Population 6,607 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Great Barrington
Household size in Great Barrington
| Period | Great Barrington | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.26 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.31 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.14 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.22 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.04 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Great Barrington are small: just 2.22 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has edged down from 2.26, in line with the national trend.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Great Barrington
| Period | Great Barrington | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 47.7 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 43.9 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 49.5 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 50.2 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.5 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 50.2, Great Barrington is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. The median age has climbed from 47.7 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. Only 22 of the 275 Massachusetts cities with 5,000+ people are older.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Great Barrington
| Period | Great Barrington | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.6% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.6% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.6% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.0% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.6 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 7.0% of households in Great Barrington, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is down 2.6 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Great Barrington
Renters in Great Barrington
| Period | Great Barrington | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.4% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 32.3% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 26.7% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 28.2% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | −3.3 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Great Barrington own their homes; 28.2% rent, below the national share of 34.8%. More than four in ten owners (44.0%) have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the center; owners are most common in the southeast. The renter share is down 3.3 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Great Barrington
| Period | Great Barrington | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 20.8% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 21.6% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 28.2% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 27.3% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | +6.5 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 27.3% of the housing in Great Barrington, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Since 2006–10, vacancy has risen 6.5 points, even as the national rate fell.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Great Barrington
| Period | Great Barrington | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1955 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1954 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1957 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1965 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +10 | +5 | +6 |
Great Barrington is a place of older homes: half were built before 1965, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The median year built has moved up from 1955 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the northeast, the oldest in the center.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Great Barrington
| Period | Great Barrington | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $939 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $992 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $951 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,700 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$761 | +$775 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Great Barrington costs $1,700 a month with utilities, above the national median of $1,571. Still, rents here are lower than in Massachusetts overall ($1,860). Rents are up $761 a month from 2006–10, an 81% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 31.9% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Great Barrington
Bachelor's degrees in Great Barrington
| Period | Great Barrington | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.6% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 40.7% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 43.6% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 52.2% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +10.6 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
Great Barrington is highly educated: just over half of adults 25 and older (52.2%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 10.6 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the southwest and least in the center.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Great Barrington
| Period | Great Barrington | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 92.6% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 89.1% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.6% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.8% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.1 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Great Barrington: 94.8% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 2.1 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Great Barrington
| Period | Great Barrington | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.2% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.5% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.1% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.8% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | +0.6 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Great Barrington is close to the national rate: 4.8% of the labor force, against 5.4%. Unemployment has edged up 0.6 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate fell. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Great Barrington compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Great Barrington | 2.22 | 50.2 | 7.0% | 28.2% | 27.3% | 1965 | $1,700 | 52.2% | 94.8% | 4.8% |
| Berkshire Heights | 2.07 | 46.1 | 3.7% | 31.6% | 26.5% | 1979 | $1,560 | 57.0% | 96.3% | 14.9% |
| Belcher Square | 2.07 | 46.8 | 3.8% | 32.8% | 29.6% | 1979 | $1,477 | 59.7% | 95.9% | 17.1% |
| South Egremont | 2.39 | 56.7 | 4.8% | 15.5% | 37.1% | 1967 | $1,323 | 59.7% | 95.9% | 2.5% |
| North Egremont | 2.30 | 55.8 | 4.2% | 17.2% | 42.3% | 1969 | $1,403 | 63.5% | 95.1% | 0.6% |
| Housatonic | 2.34 | 55.5 | 9.0% | 19.3% | 18.9% | 1959 | $1,441 | 55.9% | 98.0% | 2.1% |
| Sheffield | 2.61 | 48.0 | 4.7% | 22.7% | 13.3% | 1970 | $1,925 | 36.1% | 94.3% | 1.1% |
| Hartsville | 2.32 | 58.8 | 6.0% | 10.3% | 47.5% | 1955 | $2,692 | 60.2% | 97.2% | 2.8% |
| South Lee | 2.50 | 57.4 | 10.0% | 17.8% | 35.4% | 1964 | $1,284 | 51.8% | 98.2% | 10.1% |
| Stockbridge | 2.28 | 62.2 | 4.5% | 20.9% | 36.0% | 1953 | $1,445 | 58.5% | 93.5% | 7.6% |
| Mill River | 2.66 | 51.0 | 1.8% | 5.2% | 34.4% | 1976 | $2,614 | 37.7% | 97.2% | 4.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Brunswick, MD · Blountsville, AL · Bluefield, VA · Bolivar, TN · San Martin, CA · Boyne City, MI · Brewerton, NY · Brigantine, NJ · Broadway, VA · Gouverneur, NY
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Great Barrington. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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