Western Massachusetts is a scenic part of one of America’s most historical states and cultural centers. While it lacks the busy feel of the state’s eastern region, it still has much to offer residents.
Western Massachusetts is often defined as encompassing Hampshire, Hamden, Berkshire, and Franklin counties. With abundant natural beauty, a unique local culture, and intriguing towns to explore, Western Massachusetts has become a hotspot for travel and relocation. Let’s look at the defining characteristics that make this region stand out.
Natural Beauty
Western Massachusetts lacks the rugged coastline that the eastern part of the state is famous for. However, this region is famous for its immaculate, unspoiled natural settings that include a scenic mountain range, thick forests, and incredibly beautiful fall foliage.
The Berkshires are the most well-known natural site in the area. This mountain range extends through Western Massachusetts from Vermont, offering gorgeous peaks that are popular destinations for summer hiking and winter skiing. At Mount Greylock, the highest point in the state, and Mount Everett State Reservation, visitors can enjoy panoramic views that stretch across New England.
Western Massachusetts also has scenic freshwater boating, fishing, and swimming sites, including the Connecticut River, Lake Buel, and the Otis Reservoir. Much of Western Massachusetts is covered in forests. Countless hiking trails, including the Appalachian Trail, wind through the area.
Arts and Culture
While natural beauty is a defining part of Western Massachusetts’s identity, the region also has the cultural attractions New England is known for. The region houses incredible museums, historical sites, festivals, entertainment venues, and much more. It also has many wineries and a fresh farm-to-table food scene.
One of the most famous aspects of this Western Massachusetts’s arts scene is Tanglewood. This is a music venue in the Berkshire Hills that has been the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra for almost 100 years. It draws thousands of visitors to witness the world-famous ensemble in a gorgeous outdoor setting every year. Also, the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge has a comprehensive collection of one of America’s most famous artists, and Jacob’s Pillow is a dance center that organizes Western Massachusetts’s famed Summer Dance Festival.
Many other aspects of the region’s culture make it a hotspot for buyers. The presence of over 20 higher education institutions, including the Five College Consortium, give the area a young and intellectual feel. Western Massachusetts also houses the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield and hosts The Big E, a massive annual summer festival.
Pleasant and Affordable Communities
Only a fraction of Massachusetts’s population lives in Western Massachusetts, but it still has plenty of pleasant communities for residents to explore. And despite being in one of the most expensive states in the country, many of the biggest cities in Western Massachusetts are quite affordable, which will certainly intrigue buyers.
Springfield, located along the Connecticut River, is the region’s biggest city and one of the biggest in the state. This historic city has bred innovations such as the sport of basketball and America’s first armory and automobile. Real estate options are accessible in Springfield, with the median listing price in the city at $246,500, according to realtor.com in January 2023.
Pittsfield is the biggest city in Berkshire County, a pleasant mid-sized town home to around 45,000 residents. It has easy access to the area’s gorgeous natural sites and a fascinating history. According to Redfin, the median sale price in Pittsfield was just $266,000 in January 2023.
Other pleasant communities in Western Massachusetts include Hancock, Lenox, and Northampton. Hancock is a peaceful suburb of Pittsfield with a small population of less than 1,000. It has a small-town atmosphere with gorgeous farmland. Lenox is a small community that is a popular summer destination, as it is the site of the aforementioned Tanglewood. Northampton, home to Smith College, is an appealing city home to 30,000 with a unique college town feel, offering excellent coffee shops, restaurants, and bars.
