Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US metro and micro areas.

Safety54#424/924
Economy70#279/925
Housing7#858/925
Health66#312/925
Healthcare100#1/923
Environment80#183/917
Education88#111/925
Infrastructure93#67/925
Community76#222/925
Leisure & amenities90#97/925

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Pittsfield, MA metro area ranks highest and lowest among US metro and micro areas (score = percentile, 100 = best).

Strengths

Uninsured residents (under 65) · low2.1%
100/100Massachusetts 3.3%United States 9.8%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B27010
Mental health providers · high1,021 /100k
99/100Massachusetts 787 /100kUnited States 348 /100k2025University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Public libraries · high2.4 /10k
98/100Massachusetts 0.6 /10kUnited States 0.5 /10k2024Institute of Museum and Library ServicesAggregated from counties
Public EV charging ports · high20.6 /10k
97/100Massachusetts 16.4 /10kUnited States 7.6 /10kOct 2026U.S. Department of EnergyAggregated from counties
Primary care physicians · high121 /100k
96/100Massachusetts 103 /100kUnited States 76 /100k2022University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Dentists · high99 /100k
95/100Massachusetts 111 /100kUnited States 75 /100k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties

Weaknesses

Child care cost burden · high40.7%
6/100Massachusetts 39.7%United States 27.9%2023 & 2024University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Income inequality (Gini index) · high0.494
8/100Massachusetts 0.489United States 0.4832020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B19083
Drug overdose deaths · high28.4 /100k
12/100Massachusetts 18.2 /100kUnited States 18.4 /100kMar 2025–Feb 2026Centers for Disease Control and PreventionAggregated from counties
Violent crime rate · high436 /100k
15/100Massachusetts 303 /100kUnited States 328 /100k2025Federal Bureau of InvestigationAggregated from counties
Rent-burdened households · high54.0%
15/100Massachusetts 51.8%United States 51.1%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25070
Rent as share of income · high31.9%
17/100Massachusetts 30.9%United States 30.6%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25071

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

New business applicationsImproving
7.3 /1k (2020) → 20.0 /1k (2025)
+174%5 yearsUS 13.1 /1k → 16.6 /1k
Firearm deathsWorsening
5.4 /100k (2021) → 10.3 /100k (May 2025–Apr 2026)
+91%5 yearsUS 14.7 /100k → 12.1 /100k
Gyms and fitness centersImproving
0.6 /10k (2020) → 1.1 /10k (2025)
+77%5 yearsUS 1.2 /10k → 1.3 /10k
Access to exercise opportunitiesImproving
73.9% (2010 & 2021) → 87.1% (2022 & 2024)
+13 pts3 yearsUS 79.8% → 84.5%
Drought exposureWorsening
0% (2021) → 13% (Oct 2025–Sep 2026)
+13 pts5 yearsUS 40% → 43%
Cost of buying a home todayWorsening
28.0% (Dec 2021) → 39.5% (Aug 2026)
+11 pts5 yearsUS 26.4% → 34.1%

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Pittsfield, MA metro area improved on 14 of 32 measures with a comparison and declined on 8. 6 moved within the margin of error and 4 barely changed.

Earlier period
Latest period
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among metro and micro areas: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts. Periods differ by measure (most compare 2015-2019 with 2020-2024); each row names its own in its tooltip and in the table.

Improved14

New businesses+174%7.3 /1k → 20.0 /1k
Gyms+77%0.6 /10k → 1.1 /10k
Bachelor's++6.3 points33.6% → 40.0%
Unemployment−5.2 points9.6% → 4.4%
Uninsured−1.7 points3.9% → 2.1%

Declined8

Firearm deaths+106%5.0 /100k → 10.3 /100k
Homicides+56%1.6 /100k → 2.5 /100k
Inequality+0.0320.462 → 0.494
Suicides+27%15.5 /100k → 19.7 /100k
Commute+1.3 min19.8 min → 21.2 min

