With an idyllic setting in a peaceful valley between Mount Greylock's southern foothills and North Mountain, part of the Hoosac Range, Cheshire lies midway between Pittsfield and North Adams and serves as a bedroom community for both cities. With the 500-acre Hoosac Lake (also known as Cheshire Reservoir) and the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail along the shoreline, outdoor recreation is among the town's prime assets.   Full Story

Incorporated: 1793 Settled: 1766 Population: 3,401 (2000 U.S. Census); 3,357 (town census, 2005). Area: 27.55 square miles. Elevation: 961 feet (average). Average annual snowfall: 82 inches (estimated). Median resident age: 41.   Full Story