Berkshire County, MA

Berkshire County is a reliably Democratic stronghold with a Cook PVI of D+8, but it’s significantly more moderate and independent-minded than the state as a whole, which sits at D+15. The county has been slowly trending left over the past decade, driven by an influx of second-home owners and remote workers from Boston and New York, but it still retains a noticeable conservative streak in its rural eastern and northern towns. The real story here is the internal divide: the liberal, college-town vibe of Great Barrington and Williamstown contrasts sharply with the more working-class, blue-collar conservatism found in places like Adams and North Adams.

How it compares

Massachusetts as a whole is one of the most reliably Democratic states in the country, but Berkshire County is a full seven points less Democratic on the Cook PVI scale. That gap matters. In the 2024 presidential election, for example, while the state went for the Democratic candidate by roughly 30 points, Berkshire County’s margin was closer to 15-18 points. The difference comes down to the county’s geography and economy. The liberal strongholds are the college towns: Williamstown (home to Williams College) and Great Barrington routinely vote 75-80% Democratic. Meanwhile, Adams and North Adams — former mill towns with older, less college-educated populations — often vote 55-60% Republican, making them some of the few reliably red precincts in Western Massachusetts. The swing precincts are in the central part of the county, around Pittsfield and Lenox, where the vote can split 55-45 Democratic in a good year for the GOP. This isn’t a purple county, but it’s a lot more purple than the state average suggests.

What this means for residents

For liberal residents, Berkshire County feels like a safe, welcoming environment where progressive values are the norm in most public spaces, especially in the southern half. You’ll find strong support for environmental initiatives, public arts funding, and social services. For conservative residents, the reality is more nuanced. You’re not going to be politically isolated — there are active Republican town committees in Adams, Cheshire, and Savoy — but you will be in the minority in countywide elections. The practical effect is that local policy tends to lean left on issues like zoning, school funding, and renewable energy, but the county’s fiscal conservatism (a holdover from its industrial past) means tax increases are often debated more fiercely here than in Boston suburbs. The county’s small population — around 125,000 — also means that local politics are highly personal; you can know your town select board members by name, and a single issue like a new solar farm or a school closure can flip a precinct.

Culturally, Berkshire County stands apart from the rest of Massachusetts in a few key ways. There’s a strong independent streak — people here are less likely to identify with either national party and more likely to vote for a local candidate they trust, regardless of party label. The county also has a distinct rural identity that’s more similar to upstate New York or Vermont than to the Boston metro area. You’ll see more pickup trucks with gun racks in the parking lot of the Big Y in Pittsfield than you will in Cambridge, but you’ll also see more Bernie Sanders bumper stickers than anywhere east of the Connecticut River. The long-term trajectory is likely a slow drift leftward as the county’s population ages and younger, more liberal residents move in from out of state, but the pace is glacial — this isn’t a place that changes its politics overnight.