Document Type

Research Report

Publication Date

7-2023

Abstract

Pittsfield has a population of 43,927, of whom 3,539 identify as Hispanic or Latino, according to the 2020 Decennial Census. The majority of the city identifies as non- Latino White, while Latinos are the second largest population, comprising 8.1% of the population. Latinos are a lower proportion of Pittsfield’s population than the statewide population, which is 12.6% Latino. The Black population has a similar share (6.5%), while Asian and “other” populations make up 7.6% of the city’s population.

Pittsfield underwent significant population shifts between 2010 and 2020, somewhat due to its population decline of 1.8%. Massachusetts experienced a population increase of 7.4% during the decade. The Latino population increase of 59.1% kept the city from having a greater population decline. Statewide, the Latino population grew by 41.4% during this same time. The larger White population declined by 11.1%, the smaller Black population grew faster at 28.7%, and the Asian population by a rate of 12.7%.

The remainder of this profile uses 2017–2021 American Community Survey data to analyze the demographic and economic characteristics presented in this profile.

Much like the entire state, the Latino population in Pittsfield has a large Puerto Rican population. Smaller Latino populations in the city include Salvadorans, Ecuadorians, Mexicans, and Dominicans. Statewide, the five largest Latino populations in Massachusetts in order of size are Puerto Ricans, Dominicans, Salvadorans, Guatemalans, and Mexicans.

Pittsfield has a smaller foreign-born population, who make up only 8.9% of the city’s population. In addition, 21.3% of Latinos in Pittsfield are foreign-born, compared to 32.1% for the entire state. By comparison, foreign-born make up 17.3% of the statewide population.

Community Engaged/Serving

Part of the UMass Boston Community-Engaged Teaching, Research, and Service Series. //scholarworks.umb.edu/engage

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