Pittsfield, MA — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

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Berkshire County · Pittsfield · population 43,121

Investors
Pittsfield, MA
Image: Wikipedia · Pittsfield, Massachusetts
OverviewCost of livingMoving guide
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68
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Pittsfield stands

At or near all-time high. averaging 7.3% annual growth over 5 years.

Median home $305,530
1-year +1.3%
5-yr CAGR +7.3%
vs 5-yr peak +0.0%
Population -0.5%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2026-04$306k$147k$204k$261k$318k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
32/100
Very car-dependent
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
22/100
Transit limited
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
82/100
Excellent for remote work
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

Rent trajectory · last 5 years

Zillow ZORI · monthly
$1,442/mo$1,134$1,360$1,58620242026

Home value vs rent · indexed to 100

Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)
Home valueRent11711910012020242026

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 17.7
Lean buy

At a 17.7 price-to-rent ratio, Pittsfield is in the 'depends on horizon' zone. Buy if you'll be there 5+ years and value flexibility on the home; rent if you might move, want zero maintenance friction, or expect rates to drop.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
57 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
76 · w22%
Distance from peak
90 · w18%
Population growth
38 · w16%
Rent YoY
75 · w12%
Home 10-yr CAGR
73 · w10%
Long thesis

Pittsfield has held up across the cycle: home values at $305,530 with +7.3% 5-year CAGR. The bull case is structural — population, location, employer base — and holds even if next year's print is soft.

Short thesis

Pittsfield's bear case is the boring one: the cycle is real and any market that's run hard can stall. Watch for slowing population growth, rising days-on-market, or builder discounts as the early warning signals.

About Pittsfield

Pittsfield is a city in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, with an estimated population of 43,121. The median home value in Pittsfield is $305,530 as of 2026-04, up 1.3% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +7.3% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Pittsfield average $1,442 per month, up 4.5% year-over-year. The composite momentum score is 68 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

▲ Bull case

●Healthy 5-year run: +7.3% annualized over 5 years, outpacing US inflation.
●Held the highs: currently +0.0% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.

▼ Bear case

●Flat or shrinking population: -0.5% per year. Housing demand has to come from somewhere — verify the source.
○Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

About Pittsfield (Wikipedia)

Pittsfield is the most populous city in and the county seat of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the principal city of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses Berkshire County. Pittsfield’s population was 43,927 at the 2020 census. Although its population has declined in recent decades, Pittsfield remains the third-largest municipality in Western Massachusetts, behind only Springfield and Chicopee.

Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.

Playbook

Buyer

You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.

Seller

Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.

Investor

Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Berkshire County right now.

NWS active alerts (MA)Massachusetts Emergency ManagementHow to prepare (NWS)

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Berkshire County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Neighborhoods of Pittsfield

2 tracked · ranked by median home value
1Morning Side$218,130+2.0%
2Westside$195,580-0.8%

Cities like Pittsfield

Fitchburg, MA71 · RisingGardner, MA71 · RisingLeominster, MA70 · RisingGreenfield, MA66 · Rising

Run the numbers for Pittsfield

ToolCan I afford Pittsfield?Income → city shortlistToolROI on a Pittsfield rentalCap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCRToolCompare Pittsfield to anywhereSide-by-side up to 3 citiesToolPittsfield cost-of-livingEquivalent income elsewhere

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
35° / 21°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
81° / 64°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
200
~55% of year
Annual precip
48″ rain
43″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
Moderate
Tornado
Low
Wildfire
Very low
Earthquake
Very low
Flood
Moderate

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Pittsfield listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local news & community

Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Pittsfield area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
70%
Humid climate
Median household income
$96,500
Massachusetts state median
Top industries (state-level)
TechBiotechEducation/Healthcare

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

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