Berkshire, MA

Berkshire is a county located in the Pioneer Valley region of Massachusetts. The population was estimated at 631,596 as of 2017. Berkshire County is made up of 17 municipalities: Adams, Amherst, Ashburnham, Belchertown, Bethel, Brattleboro, Burlington, Colchester, Dalton, East Windsor, Enfield, Granby, Hadley, Hinsdale and North Adams.

The county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.5%) is water. The highest point in the county is Mount Greylock at 3267 feet above sea level.

Berkshire County was first settled by Europeans in 1634 when Thomas Mayhew and his family moved from Plymouth Colony to Westfield. The town of Westfield was chartered on October 12th that year and named for the English county where Mayhew had been born.

The first major development in Berkshire County occurred with the arrival of textile mills in the late 1800s. These mills required large amounts of water to operate and soon attracted developers who built homes near the mills to accommodate the workers who were needed to operate them. Today there are still many mill towns located throughout Berkshire County including Pittsfield (the home of Loomis Chaffee), Lee (where Brooks Brothers is headquartered), North Adams (the home of Bemis Company) and South Hadley (home to Gildan Activewear).

Real estate in Berkshire County continues to be popular due to its close proximity to Boston as well as its many recreational opportunities such as skiing at Killington Resort or hiking in nearby White Mountain National Forest. There are also many luxury homes available for sale including those located along Lake Sunapee or on estates overlooking Pittsfield or Lee Valley Reservoir