Berkshire County, Massachusetts
76,063 parcels. Parcel data edition 2026-10-26.
Who owns the land
| Measure | County | Of what | Massachusetts | Rank in state (highest first) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Out-of-state owners | 17.0% | 12,448 of 73,139 parcels with a known mailing state | 4.8% | 3 of 14 |
| Absentee owners | 39.5% | Estimated from 39,265 in-state parcels whose addresses could be compared, plus out-of-state owners | 25.9% | 4 of 13 |
| Vacant lots | 24.7% | 18,772 of 76,063 parcels in all | 12.0% | 2 of 14 |
| Inherited (estate or heirs) | 0.3% | 205 of 75,961 parcels with an owner name | 0.2% | 5 of 14 |
| Owned by individuals | 79.5% | 60,363 of 75,961 parcels with an owner name | 80.5% | 9 of 14 |
| Publicly owned | 3.7% | 2,780 of 75,961 parcels with an owner name | 3.5% | 6 of 14 |
Where out-of-state owners live
By the owner's mailing address, for the 12,448 out-of-state parcels.
| Mailing state | Parcels | Share |
|---|---|---|
| New York | 4,726 | 38.0% |
| Connecticut | 2,237 | 18.0% |
| Florida | 1,433 | 11.5% |
| New Jersey | 862 | 6.9% |
| California | 431 | 3.5% |
| Pennsylvania | 295 | 2.4% |
| Texas | 247 | 2.0% |
| Virginia | 188 | 1.5% |
| Vermont | 168 | 1.3% |
| New Hampshire | 162 | 1.3% |
| 41 other states and territories | 1,673 | 13.4% |
| US military mail (APO/FPO) | 1 | under 0.1% |
| Outside the US, or an unrecognized code | 25 | 0.2% |
Housing context
| Measure | County | Massachusetts | Rank in state (highest first) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms | $1,626/month | $2,227/month (median county) | 13 of 14 |
| Fair market rent, change over 5 years | +41.0% | +48.1% (median county) | 10 of 14 |
| Median home value (owners' estimate) | $305,400 | $587,550 (median county) | 13 of 14 |
| Price-to-rent (home value / a year of rent) | 15.7 | 20.1 (median county) | 12 of 14 |
| Housing units, 2020 to 2025 | +0.7% | +2.3% | 13 of 14 |
Rent: HUD FMR (FY26); HUD sets one rent for a whole metro area. Rent change: HUD FMR, FY2021 to FY2026. Home value: Census American Community Survey, 2020-2024 average; price-to-rent divides it by twelve months of the HUD rent above. Housing units: Census Housing Unit Estimates (vintage 2025).
Compared with neighboring counties
| County | Out-of-state owners | Absentee owners | Vacant lots | Inherited (estate or heirs) | Owned by individuals | Publicly owned | 2BR rent | Rent change, 5 yrs | Price-to-rent | Housing units 2020-25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berkshire County | 17.0% | 39.5% | 24.7% | 0.3% | 79.5% | 3.7% | $1,626 | +41.0% | 15.7 | +0.7% |
| Franklin County | 7.1% | 29.4% | 32.9% | 0.5% | 78.7% | 4.9% | $1,866 | +49.9% | 14.7 | +0.9% |
| Hampden County | 3.9% | 21.3% | 12.9% | 0.3% | 84.8% | 3.2% | $1,734 | +53.6% | 14.4 | +0.7% |
| Hampshire County | 4.5% | 24.4% | 20.5% | 0.2% | 81.7% | 3.8% | $2,004 | +77.5% | 16.2 | +2.1% |
Also borders, in states not covered yet: Bennington County, VT, Columbia County, NY, Dutchess County, NY, Northwest Hills Planning Region, CT, Rensselaer County, NY.