All 32 measures

Change of every measure of Pittsfield, MA metro area between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Arts, entertainment and recreation	8.4 /10k2020	8.9 /10k2025	+5.9%	Improved	42%
Average commute time	19.8 min2015-2019	21.2 min2020-2024	+1.3 min	Declined	23%
Average weekly wage	$1,0352020	$1,2982025	+25%	Improved	69%
Bachelor's degree or higher	33.6%2015-2019	40.0%2020-2024	+6.3 points	Improved	97%
Broadband subscriptions	82.4%2015-2019	90.3%2020-2024	+7.9 points	Improved	37%
Child poverty rate	15.1%2015-2019	16.0%2020-2024	+0.9 points	Within the margin of error	15%
Distance to an airport	35 mi2020	35 mi2025	0 mi	Little change	50%
Drug overdose deaths	49.0 /100k2020	28.4 /100kMar 2025–Feb 2026	−42%	Improved	72%
Effective property tax rate	1.27%2015-2019	1.13%2020-2024	−0.1 points	Little change	56%
Firearm deaths	5.0 /100k2020	10.3 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	+106%	Declined	2%
Grocery stores	1.8 /10k2020	1.6 /10k2025	−7.6%	Declined	28%
Gyms and fitness centers	0.6 /10k2020	1.1 /10k2025	+77%	Improved	93%
High school diploma or higher	91.3%2015-2019	94.1%2020-2024	+2.8 points	Within the margin of error	75%
Home price to income ratio	3.6×2015-2019	4.0×2020-2024	+0.4×	Declined	60%
Homicide rate	1.6 /100k2020	2.5 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	+56%	Declined	4%
Income adjusted for local prices	$56,6242019	$75,8852024	+34%	Improved	65%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.4622015-2019	0.4942020-2024	+0.032	Declined	6%
Median household income	$59,2302015-2019	$76,0132020-2024	+28%	Improved	56%
New business applications	7.3 /1k2020	20.0 /1k2025	+174%	Improved	99%
Pharmacies	2.4 /10k2020	2.0 /10k2025	−15%	Declined	32%
Poverty rate	10.9%2015-2019	11.4%2020-2024	+0.5 points	Within the margin of error	17%
Property crime rate	1,275 /100k2020	1,010 /100k2025	−21%	Improved	25%
Public libraries	2.5 /10k2019	2.4 /10k2024	−3%	Little change	39%
Public transit commuters	1.3%2015-2019	1.5%2020-2024	+0.1 points	Within the margin of error	92%
Rent as share of income	30.5%2015-2019	31.9%2020-2024	+1.4 points	Within the margin of error	29%
Rent-burdened households	51.3%2015-2019	54.0%2020-2024	+2.7 points	Within the margin of error	35%
Restaurants and bars	13.9 /10k2020	14.1 /10k2025	+1.2%	Little change	51%
Suicide rate	15.5 /100k2020	19.7 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	+27%	Declined	18%
Traffic deaths	10.1 /100k2015-2019	9.0 /100k2020-2024	−11%	Improved	78%
Unemployment rate	9.6%2020	4.4%2025	−5.2 points	Improved	94%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	3.9%2015-2019	2.1%2020-2024	−1.7 points	Improved	82%
Violent crime rate	478 /100k2020	436 /100k2025	−8.9%	Improved	39%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 708 metro and micro areas that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: Regional Economic Accounts; Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; Mapping Injury, Overdose, and Violence; American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates; Business Formation Statistics; Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master files; Public Libraries Survey; Fatality Analysis Reporting System; Distance to airports and intercity rail. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 925 metro and micro areas that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Metro and micro areas like Pittsfield, MA metro area five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Pittsfield, MA metro area in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Pittsfield, MA metro area itself moved −0.8 points in standing on average over the same 30 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

129,430 residents

Men
Women

80 and over
70–79
60–69

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

57,585 households (±622)

Pittsfield, MA metro area
United States share

Under $25k16%9,451
$25k–50k18%10,180
$50k–75k15%8,848

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

57,585 households (±622)

Pittsfield, MA metro area
United States share

Own70%40,263
Rent30%17,322

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

Table view

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

62,234 workers (±1,171)

Pittsfield, MA metro area
United States share

Drive alone71%44,326
Carpool7.1%4,398
Public transit1.5%912

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The 10 largest occupations in Pittsfield, MA employ 13,490 people. 9 pay a median above the US median and 1 below it.

