When was Berkshire County founded?

Berkshire County was founded in 1761, formed from Hampshire County, and named after Berkshire, England.

What is the county seat of Berkshire County?

The county seat of Berkshire County is Pittsfield.

Is there an online parcel map for Berkshire County?

Yes. A public source publishes a parcel map of 76,953 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.

Has Berkshire County's boundary or name changed?

Berkshire County was created in 1761 from Hampshire County. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 8 later changes, chiefly involving Hampshire County, Franklin County and Columbia (N.Y.) County.

Is my lot in a flood zone?

We do not have flood maps for Berkshire County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.

County · code 25003

Berkshire CountyMassachusetts

Berkshire County is located in Massachusetts with its county seat in Pittsfield. The county was created on June 30, 1761, from Hampshire County.

Founded1761
County seatPittsfield
Named forBerkshire, England
Land area927 sq mi + 20 sq mi water
Population129,026 2020 Census
Parcels mapped76,953 checked 15 October 2026

Open the free map Click any parcel in Berkshire County: acreage, parcel id, address and who publishes the map. No sign-in.

Updated 20 October 2026

Census outline · seat marked

Where it is

Berkshire on the map of Massachusetts

Massachusetts has 14 counties and county equivalents, each with its own records office. Shapes with a page are links.

Counties of Massachusetts · Berkshire highlighted

History

Formed in 1761 from Hampshire County

An old deed may name a county that no longer exists, or a boundary that has since moved.

Berkshire County was created from Hampshire County in 1761 and included a small area in present-day New York. Between 1768 and 1793, Berkshire County lost territory to Hampshire County multiple times when new towns including Worthington, Cummington, Middlefield, Rowe, and Hawley were created or expanded.

Boundary changes from the Newberry Library, Atlas of Historical County Boundaries; the 5 that matter most are shown first.

1761
Berkshire County created Berkshire created from Hampshire; Berkshire included a small area of present New York.
from Hampshire
30 June 1761 · Mass. Col. Acts, vol. 4, ch. 33 [1760-1761], sec. 1/p. 432
1768
Lost territory Berkshire lost to Hampshire when town of Worthington was created from Plantation #3.
to Hampshire
30 June 1768 · Mass. Col. Acts, vol. 4, ch. 16 [1768], sec. 1/p. 1028
1779
Lost territory Berkshire lost to Hampshire when town of Cummington was created from Plantation #5.
to Hampshire
23 June 1779 · Mass. Col. Acts, vol. 5, ch. 6 [1779-1780], sec. 1/pp. 1072-1073
1783
Lost territory Berkshire lost to Hampshire when town of Middlefield was created from towns of Worthington, Chester, Partridgefield (now Peru), Becket, Washington, and Prescott's Grant (now Middlefield).
to Hampshire
12 March 1783 · Mass. Acts 1783, ch. 19, sec. 1/p. 228
1785
Lost territory Berkshire lost to Hampshire when town of Rowe was created from the Myrifield Grant and non-town territory.
to Hampshire
9 February 1785 · Mass. Acts 1785, ch. 2, sec. 1/p. 230

Show all 11 changes (6 more)

