Photo: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0Within Massachusetts, Pittsfield is healthier than 11% of graded towns
Pittsfield trails Massachusetts on 12 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Pittsfield. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Pittsfield
Massachusetts sets a high bar
Pittsfield is healthier than 55% of U.S. towns, but only 11% of the 279 Massachusetts towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Pittsfield
1 in 13 adults have COPD (8%), vs 5.9% across Massachusetts. 1 in 13 adults have heart disease (7.5%), vs 5.8% across Massachusetts. Stroke is also above the state: 3.8%, vs 3% across Massachusetts. In all, Pittsfield runs above Massachusetts on five of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Smoking is more common in Pittsfield
1 in 7 adults smoke cigarettes (14.4%), vs 11.3% across Massachusetts. Habits ↓
Pittsfield has a top-rated hospital
Berkshire Medical Center is rated 4 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the Massachusetts figure falls outside Pittsfield’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A−.
What’s behind Pittsfield’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Pittsfield is healthier than 55% of U.S. towns, #248 of 279 in Massachusetts. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 71% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 32%).
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Pittsfield’s median household income is $70,582; among the 10,550 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($53K–$88K), it’s healthier than 69%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Pittsfield adults…
Pittsfield runs above MA on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Massachusetts
Share of adults, with the Massachusetts figure marked.
75 miles of trails across 40 parks and preserves
Care in and near Pittsfield
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Pittsfield, plus the nearest just outside it.
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Pittsfield; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Pittsfield adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Massachusetts.
How Pittsfield adults are doing
About the same as Massachusetts on each measure.
1 in 3 Pittsfield adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
18.5% of Pittsfield adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across Massachusetts.
Pittsfield and the towns around it
Pittsfield’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 3 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsfield | B | 33% | 11.1% | 14.4% | CDC place |
| Dalton | A− | 30.6% | 10.2% | 12.4% | ZIP 01226 |
| Hancock | — | — | — | — | |
| Washington | — | — | — | — | |
| Lanesborough | B+ | 31.6% | 10.7% | 12.9% | ZIP codes |
Hancock and Washington: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Pittsfield adults live with a disability (Massachusetts 27.3%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Pittsfield
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Pittsfield is better than Massachusetts on 0 and worse on 12; on the rest, the Massachusetts figure falls inside Pittsfield’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Pittsfield | MA | U.S. | vs MA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.4%17.2–22 | 16.3% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.6%13–16.4 | 12.3% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.1%16.2–20.2 | 16.2% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 33%27.4–39 | 27.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.1%9.7–12.7 | 9.8% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 34.4%30.8–38.2 | 30.9% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.8%32–39.8 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 30.2%27.1–33.4 | 25.4% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 12.5%11.1–14 | 11.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.8%9–10.7 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.5%6.7–8.3 | 5.8% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8%7.1–8.9 | 5.9% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.8%3.5–4.1 | 3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 14.4%11.7–17.4 | 11.9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.4%12.4–16.4 | 11.3% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 23.7%20.2–27.5 | 21.7% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.9%13.3–18.7 | 17% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 37.3%32.2–42.7 | 33.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.7%4.9–6.6 | 5.2% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.8%77.8–83.7 | 80.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 67.6%64.2–70.8 | 69.8% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 89.3%87.9–90.6 | 89.7% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.6%74.6–80.3 | 75.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 69.7%65.2–74 | 68.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.4%68–81.9 | 83.7% | 76.4% | Worse |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.9%22.5–29.5 | 23.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 33.4%28.8–38 | 34.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.2%20.8–27.6 | 23.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 14.5%12.6–16.6 | 12.4% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 12.2%10.6–14 | 11.1% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.7%7.6–9.9 | 7% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.7%7.7–9.8 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 18.5%16.3–20.8 | 14.1% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 32%28.3–35.9 | 27.3% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.4%12.6–16.4 | 11.6% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.7%13.9–17.4 | 13.7% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.5%6.7–8.4 | 6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.1%4.6–5.5 | 4.1% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.9%8–9.9 | 7.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4%3.7–4.4 | 3.1% | 3.8% | Higher |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the Massachusetts figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Pittsfield
Is Pittsfield a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Pittsfield is healthier than 55% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health, #248 of 279 in Massachusetts. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 69%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Pittsfield?
CDC estimates 33% of adults have obesity, likely between 27.4% and 39%, against 27.7% across Massachusetts and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Pittsfield?
Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield, 0.8 miles in a straight line from Pittsfield’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Pittsfield have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.9–6.6%), against 5.2% across Massachusetts.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Pittsfield more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Pittsfield.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Massachusetts figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.