Berkshire County, Massachusetts

County Distress Index: Elevated · 52.1 | 126,818 people · 4th most distressed in Massachusetts
American Default Research

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Berkshire County, MA registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 52.1 — 1451st nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within Massachusetts, it ranks 4th of 14 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Berkshire County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 85.6 — worse than roughly 86% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 85.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 95
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 85
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 90
Homeownership Rate 71
Rent-to-Income Ratio 88
Employment & Wages 58.4
Unemployment Rate 80
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 85
Business Formation Rate 9
Income & Poverty 58.2
Poverty Rate 41
Income vs. State Median 90
Child Poverty Rate 43
Debt & Delinquency 33.7
Debt in Collections 31
Medical Debt 32
Student Loan Delinquency 46
Auto Loan Delinquency 35
Credit Card Delinquency 42
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 15
Community Vulnerability 24.5
Uninsured Rate 0
Disability Rate 49

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed. The median line is shown on each bar.

Neighbors and Peers

How Berkshire County compares to its 7 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Berkshire County
Berkshire County, MA 52.1 Elevated —
Hampden County, MA 68.5 Serious +16.4
Franklin County, MA 57.7 Elevated +5.6
Hampshire County, MA 48.8 Normal -3.3
Bennington County, VT 45.3 Normal -6.8
Rensselaer County, NY 43.8 Normal -8.3
Columbia County, NY 42.5 Normal -9.6
Dutchess County, NY 38.6 Normal -13.5

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Berkshire County
Jackson County, MI 52.1 Elevated -0.0
Ellis County, TX 52.1 Elevated +0.1
Pike County, PA 52.2 Elevated +0.1
Erie County, OH 52.0 Elevated -0.1
Cambria County, PA 52.2 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Berkshire County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Berkshire County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Berkshire County.

BERKSHIRE COUNTY REGIONAL HOUSING AUTHORITY-H
Pittsfield
413-443-7138 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial Counseling

See all counselors in Massachusetts →

Find an Attorney

Massachusetts Bar Association — Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

Massachusetts Bar Association — Lawyer Referral Service 617-654-0400 (Boston); 1-800-392-6164 (statewide)

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Berkshire County residents at no cost.

Greater Boston Legal Services (GBLS) 617-603-1700
Massachusetts Legal Aid (MLA) — Statewide Hotline 617-603-1700 (GBLS); see MassLegalHelp.org for regional offices
South Coastal Counties Legal Services (SCCLS) 508-979-7150 (New Bedford); 508-775-7020 (Hyannis)
Harvard Legal Aid Bureau 617-495-4408
Community Legal Aid, Inc. (508) 752-3718
Northeast Legal Aid, Inc. (978) 458-1465
Volunteer Lawyers Project of the Boston Bar Association (617) 603-1700

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Massachusetts →

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Berkshire County, Massachusetts?

    Berkshire County has a County Distress Index score of 52.1 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,451st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 4th in Massachusetts out of 14 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Berkshire County?

    The primary driver of distress in Berkshire County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 85.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Berkshire County compare to neighboring counties?

    Berkshire County (52.1) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Hampden County, MA (68.5); Franklin County, MA (57.7); Hampshire County, MA (48.8).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses percentile-rank averaging across five domains: Debt & Delinquency, Income & Poverty, Housing Cost Burden, Employment & Wages, and Community Vulnerability. Each county's indicators are ranked against all 3,144 U.S. counties. A score of 50 means the county is at the national median; higher scores indicate greater distress.

  • What is the population of Berkshire County?

    Berkshire County, Massachusetts has a population of approximately 126,818 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.