What Pittsfield area like ? (Boston, Springfield: college, safe, estimated)

[BPt111]

Everyone focusing on Cape Cod, Boston metro, New Bedford/Fall River, Springfield but no one talk about NorthWestern part of the state ? What the Pittsfield area really like

[mdovell]

I don't think Pittsfield is technically a bad place but the truth is the areas around it have a huge drop off in development. Springfield for example has Holyoke and Chicopee, fall river and new Bedford are kinda linked but this one is alone. North Adams is about a half hour away and further south takes the same. Currently their transit has made deep cuts due to a lack of drivers.

The lack of North and South highway access slows traffic in the Berkshires. You can go from Springfield to Greenfield faster than North Adams to Greenfield largely due to this.

Berkshire and Franklin County are shrinking and western mass is consolidating to Hamden and Hampshire county

[masssachoicetts]

Pittsfield itself is like an average upstate NY city. Kind of dumpy has nice parts, underdeveloped, industry left... reminds me of Utica or Binghampton with less hispanic influence.

The rest of the Berkshire area is resorty and nice. Boring? Yeah. But pretty and great for weekends. North Adams is kind of a dump I think. Run down.

But places like Lenox, Stockbridge and surrounding towns are pretty/fun.

[BostonBornMassMade]

Originally Posted by masssachoicetts

Pittsfield itself is like an average upstate NY city. Kind of dumpy has nice parts, underdeveloped, industry left... reminds me of Utica or Binghampton with less hispanic influence.

The rest of the Berkshire area is resorty and nice. Boring? Yeah. But pretty and great for weekends. North Adams is kind of a dump I think. Run down.

But places like Lenox, Stockbridge and surrounding towns are pretty/fun.

this is only south of Pittsfield. North of Pittsfield is more North Adams-y rugged and rural.

Downtown Pittsfield is bleak. Really empty and sort of 'hood'. You see the addicts and here the people yelling at each other and stuff. Most of Pittsfield is somewhat suburban and pretty nice if not unremarkable.

[mdovell]

Truth be told it's a bit interesting in seeing a mountain you can ski on from a city downtown and still be in New England. The former GE site is huge. I heard it peaked in the 1960s with 14,000 employees. Kay bee toys was big and now it's wayfair.

The other issue is the lack of media. You can be in the Berkshires and not get TV or radio or cell reception. Most of this can be online but the anti technology elderly population practically wants uncle milty on TV. Boston and Springfield content isn't going to be on their TV.

[BostonBornMassMade]

Originally Posted by BostonBornMassMade

this is only south of Pittsfield. North of Pittsfield is more North Adams-y rugged and rural.

Downtown Pittsfield is bleak. Really empty and sort of 'hood'. You see the addicts and here the people yelling at each other and stuff. Most of Pittsfield is somewhat suburban and pretty nice if not unremarkable.

*hear

[G1..]

Originally Posted by BPt111

Everyone focusing on Cape Cod, Boston metro, New Bedford/Fall River, Springfield but no one talk about NorthWestern part of the state ? What the Pittsfield area really like

It has the same problems other towns it's size have. Some of the down town is pretty nice but not much industry .North Adams is the same. Williams a little bit north is a decent college town. Lenox and Stockbridge are still very much for tourist but I really like Lee and Great Barrington both have alot going on.

[mdovell]

Sometimes I think that there's some weird tension in Pittsfield in that there should be something really big around the corner but then there isn't .

[masssachoicetts]

Originally Posted by BostonBornMassMade

this is only south of Pittsfield. North of Pittsfield is more North Adams-y rugged and rural.

Downtown Pittsfield is bleak. Really empty and sort of 'hood'. You see the addicts and here the people yelling at each other and stuff. Most of Pittsfield is somewhat suburban and pretty nice if not unremarkable.

Pittsfield is like a whiter version of Utica at 1/3 the size. I get very similar vibes from the two.

*also before someone corrects me. Utica was 3% Hispanic in 1990 and was 11% in 2010. Its safe to assume utica is almost 15-20% Hispanic now and theres an estimated 3,000 undocumented Mexican and Central Americans there, especially downtown*

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by mdovell

I don't think Pittsfield is technically a bad place but the truth is the areas around it have a huge drop off in development. Springfield for example has Holyoke and Chicopee, fall river and new Bedford are kinda linked but this one is alone. North Adams is about a half hour away and further south takes the same. Currently their transit has made deep cuts due to a lack of drivers.

You say that like it's a bad thing. Aren't there enough overcrowded parts of the state as it is? I mean God forbid there is one last place to get away from all the traffic congestion and BS. Like you said, ya want cities on top of cities there are no shortage of other options and you dont even have to leave Western Mass.