Above the US median
Below the US median

The largest occupations in Pittsfield, MA by employment, with median annual pay and how it compares with the United States
Occupation	Jobs	Median pay	vs USCompared with the US	Concentration
Home Health and Personal Care Aides2,540 jobs	2,540	$40,160US $35,800	+12%	1.61×
Retail Salespersons1,850 jobs	1,850

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

Pittsfield, MA has 3,749 employer establishments, 291 for every 10,000 residents (1.17× the US rate of 248), with 50,051 paid employees at an average annual pay of $57,095. The Census Bureau also counts 11,661 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 3,749; 11,661 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 291; US 248
Paid employees: 50,051
Average annual pay: $57,095; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Pittsfield, MA by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Restaurants and other eating places	333	25.8	1.41×More than typical	3,960	$26,027	33
Specialty trade contractors	325	25.2	1.63×More than typical	1,617	$73,477	974
Ambulatory health care services	233	18.1	0.87×About typical	2,716	$74,806	726
Full-service restaurants	189	14.6	1.91×More than typical	2,590	$27,238	10
Construction of buildings	179	13.9	1.83×More than typical	813	$65,791	337
Services to buildings and dwellings	171	13.3	1.97×More than typical	693	$55,039	784
Building equipment contractors	137	10.6	1.76×More than typical	913	$70,067	177
Landscaping services	129	10	2.85×More than typical	322	$72,742	363
Lessors of real estate	127	9.8	0.80×Fewer than typical	513	$47,419	1,230
Limited-service restaurants	96	7.4	0.93×About typical	885	$26,609	12
Automotive repair and maintenance	83	6.4	1.28×More than typical	315	$45,810	77
Clothing and accessories stores	79	6.1	1.69×More than typical	679	$24,570	111

Rank places for an industry

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 129,026 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
A metro area's figures are the exact sums of its counties.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contract spending

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $793M on contracts performed in Pittsfield, MA metro area: $6,184 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $793M; +50% vs FY2025
Per resident: $6,184; US $1,994
Sole-source: 75%; US 30%
Single offer: 0.2%; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Department of the Navy$583.2M74%
Bureau of Engraving and Printing$180.1M23%
Federal Bureau of Investigation$15.7M2.0%
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement$4.8M0.6%
Department of Veterans Affairs$3.4M0.4%
Federal Acquisition Service$2.3M0.3%
Drug Enforcement Administration$2.2M0.3%
U.S. Marshals Service$896K0.1%

Top recipients

GENERAL DYNAMICS MISSION SYSTEMS, INC.$582.5M73%
CRANE & CO., INC.$180.1M23%
LENCO INDUSTRIES, INC.$25.6M3.2%
BERKSHIRE MA SNF LLC$2.8M0.4%
GAHCR II DALTON SNF TRS SUB LLC$411.9K0.1%

Spending by fiscal year

314.8MFY2017
481.4MFY2018
394.5MFY2019
482.8MFY2020
869.1MFY2021
510.2MFY2022
470.8MFY2023
615.4M

Top industries (NAICS)

Architectural, engineering, and related services · 5413$537.1M68%
Pulp, paper, and paperboard mills · 3221$180.1M23%
Other transportation equipment manufacturing · 3369$25.6M3.2%
Commercial and industrial machinery and equipment repair and maintenance · 8113$15.6M2.0%
Navigational, measuring, electromedical, and control instruments manufacturing · 3345$12.9M1.6%

Largest awards

REFRESH 2 US COLUMBIA PRODUCTION (UK CLINS)$348.4M
GENERAL DYNAMICS MISSION SYSTEMS, INC.· Berkshire County, MA· Weapons, aircraft, ships & vehicles· Jan 29, 2026 – Apr 16, 2026· N0003026C1005
ENGINEERING AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES FOR THE AN/BYG-1 WEAPON CONTROL SYSTEM (WCS)$155.6M
GENERAL DYNAMICS MISSION SYSTEMS, INC.· Berkshire County, MA· Professional services· Dec 7, 2016 – Nov 4, 2025· N0002409C6246
LITTORAL COMBAT SHIP INDEPENDENCE CLASS OVERALL IN-SERVICE ENGINEERING AND LIFE CYCLE SUPPORT FOR COMMAND, CONTROL, COMMUNICATIONS, COMPUTERS, COMBAT SYSTEMS, AND INTELLIGENCE SYSTEMS CRITICAL ENGINEERING DESIGN INTEGRATION AND EVALUATION.$124.4M
GENERAL DYNAMICS MISSION SYSTEMS, INC.· Berkshire County, MA· Professional services· Apr 2, 2024 – Jun 2, 2026

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026.

Federal grants & assistance

Grants, loans (counted at their subsidy cost), direct payments and insurance, by fiscal year of the action (USAspending.gov, FABS). Reported apart from contracts and never added to them.

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $984.8M in grants, loans, direct payments and insurance for Pittsfield, MA metro area: $7,680 per resident (US $12,955).

