Census Shows Berkshires Still Losing Population

The Berkshire Eagle  reports the decades long trend of population decline in Berkshire County is showing no sign of slowing, according to the latest figures from the U.S. Census Bureau.

As of July 1, the county had 126,348 residents, according to the bureau's 2019 nationwide estimates released this week.

The report shows a loss of nearly 4 percent since the 2010 census, when the county's population was 131,275. The Berkshire population peaked at 149,402, according to the 1970 census, and has declined steadily since then.

But, there's a sliver of a silver lining in the newly issued estimates: Compared with the 2018 total of 126,313, the countywide count, essentially, was unchanged in mid-2019.

The latest estimated figures also show that Massachusetts gained residents by just over 5 percent, bringing the statewide total to 6,892,503, making the state among 40 in the nation showing an increase since 2010.

Read the details at  Berkshire Eagle.com