City profile · Massachusetts · Census ACS 2023

Great Barrington, MA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Great Barrington - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

1,953
Residents
$57,071
Median income
$459,000
Median home
$1,626
Median rent (state)

Great Barrington - the verdict

Great Barrington ranks in the 31st percentile for household income and the 66th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

31st
percentile, household income
82nd
percentile, home value
64th
percentile, median rent
66th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Great Barrington, MA

1,953 people live in Great Barrington, Massachusetts - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Great Barrington households earn a median of $57,071 annually, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 0.0%. Typical homes in Great Barrington are valued around $459,000, and the median resident age is 55.0 years. Educational attainment runs 47.0% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 58.3% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Great Barrington reports a comparatively low crime rate: per-100,000 total crime stands at 958.6 in FBI UCR data, below the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Massachusetts carries a cost-of-living premium: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Massachusetts at 105.8 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Above Average). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,626 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $330 across Massachusetts, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 84.0 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (High).

Population

1,953 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Massachusetts

Median Household Income

$57,071 /yr

Poverty 0.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

105.8 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Massachusetts average

How does Great Barrington compare to other US cities?

Great Barrington measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 31% higher than other cities
Home value 82% pricier than other cities
Median rent 64% pricier than other cities
Safety 66% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Massachusetts, Great Barrington ranks #75 of 149 Massachusetts cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Great Barrington against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Massachusetts only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Massachusetts-relative analysis

Poverty Rate places Great Barrington near the bottom of Massachusetts's cities

Among the 247 Massachusetts cities PlainCities tracks with reported poverty rate data, Great Barrington ranks #208 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Great Barrington only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#215 of 233
8th percentile in Massachusetts
Median Gross Rent
#224 of 247
5th percentile in Massachusetts
Median Home Value
#138 of 240
43rd percentile in Massachusetts
Poverty Rate
#208 of 247
0th percentile in Massachusetts
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#114 of 247
54th percentile in Massachusetts

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Massachusetts only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

31stIncome percentile
66thSafety percentile

31st percentile nationally for median household income · 66th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Great Barrington's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Great Barrington's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 41 Avg. percentile National median
Great Barrington's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Great Barrington's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$459,000 18th percentile more affordable than 18% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). This entry sits in this band. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Great Barrington $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Great Barrington, MA Great Barrington, MA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Great Barrington, MA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Great Barrington, MA median $57,071/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Great Barrington, MA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Great Barrington, MA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 47.0%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 0.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 58.3%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
1,953
Median Income
$57,071
Median Home Value
$459,000
Median Age
55.0
Poverty Rate
0.0%
Labor force participation
58.3%
Bachelor's Degree+
47.0%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
958.6
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
222.3
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
736.3
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
3
Public schools in this city

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
65.7%
Carpool
9.4%
Public Transit
3.4%
Walk
5.3%
Work from Home
16.1%

Based on 881 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Massachusetts - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$160
avg/month
Natural Gas
$110
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$60
avg/month
Total Utilities
$330
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Massachusetts state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Massachusetts state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Great Barrington sits in

Cost of Living Index
105.8
Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,626/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
84.0 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Massachusetts

North Eastham
1,958 people
East Pepperell
1,984 people
South Lancaster
1,991 people
Hanson
2,002 people
Dennis
1,903 people
Harwich Port
2,011 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Great Barrington's 1,953 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Georgetown CDP (Luzerne County), PA
1,953 people
McConnell AFB, KS
1,952 people
Centerburg, OH
1,952 people
Burns Flat, OK
1,954 people
Johnson City, TX
1,952 people
Kemah, TX
1,952 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Great Barrington's $57,071 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Madison, WV
$57,073 median income
Spencer, IA
$57,068 median income
Meadview, AZ
$57,064 median income
Dakota, IL
$57,063 median income
Concordia, NJ
$57,063 median income
Footville, WI
$57,063 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Great Barrington, MA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Great Barrington, MA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 93.5% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 5.9% White 93.5% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.5% Two or more races 5.0% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Great Barrington compares to nearby Massachusetts cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Great Barrington (this city) 1,953 $57,071
North Eastham 1,958 $80,375
East Pepperell 1,984 $111,736
South Lancaster 1,991 $104,745
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MA FBI UCR NCES CCD OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Great Barrington, MA?

What is the population of Great Barrington, MA? +

1,953 people live in Great Barrington, MA according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Great Barrington, MA? +

The median household income in Great Barrington is $57,071 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Great Barrington? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Great Barrington; the closest available measure is the Massachusetts state average, a cost of living index of 105.8 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Massachusetts vary by metro area.

Is Great Barrington, MA safe? +

Great Barrington has a total crime rate of 958.6 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Great Barrington, MA? +

Homes in Great Barrington carry a median value of $459,000, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.