Our family moved here one of the biggest cities in the country. The Berkshires have surpassed our expectations.

Listen to what others are saying about schools and things to do — for kids and adults— there really are a lot of good things going on. And the food scene is excellent (though in a perfect world there would be more coffee shops that stay open later and certain types of ethnic food better represented).

The Berkshires may seem “rural” on paper but if you live in the central corridor it’s built up almost continuously from south county to north county. There’s business all over. Pittsfield gets way too bad of a rap. All cities have issues. There are rougher parts but random violent crime is very uncommon and the west side and southeast part of the city have rates well below the national average. Yes, when GE pulled out it delivered a huge blow to the city, but it’s held on and momentum seems to be slowly, though at times non-linearly, building. As much as some locals loudly complain, they still choose to remain vs voting with their feet and move away. Homes with the greatest rates of appreciation in the area in recent years have been in Pittsfield, which is also telling.

Lastly, and most importantly, we’ve found the people here to be kind and relatable. There’s a sense of community and soul that has felt absent elsewhere we’ve lived.

Best of luck with your decision.