Monterey is a small town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,095 at the 2020 census.

History

Prior to settlement by European-American colonists, the area of Monterey was inhabited by Mahicans, the local Native American tribe. Monterey was first settled by colonists in 1739 as a part of Housatonic Township Number One. The township had two villages, along Hop Brook to the north (modern Tyringham) and Konkapot River in the south (modern Monterey). The town was officially incorporated as Tyringham in 1767. In the earliest days of 1776, General Henry Knox passed through the town, bringing cannons from Fort Ticonderoga in New York to aid in ending the Siege of Boston. Today, the path he took is known as the Henry Knox Trail. However, the long divide between the two towns led to their separation in 1847. Previously called Green Woods or South Tyringham, the local people voted to name the new town Monterey to commemorate the Battle of Monterey that took place a year earlier in the Mexican–American War. Palo Alto and Buena Vista were also considered, but thought to be “too foreign sounding”. The town was mostly known for its sawmills, but today it is a rural community, known more for its recreational areas in the state forests and along Lake Garfield.

Education

Monterey is part of the Mount Everett Regional School District along with Alford, Egremont, Mount Washington, New Marlborough, and Sheffield. Students in Monterey attend the Monterey School for kindergarten and first grades, with second through sixth grades attending the Undermountain Elementary School in Sheffield, and Mount Everett Regional High School in Sheffield for grades 7–12. There are private schools in Great Barrington and other nearby towns.

The nearest community college is the South County Center of Berkshire Community College in Great Barrington. The nearest state college is Westfield State University, and the nearest state university is the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The nearest private college is Bard College at Simon’s Rock.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 934 people, 387 households, and 239 families residing in the town. By population, the town ranks 21st out of the 32 cities and towns in Berkshire County, and 325th out of 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts. The population density was 35.2 inhabitants per square mile (13.6/km²), which ranks it 20th in the county and 325th in the Commonwealth. There were 830 housing units at an average density of 31.3 per square mile (12.1/km). The racial makeup of the town was 96.90% White, 0.54% African American, 0.21% Native American, 0.32% Asian, 0.21% Pacific Islander, 0.75% from other races, and 1.07% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.50% of the population.

There were 387 households, out of which 23.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.9% were married couples living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.0% were non-families. 27.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.74.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 17.2% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 24.6% from 25 to 44, 33.1% from 45 to 64, and 16.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.8 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $49,750, and the median income for a family was $59,643. Males had a median income of $37,692 versus $22,656 for females. The per capita income for the town was $30,992. About 3.4% of families and 9.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.3% of those under age 18 and 5.3% of those age 65 or over.