1761
Berkshire County created Berkshire created from Hampshire; Berkshire included a small area of present New York.
from Hampshire
30 June 1761 · Mass. Col. Acts, vol. 4, ch. 33 [1760-1761], sec. 1/p. 432
1768
Lost territory Berkshire lost to Hampshire when town of Worthington was created from Plantation #3.
to Hampshire
30 June 1768 · Mass. Col. Acts, vol. 4, ch. 16 [1768], sec. 1/p. 1028
1779
Lost territory Berkshire lost to Hampshire when town of Cummington was created from Plantation #5.
to Hampshire
23 June 1779 · Mass. Col. Acts, vol. 5, ch. 6 [1779-1780], sec. 1/pp. 1072-1073
1783
Lost territory Berkshire lost to Hampshire when town of Middlefield was created from towns of Worthington, Chester, Partridgefield (now Peru), Becket, Washington, and Prescott's Grant (now Middlefield).
to Hampshire
12 March 1783 · Mass. Acts 1783, ch. 19, sec. 1/p. 228
1785
Lost territory Berkshire lost to Hampshire when town of Rowe was created from the Myrifield Grant and non-town territory.
to Hampshire
9 February 1785 · Mass. Acts 1785, ch. 2, sec. 1/p. 230
1793
Lost territory Berkshire lost to Hampshire when town of Hawley gained from Plantation #7.
to Hampshire
9 March 1793 · Mass. Acts 1793, ch. 18, sec. 1/p. 242
1822
Lost territory Berkshire lost to Franklin when town of Monroe was created from town of Rowe and non-town area called the Gore.
to Franklin
21 February 1822 · Mass. Acts 1822, ch. 93, sec. 1/p. 707
1838
Lost territory Berkshire lost to Franklin when towns of Charlemont and Rowe gained from town of Zoar.
to Franklin
2 April 1838 · Mass. Acts 1838, ch. 56, sec. 1/p. 344 and ch. 57, sec. 1/p. 345
1853
Boundary clarified Boundary between Berkshire and Hampden was clarified when line between towns of Sandisfield and Tolland was clarified (no change).
with Hampdenno change
4 May 1853 · Mass. Acts 1853, ch. 293/p. 535
1855
Lost territory Berkshire lost to Columbia (New York) when New York acquired the southwestern corner of Massachusetts, known as Boston Corner.
to Columbia (N.Y.)
11 January 1855 · Pratt, 2:223; Van Zandt, 70, 76
1855
Boundary clarified Boundary between Berkshire and Hampden was redefined when line between towns of Sandisfield and Tolland was redefined (no change).
with Hampdenno change
15 May 1855 · Mass. Acts 1855, ch. 358, sec. 1/p. 755

Land and parcels

What the maps cover in Berkshire

Who publishes each layer, how good it is, and when we last checked.

Parcels Good enough

Lot lines and tax-map numbers for 76,953 parcels. Drawn for tax purposes: usually within a few feet of a survey, but not a survey.
edited 17 December 2025 · checked 15 October 2026
Address points Official

One point per address, 83,477 in all from MassGIS.
checked 14 October 2026
Buildings Reference

Roof outlines traced from aerial imagery from FEMA Response Geospatial Office with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Good for seeing what is on a lot; not accurate enough to set a fence from.
checked 18 October 2026

Official: from the office that keeps the record
Good enough: a reliable statewide or national copy
Fallback: a guide only; check the official record
Missing: nothing public found yet

People and land

Berkshire by the Census

Population

129,026 2020 Census count

Housing units

69,759 2020 Census count

Land area

927 square miles

Water area

20 square miles

People per sq mi

139 population ÷ land area

Source: US Census Bureau, 2020 Census; US Census Bureau, 2020 Gazetteer Files. Not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

See your own lot on these maps

Open Berkshire County on Parcel Chart's free map and click your parcel. Save it with a free account; the full record of your place (site map, projects, documents) is Pro, in early access.

Open the free map no sign-in Pro early access

Questions

Common questions about Berkshire County

When was Berkshire County founded?: Berkshire County was founded in 1761, formed from Hampshire County, and named after Berkshire, England.
What is the county seat of Berkshire County?: The county seat of Berkshire County is Pittsfield.
Is there an online parcel map for Berkshire County?: Yes. A public source publishes a parcel map of 76,953 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.
Has Berkshire County's boundary or name changed?: Berkshire County was created in 1761 from Hampshire County. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 8 later changes, chiefly involving Hampshire County, Franklin County and Columbia (N.Y.) County.
Is my lot in a flood zone?: We do not have flood maps for Berkshire County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.

Nearby