The Town FilesGreat Barrington, Massachusetts
Town in Berkshire County · population 7,172 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $494,300
- Household income
- $84,132
- Jan low / Jul high
- 13° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 57 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 6
- Median age
- 49.7
Great Barrington is a town of 7,172 people in Berkshire County, Massachusetts. The median home is worth $494,300, close to the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). It ranks better for young professionals than 87% of Massachusetts towns, more of a college town than 86% of Massachusetts towns, hipper than 85% of Massachusetts towns.
How Great Barrington ranks
Percentile among Massachusetts towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Massachusetts towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Great Barrington is worth $494,300, close to the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). Homes cost about 5.9 times the median household income of $84,132, which is more affordable than 22% of Massachusetts towns. Median rent is $1,314 a month. 68.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Great Barrington | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $494,300 | $510,150 |
| Median rent | $1,314 | $1,561 |
| Median household income | $84,132 | $108,622 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.9× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 68.6% | 80.7% |
| Median year built | 1958 | 1968 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 8.1% | — |
Who lives in Great Barrington
| People | Great Barrington | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 49.7 | 44.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 28.7% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 14.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 49.8% | 45.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.2% | 6.3% |
| Veterans | 3.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 11.1% | — |
| Work from home | 23.6% | 17.7% |
| Average commute | 21.8 min | 30.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.0% | 93.9% |
Weather in Great Barrington
July highs average 81.9°F and January lows 12.7°F. About 49.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 57.2 inches of snow (typical Massachusetts town: 49.5 in). Expect about 8 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 166 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Great Barrington since 1950, compared with 8 for the typical Massachusetts town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on August 28, 1973 about 4.1 miles from the town center and killed 4. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 4 deaths and 36 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 29, 2005.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 35 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on July 3, 1997.
Severe weather in Berkshire County since 1996
Berkshire County has been included in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 15, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3599: Hurricane Lee |
| March 27, 2020 | Biological | DR-4496: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3438: Covid-19 |
| April 19, 2013 | Severe Storm | DR-4110: Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, And Flooding |
| October 28, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3350: Hurricane Sandy |
Jobs and pay in Berkshire County
Berkshire County had 57,946 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $62,257 a year. Unemployment was 3.6% in 2023; in Great Barrington itself the ACS puts it at 5%.
Public schools in Great Barrington
3 public schools with 1,179 students, about 10.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monument Mt Regional High | 9-12 | 451 | 9.4 |
| Muddy Brook Regional Elementary School | PK-4 | 380 | 10.3 |
| W.E.B. Du Bois Regional Middle School | 5-8 | 348 | 10.9 |
Towns near Great Barrington
- Lee, MA7.6 mi · 5,788 people · home $352,700
- Sheffield, MA8.3 mi · 3,327 people · home $409,400
- Lenox, MA10.6 mi · 5,095 people · home $466,700
- Copake, NY12.6 mi · 3,346 people · home $325,000
- North Canaan, CT14.0 mi · 3,211 people · home $267,300
- Pittsfield, MA16.3 mi · 43,927 people · home $256,900
- Salisbury, CT16.9 mi · 4,194 people · home $763,700
- Ghent, NY17.4 mi · 5,303 people · home $371,200
Great Barrington questions
Is Great Barrington, Massachusetts a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Great Barrington scores better for retirees than 83% of Massachusetts towns and quieter than 36%. 28.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 49.7).
How much does a house cost in Great Barrington?
The median owner-occupied home in Great Barrington is valued at $494,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $84,132, so homes cost about 5.9 times income. Median rent is $1,314 a month.
What is the weather like in Great Barrington?
July highs average 81.9°F and January lows 12.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 49.1 inches of precipitation a year and 57.2 inches of snow.
Does Great Barrington get tornadoes?
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Great Barrington since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on August 28, 1973. The typical Massachusetts town has had 8.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)