems are some of the major employers.

Pittsfield History

The area was settled in 1752 and incorporated in 1761. It was named in tribute to William Pitt, a British nobleman and politician. Pittsfield was primarily an agricultural community, however there were a large number of mills due to the area's numerous streams.

Pittsfield became a major center for producing wool after the arrival of Merino sheep from Spain in 1807. The wool industry became the city's primary employer. In 1891 the Electric Manufacturing Company created the first electric transformer. The company was the forerunner of the well known General Electric. The population had enormous growth due to the success of GE.

Pittsfield Attractions

• Berkshire Museum features exhibits on natural science, ancient civilizations and art. It has an exhibit of Dinosaurs and Paleontology.
• Hebert Arboretum offers a wide variety of trees and plants in a natural environment.
• Wahconah Park is a popular baseball stadium.
• The Colonial Theatre is from the Vaudeville age and is known for having excellent acoustics.
• The city is known for its excellent musical theaters.
• Pittsfield includes homes from the mid-18th century and numerous historic neighborhoods.
• The Ellen Crane Memorial Sculpture Gallery offers neoclassical sculptures.
• The Feigenbaum Hall of Innovation is focused on the area's innovators.
• Arrowhead is the home of Herman Melville, the famous writer.
• The Berkshire Opera Company performs at the Koussevitzky Arts Center, located at Berkshire Community College.

Pittsfield Activities

The Pittsfield State Forest offers cross-country skiing and hiking trails, a swimming area and is available for camping. Housatonic Valley Wildlife Management Area is nearby. Canoe Meadows Wildlife Sanctuary includes fields, wooded areas and wetlands. The Bousquet Ski Area and Summer Resort offers skiing, go-karts, water slides and a variety of activities. The Ashuwillticook Rail Trail is popular with hikers. The area offers numerous trails for hiking enthusiasts including the Brickhouse Mountain, Cheshire Harbor, Taconic Skyline, Turner and the Wild Cat trails.

The Konkapot Brook, Farmington River - West Branch, the Westfield River and the Fall River provides opportunities for whitewater paddling. Onota Lake is utilized for canoeing, kayaking and fishing. Ski Butternut, Catamount and Jiminy Peak are some of the available skiing areas. Pontoosuc Lake Country Club, Cranwell Resort & Golf Club and the Wahconah Country Club are popular with golfing enthusiasts.

Pittsfield Transportation

Air travel is available at the Albany International Airport.

Pittsfield Higher Education

Berkshire Community College is situated in Pittsfield. The Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts and Westfield State College are located in the region.

High Points

Pittsfield strengths, compared to Peers (similar size places nationally) or State (other places in Massachusetts):

Category	Trophy
Short Commute Times (vs. State)	Top 3%
Affordability of Rents (vs. State)	Top 7%
Low Property Crime (vs. Peers)	Top 8%
Affordability of Property Taxes (vs. State)	Top 16%

Comparative Profile of Pittsfield, MA

Comparing Pittsfield to similar size places nationwide (Peers) and to other places in Massachusetts (State):

Ratings range from (lowest) to (highest).

The People

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Senior Citizens
Age of the Population
Female Share of the Population
Well-Paid Single Men
Children Under 5 Years Old
Male Share of the Population
Racial Diversity

Families

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Portion of People Married
Average Household Size

Wealth

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
People in Middle Class or Better
People Above Poverty
College Educated Adults
Median Family Income

Commute & Sprawl

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Short Commute Times
Walking and Biking to Work
Public Transportation Use
Working at Home

Housing

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Seasonal and Vacation Housing
People Living Alone
Affordability of Rents
Studio & One-Bedroom Rentals
Affordability of Property Taxes
Housing Recently Built

Crime

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Low Property Crime
Low Violent Crime

Pittsfield Almanac

Pittsfield Climate

Nearest Weather Stations

• Temp ranges are avg daily min and max for the month
• Precipitation is rainfall (and rainfall equiv of snowfall)

Pittsfield Population (2000)

(From 2000 Census, as reported by individuals)

Neighborhood and Nearby Area Names

According to the US Postal Service, Pittsfield, its neighborhoods, and/or surrounding areas are also referred to as:

Note that not all alternate names are acceptable for use in US Post Office addresses.

Nearby Cities and Towns

Pittsfield Public Libraries

More Information for Librarians

Pittsfield Hospitals

BERKSHIRE MEDICAL CENTER INC
(Voluntary non-profit - Other)
725 NORTH STREET
(413) 447-2000
Emergency Service: Yes

Starbucks in Pittsfield

Wal-Mart in Pittsfield

Pittsfield High Schools (2004)

TACONIC HIGH
96 VALENTINE ROAD
413-448-9600
Serves 1,011 students.
Student/teacher ratio: 11.8

PITTSFIELD HIGH
300 EAST STREET
413-499-9535
Serves 891 students.
Student/teacher ratio: 12.7

HIBBARD ALTERNATIVE
280 NEWELL STREET
413-448-9635
A Non-traditional School
Serves 69 students.
Student/teacher ratio: 7.7

Pittsfield Colleges

Click school name for a detailed profile.

Berkshire Community College

Mildred Elley

(List of All Massachusetts Colleges)

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