Assistance · FY2026: $984.8M; −2.4% vs FY2025
Per resident: $7,680; US $12,955
Loan face value: $15.3M; lent or guaranteed
To individuals: 0.3%; counted, never named

Top programs

96.002 · Social Security Retirement Insurance$679.2M69%
96.001 · Social Security Disability Insurance$85.3M8.7%
96.004 · Social Security Survivors Insurance$52.3M5.3%
64.109 · Veterans Compensation for Service-Connected Disability$41.1M4.2%
96.006 · Supplemental Security Income$26.8M2.7%
14.871 · Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers$13.8M1.4%
14.195 · Project-Based Rental Assistance (PBRA)$11.6M1.2%
20.265 · Carbon Reduction Program$9.1M0.9%

Top recipients (organizations)

MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION$32.1M3.3%
BOSTON, MA
PITTSFIELD HOUSING AUTHORITY$7.9M0.8%
PITTSFIELD, MA
NORTH ADAMS HOUSING AUTHORITY$6.8M0.7%
NORTH ADAMS, MA
BERKSHIRE COMMUNITY COLLEGE$4.8M0.5%
PITTSFIELD, MA
PRESIDENT & TRUSTEES OF WILLIAMS COLLEGE

Organizations only: awards to individuals and county aggregate records count in the totals but are never listed. Grants to state governments recorded at the agency's own address are counted statewide, not in the capital's county.

Top agencies

Social Security Administration$843.6M86%
Under Secretary for Benefits/Veterans Benefits Administration$47.5M4.8%
Department of Veterans Affairs
Federal Highway Administration$32.1M3.3%
Department of Transportation
Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing$17M1.7%
Department of Housing and Urban Development
Assistant Secretary for Housing--Federal Housing Commissioner

Assistance by fiscal year

864.8MFY2021
828.9MFY2022
900.5MFY2023
931.3MFY2024
1BFY2025
984.8MFY2026

County aggregates

91%

Share of obligations reported only as county totals of many small awards (for example Social Security or Medicare payments), with no recipient named.

Source: Federal financial assistance transactions (Financial Assistance Broker Submission) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026 · FY2021–FY2026.

Counties in Pittsfield, MA

Whole counties, as the U.S. Office of Management and Budget delineates the area. Federal spending below is the exact sum of these counties.

Berkshire CountyCentral county83128,224

Principal cities

The cities the area is named for.

PittsfieldPrincipal city43,457

Largest cities and towns

By population, for places with most of their residents in the area.

Other metro and micro areas in Massachusetts

Areas based in Massachusetts, best score first.

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Places that share a border, best score first.

Similar metro and micro areas

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

Mapping Injury, Overdose, and ViolenceCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2026-10-01
PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Daily county PM2.5 and ozone (EPA downscaler model)Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · release 2022
Care Compare: Hospital General Information and Timely and Effective CareCenters for Medicare & Medicaid Services · release 2026-07-22
Distance to airports and intercity railFederal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census Bureau · release 2025+amtrak-2026-04-23
Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master filesFederal Bureau of Investigation · release 2025
Public Libraries SurveyInstitute of Museum and Library Services · release FY2024
U.S. Drought Monitor county statisticsNational Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAA · release 2026-09-29
Fatality Analysis Reporting SystemNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration · release 2024
nClimGrid-Daily county averagesNOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · release 2025
Regional Economic AccountsU.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · release 2024
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
Quarterly Census of Employment and WagesU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2026 Q1
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Business Formation StatisticsU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-10-01
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Alternative Fuels Data Center station locatorU.S. Department of Energy · release 2026-10
Election Administration and Voting SurveyU.S. Election Assistance Commission · release 2024
Air Quality Index Annual Summary by CountyU.S. Environmental Protection Agency · release 2025
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement
Zillow Home Value Index, Observed Rent Index and affordabilityZillow Research · release 2026-08

JSON · /api/v1/places/M38340

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends

What changed in five years

Improved14

Declined8

Metro and micro areas like Pittsfield, MA metro area five years ago that improved

Who lives here

Age and sex

Income

Household income

Homes

Owners and renters

Getting to work

How people get to work

Jobs and pay

Local businesses

Federal contract spending

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

Federal grants & assistance

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

Counties in Pittsfield, MA

Principal cities

Largest cities and towns

Other metro and micro areas in Massachusetts

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Similar metro and micro areas

Data and sources

Improved14

Declined8

Age and sex

Household income

Owners and renters

How people get to work

Race and Hispanic origin

Education

Rent paid

Home values

Age of homes

Size of homes

Time to get to work

Look up any occupation

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

By type

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

What was bought