Great Barrington, Massachusetts Demographics & Population 2026

Population Overview

Great Barrington is a small community located in Massachusetts, within Berkshire County. The total population is 2,331. It ranks as the 174th most populous out of 248 Census-designated places in Massachusetts.

Age Demographics

The median age in Great Barrington is 47.9 years. This is 20% higher than the state median of 40.0 years. 12.6% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Great Barrington is $64,506. This is 38% lower than the state median of $103,960. It is also 20% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 12.9%. This is 29% higher than the state poverty rate of 10.0%. The unemployment rate is 3.3%. This is 37% lower than the state rate of 5.1%. The median home value is $524,700. Housing costs are 7% lower than the state median of $562,100. The home-value-to-income ratio of 8.1x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 58.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 6% lower than the state average of 62.5%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Great Barrington is White (non-Hispanic), making up 79.5% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 10.9%.

Education

45.7% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 3% lower than the state rate of 47.3%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 92.3%. Notably, 23.4% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Great Barrington, Massachusetts is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Massachusetts state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 248 Census-designated places in Massachusetts. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.