Berkshire County, MA elected officials: county commissioners, sheriff, school board and cities

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Berkshire County: 7 seats on 7 elected bodies. 2 seats were on the November 3, 2026 ballot; they update once the county certifies its results.

County officers

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
Clerk of CourtsLisa A. Denault-Viale Democratic source
Register of ProbateAnthony P. Patella Democratic sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
SheriffThomas N. Bowler Democratic source
District Attorney, Berkshire DistrictTimothy J. Shugrue Democratic sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Register of Deeds, Berkshire Middle DistrictPatsy Harris Democratic source
Register of Deeds, Berkshire Northern DistrictMaria T. Ziemba Democratic source
Register of Deeds, Berkshire Southern DistrictMichelle L. Laramee-Jenny Unenrolled source

How many local governments Berkshire County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 68 local governments in Berkshire County. This page lists the ones whose offices are elected.

Kind of governmentCensus count (2022)Listed on this page
Cities, towns, villages and townships (2 municipal, 30 township)320
School districts (school boards)70
Special districts (elected boards)290

Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments: Government Units Listing (census.gov).

About these counts

The Census Bureau counts every independent local government once, in the county it assigns it to: the one it mostly serves or where it's based. A city or district that crosses county lines is counted in only one county, so it may be listed on this page but counted elsewhere, or the other way around. Many special districts, such as housing authorities, have appointed boards, and some places have more than one elected body, so the two columns measure different things. School systems run by a county, city or the state aren't counted as separate governments (9 in Berkshire County), though their boards may be listed here; in some states the Bureau counts community or state colleges as school districts. The counts are as of 2022.

Who lives in Berkshire County

129,430people
47.3median ageU.S.: 38.9
$76,013 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
11.4%below the U.S.: 12.5%
40%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$305,400median home valueU.S.: $332,700
5.4%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
6.2%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
5.9%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
1.7%U.S.: 8.4%
54%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
29.1%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 5.9% · White 84.8% · Black 2.6% · Asian 1.9% · Other or more than one race 4.9% (Hispanic or Latino people can be of any race; the other groups are non-Hispanic.)

Census Bureau, 2020–2024 5-year estimates (data.census.gov).

About these figures

The American Community Survey asks about 3.5 million households a year about who lives there, their work, income, schooling and housing. The 5-year estimates pool 2020–2024 answers so that every county and district has enough of them. They're estimates with a (larger for smaller places), and they're different from the once-a-decade census count. "Median" means half are above and half below. Household income is before taxes and includes everyone in the household. The unemployment share here is the survey's five-year average, so it differs from the monthly rate in the BLS jobs report. Race and Hispanic origin are as people describe themselves.

Health insurance means any coverage, private or public (such as Medicaid or Medicare), when people answered; the share is of everyone except people on active military duty and people living in institutions such as prisons and nursing homes. The housing shares are of renting households, and of homeowners with a mortgage, for whom the Census Bureau can compute them (households with no income, or renters who pay no cash rent, are left out). Rent here is gross rent, rent plus utilities; owner costs include the mortgage, property taxes, insurance, utilities and fees.

Jobs in Berkshire County

3.9%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 4.0%. Massachusetts: 4.1%.
2,515people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
61,872people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
64,387in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Berkshire County 0.0%2.5%5.0%7.6%10.1% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)3.9%2,51561,87264,387
August 20264.1%2,66162,98065,641
July 20264.4%2,90362,78065,683
June 20264.1%2,62862,01564,643
May 20264.1%2,60860,30662,914
April 20264.4%2,73859,98762,725
March 20265.0%3,21760,77063,987
February 20265.6%3,60660,95364,559
January 20265.6%3,64661,44965,095
December 20254.9%3,15161,45364,604
November 20254.7%3,04761,53064,577
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20254.0%2,54661,68064,226
August 20254.0%2,66063,91866,578
July 20254.1%2,76064,46667,226
June 20254.1%2,69563,22965,924
May 20254.2%2,70361,74964,452
April 20254.1%2,63661,63664,272
March 20254.8%3,11262,28865,400
February 20255.0%3,24562,09665,341
January 20254.7%3,12262,97066,092
December 20244.0%2,61862,50565,123
November 20243.8%2,42661,68864,114
October 20243.6%2,34462,14964,493
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)4.4%2,88062,45665,336
20244.0%2,61162,30664,917
20233.7%2,38361,74464,127
20224.2%2,70561,34164,046
20216.2%3,91159,60763,518
20209.6%6,07756,98563,062
20193.6%2,42664,61767,043
20184.1%2,78764,80167,588
20174.4%2,97464,30467,278
20164.5%3,03563,81066,845

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, : BLS publishes county figures only that way, so they rise and fall with the seasons; compare a month with the same month a year earlier rather than with the month before. Massachusetts's figure above is on the same basis; seasonally adjusted, as in BLS's monthly state release, it was 4.3% in September 2026. The latest month is preliminary and is revised the next month, and BLS revises earlier years each spring. People are counted where they live. October 2025 wasn't collected during the 2025 federal government shutdown, so 2025's yearly average covers 11 months.

Quick answers

Who is the Berkshire County Clerk of Courts?
Lisa A. Denault-Viale (Democratic) is the Clerk of Courts of Berkshire County, Massachusetts.
Who is the Berkshire County Register of Probate?
Anthony P. Patella (Democratic) is the Register of Probate of Berkshire County, Massachusetts. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Berkshire County Sheriff?
Thomas N. Bowler (Democratic) is the Sheriff of Berkshire County, Massachusetts.
Who is the Berkshire County District Attorney, Berkshire District?
Timothy J. Shugrue (Democratic) is the District Attorney, Berkshire District of Berkshire County, Massachusetts. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Berkshire County Register of Deeds, Berkshire Middle District?
Patsy Harris (Democratic) is the Register of Deeds, Berkshire Middle District of Berkshire County, Massachusetts.
Who is the Berkshire County Register of Deeds, Berkshire Northern District?
Maria T. Ziemba (Democratic) is the Register of Deeds, Berkshire Northern District of Berkshire County, Massachusetts.
Who is the Berkshire County Register of Deeds, Berkshire Southern District?
Michelle L. Laramee-Jenny (Unenrolled) is the Register of Deeds, Berkshire Southern District of Berkshire County, Massachusetts.
What is the population of Berkshire County?
About 129,430 people, with a median age of 47.3; the median household income is $76,013 and 11.4% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Berkshire County?
3.9% in September 2026 (preliminary): 2,515 people unemployed in a labor force of 64,387, against 4.0% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Berkshire County?
68 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 2 municipal, 30 township, 7 school district and 29 special district governments.

Officeholders as of November 6, 2026, from the Secretary of the Commonwealth's certified election statistics (PD43+) of each seat's last election, and the county governments' own pages for their commissioners; officials appointed since an election may differ; each name links to its source. Officials change between elections (appointments, resignations), and the body's own website is the authority. Party is shown only for offices elected on a partisan ballot.

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