On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic, and the economy rapidly changed for the worst. The impact on Berkshire County was larger than that of the nation. According to Moody’s, the gross metro product of Pittsfield was down 6 percent in 2020. That compares to a 3.5 percent decrease for the United States’ gross domestic product (GDP). On a relative basis, employment in the Berkshires fell more than the nation and has been recovering more slowly. Notably, payrolls in the vital tourism sector are down significantly. According to Google Community Mobility Reports, 2021 year-to-date…
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Tag: Berkshire economy
How the Berkshire economy emerges from the pandemic
On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic, and the economy rapidly changed for the worse. The impact on Berkshire County was larger than that of the nation. According to Moody’s, the Gross Metro Product of Pittsfield was down 6% in 2020. That compares to a 3.5% decrease for the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as a whole. On a relative basis, employment in the Berkshires fell more than the nation and has been recovering more slowly. Notably, payrolls in the vital tourism sector are down significantly. According to Google Community Mobility Reports, 2021 year-to-date traffic is…