content: <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><edgarSubmission xmlns="http://www.sec.gov/edgar/ownership" xmlns:com="http://www.sec.gov/edgar/common">
    <headerData>
      <submissionType>144</submissionType>
      <filerInfo>
        <filer>
          <filerCredentials>
            <cik>0001804229</cik>
            <ccc>XXXXXXXX</ccc>
          </filerCredentials>
        </filer>
        <liveTestFlag>LIVE</liveTestFlag>
  
  
      </filerInfo>
    </headerData>
    <formData>
      <issuerInfo>
        <issuerCik>0001108134</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>BERKSHIRE HILLS BANCORP INC</issuerName>
        <secFileNumber>001-15781</secFileNumber>
        <issuerAddress>
          <com:street1>60 STATE STREET</com:street1>
          <com:street2>38TH FLOOR</com:street2>
          <com:city>BOSTON</com:city>
          <com:stateOrCountry>MA</com:stateOrCountry>
          <com:zipCode>02109</com:zipCode>
        </issuerAddress>
        <issuerContactPhone>617-641-9206</issuerContactPhone>
        <nameOfPersonForWhoseAccountTheSecuritiesAreToBeSold>Shulman Jonathan I</nameOfPersonForWhoseAccountTheSecuritiesAreToBeSold>
        <relationshipsToIssuer>
          <relationshipToIssuer>Director</relationshipToIssuer>
        </relationshipsToIssuer>
      </issuerInfo>
      <securitiesInformation>
        <securitiesClassTitle>COMMON</securitiesClassTitle>
        <brokerOrMarketmakerDetails>
          <name>TD AMERITRADE INC</name>
          <address>
            <com:street1>200 SOUTH 108TH AVENUE</com:street1>
            <com:city>OMAHA</com:city>
            <com:stateOrCountry>NE</com:stateOrCountry>
            <com:zipCode>68154</com:zipCode>
          </address>
        </brokerOrMarketmakerDetails>
        <noOfUnitsSold>5992</noOfUnitsSold>
        <aggregateMarketValue>124753.44</aggregateMarketValue>
        <noOfUnitsOutstanding>44277178</noOfUnitsOutstanding>
        <approxSaleDate>06/15/2023</approxSaleDate>
        <securitiesExchangeName>NYSE</securitiesExchangeName>
      </securitiesInformation>
      <securitiesToBeSold>
        <securitiesClassTitle>COMMON</securitiesClassTitle>
        <acquiredDate>09/18/2020</acquiredDate>
        <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>CASH PURCHASE</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
        <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>OPEN MARKET PURCHASE</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
        <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
        <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>250</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
        <paymentDate>09/18/2020</paymentDate>
        <natureOfPayment>CASH</natureOfPayment>
      </securitiesToBeSold>
      <securitiesToBeSold>
        <securitiesClassTitle>COMMON</securitiesClassTitle>
        <acquiredDate>01/30/2021</acquiredDate>
        <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>RESTRICTED STOCK VESTING</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
        <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
        <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
        <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>338</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
        <paymentDate>01/30/2021</paymentDate>
        <natureOfPayment>AWARDED</natureOfPayment>
      </securitiesToBeSold>
      <securitiesToBeSold>
        <securitiesClassTitle>COMMON</securitiesClassTitle>
        <acquiredDate>01/30/2022</acquiredDate>
        <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>RESTRICTED STOCK VESTING</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
        <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
        <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
        <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>1578</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
        <paymentDate>01/30/2022</paymentDate>
        <natureOfPayment>AWARDED</natureOfPayment>
      </securitiesToBeSold>
      <securitiesToBeSold>
        <securitiesClassTitle>COMMON</securitiesClassTitle>
        <acquiredDate>01/30/2023</acquiredDate>
        <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>RESTRICTED STOCK VESTING</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
        <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
        <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
        <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>3826</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
        <paymentDate>01/30/2023</paymentDate>
        <natureOfPayment>AWARDED</natureOfPayment>
      </securitiesToBeSold>
      <nothingToReportFlagOnSecuritiesSoldInPast3Months>Y</nothingToReportFlagOnSecuritiesSoldInPast3Months>
      <noticeSignature>
        <noticeDate>06/01/2023</noticeDate>
        <signature>JONATHAN SHULMAN</signature>
      </noticeSignature>
    </formData>
  </edgarSubmission>
metadata_documents: [{"type": "144", "sequence": "1", "filename": "primary_doc.xml", "secsgml_size_bytes": 4392}]
text: 144
  0001804229
  XXXXXXXX
  LIVE
  0001108134
  BERKSHIRE HILLS BANCORP INC
  001-15781
  60 STATE STREET
  38TH FLOOR
  BOSTON
  MA
  02109
  617-641-9206
  Shulman Jonathan I
  Director
  COMMON
  TD AMERITRADE INC
  200 SOUTH 108TH AVENUE
  OMAHA
  NE
  68154
  5992
  124753.44
  44277178
  06/15/2023
  NYSE
  COMMON
  09/18/2020
  CASH PURCHASE
  OPEN MARKET PURCHASE
  N
  250
  09/18/2020
  CASH
  COMMON
  01/30/2021
  RESTRICTED STOCK VESTING
  EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
  N
  338
  01/30/2021
  AWARDED
  COMMON
  01/30/2022
  RESTRICTED STOCK VESTING
  EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
  N
  1578
  01/30/2022
  AWARDED
  COMMON
  01/30/2023
  RESTRICTED STOCK VESTING
  EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
  N
  3826
  01/30/2023
  AWARDED
  Y
  06/01/2023
  JONATHAN SHULMAN