Median Income
$44,583
household / year
Median Home Value
$479,100
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,031
gross / month
Cost of Living
104
national avg = 100

Is Great Barrington, MA a Good Place to Live?

Great Barrington is a small town of 1,890 in Massachusetts, with a median household income of $44,583 and a 3.4% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 104 (US average = 100), which is 4% above the national average.

Strengths: Great Barrington stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (A+), a well-educated population, short average commutes.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include high home prices. Whether Great Barrington is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Great Barrington city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 104.1

Great Barrington's overall cost of living index is 104.1, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Great Barrington costs roughly 4% more than the average American city.

Metric Great Barrington, MA National Avg
Median Home Value $479,100 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,031 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 54.9% 65.9%
Median Household Income $44,583 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Very Safe

Great Barrington's violent crime rate is 222.3 per 100,000 residents — 41% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
222.3 /100k
Property Crime
736.3 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Great Barrington is served primarily by Berkshire Hills. The student-to-teacher ratio is 9.5:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Great Barrington, MA National Avg
School District Berkshire Hills —
Elementary Schools 1 —
Middle Schools 1 —
High Schools 1 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 9.5:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 48.2% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 93.6% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Great Barrington sees average highs of 33.9°F in January and 83.0°F in July, with 49.1 inches of annual precipitation and 49.6 inches of snow per year.

MetricGreat Barrington, MA
Average High — January33.9°F
Average High — July83.0°F
Annual Precipitation49.1"
Annual Snowfall49.6"

Demographics

MetricGreat Barrington, MANational Avg
Population1,890—
Median Age49.838.9
Unemployment Rate3.4%3.7%
Avg Commute Time18.5 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)92.5%59.3%
Black or African American0.0%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino4.0%18.9%
Asian0.0%6.3%
Under 1817.7%22.2%
65 and over28.4%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Housatonic, MA 3 mi Lee, MA 10 mi Copake Falls, NY 10 mi Canaan, CT 11 mi Lenox Dale, MA 11 mi

ZIP Codes in Great Barrington

Great Barrington, MA is covered by 1 ZIP code:

01230

Great Barrington vs Other Cities

Great Barrington, MA vs Housatonic, MA Great Barrington, MA vs Lee, MA Great Barrington, MA vs Copake Falls, NY Great Barrington, MA vs Canaan, CT Great Barrington, MA vs Lenox Dale, MA

Frequently Asked Questions

Great Barrington's cost of living index is 104, where 100 is the national average. That puts Great Barrington roughly 4% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $479,100 and median rent is $1,031/month.
Great Barrington's violent crime rate is 222.3 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 736.3 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Great Barrington are operated by Berkshire Hills. The district has 1 elementary, 1 middle, and 1 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 9.5:1. 48.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Great Barrington, MA has a population of 1,890, a median household income of $44,583, and an unemployment rate of 3.4%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Great Barrington averages 33.9°F in January and 83.0°F in July. Annual rainfall is 49.1 inches with about 49.6 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Great Barrington, MA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 01230.
The population of Great Barrington, Massachusetts is 1,890 with a median age of 49.8. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Great Barrington: cost of living index 104 (100 = US average), median home $479,100, median household income $44,583, crime index 49 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated A+. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Great Barrington side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.