Places › Massachusetts › Pittsfield

Living in Pittsfield, MA

Small city in Massachusetts

Pittsfield is a small city in Massachusetts, home to about 44,000 people, with 225,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, there is some transit, though many people drive. Life moves at a slow, calm pace, and homes are a mix of apartments and houses.

Is Pittsfield a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Mild summers: highs around 77°F
  • Low natural disaster risk: 7 federally declared disasters since 2000
  • Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $311k and rents for $2,110 a month
  • Great outdoors: hills or mountains nearby

👎 Cons

  • Higher taxes: about $3,502 state income tax per resident, 1.64% property tax
  • Fewer family amenities than most places
  • Cloudier than most places
  • Quieter on culture: few museums and attractions nearby

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Pittsfield ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
44,000
225,000 within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
33°F / 77°F
Average daily highs · 77″ snow a year
3-bedroom home
$311k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$2,110/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
95
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$3,502
State income tax per resident · 1.64% property tax
Safety
1.9× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
7 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly flooding
Top-rated hospitals
2
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Adults with a degree
34%
1 research university within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
ALB
34 mi away

Living in Pittsfield: common questions

What is the cost of living in Pittsfield?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $311k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $2,110 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are below the US average (index 95, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Pittsfield?

Massachusetts collects about $3,502 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 1.64% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Pittsfield safe?

Violent crime is well above the national rate (1.9× in FBI 2019 data).

What is the weather like in Pittsfield?

Pittsfield has long, snowy winters: winter days average around 33°F and summer days around 77°F, with roughly 77″ of snow a year.

Does Pittsfield get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from flooding: 7 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.31 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Pittsfield?

The nearest major airport is ALB, about 34 mi away.

How Pittsfield scores

Each bar compares Pittsfield with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City size Small town Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quiet Suburban Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting around Some transit Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or nature Nature on the doorstep Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️Climate Long, snowy winters Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of living Affordable Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️Pace Slow & calm Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝Community Friendly community AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡Housing Apartments & houses ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housing Good
💸Low taxes Poor
💼Job market Below average
🏥Healthcare Good
🎓Education Below average
🧸Kids & family Poor
🐕Dog-friendly Average
⛰️Outdoors Good
🎭Culture Below average
🛡️Safety Moderate crime
🌪️Few natural disasters Excellent
☀️Sunny Poor
🌤️Mild summers Excellent
✈️Airport Good

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Is Pittsfield right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

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Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.