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Great Barrington, MA


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Great Barrington, Massachusetts

Introduction to Great Barrington, Massachusetts

Great Barrington, Massachusetts, in Berkshire county, is 37 miles SE of Albany, New York (center to center) and 105 miles N of New York, New York. Great Barrington, which is part of the Pittsfield metro area, is home to some 7,527 residents.

Great Barrington History

Great Barrington was originally inhabited by the Mahican Indians, who named the area Mahaiwe, which means "the place downstream". The town, which was settled in 1726, was a part of Sheffield from 1742 – 1761. Incorporated as the Town of Great Barrington in 1761, it was named in honor of Lord Barrington, the British war minister. However, some also believe that it was named after Great Barrington, a village in Gloucestershire, England. It became a Gilded Age resort community following the arrival of the railroad.

Great Barrington and Nearby Attractions

  • Searles Castle
  • Beartown State Forest
  • Appalachian Trail
  • Lake Mansfield
  • Chesterwood Estate & Museum

Things To Do In Great Barrington

Lake Mansfield offers opportunities for fishing and boating, and Beartown State Forest has horseback riding, mountain biking, hiking, camping, and fishing. The Searles Castle is a popular attraction situated nearby, and The Berkshire Botanical Garden is also close to the town. Some of the local museums are the Chesterwood Estate and Museum, Santarella, and the Norman Rockwell Museum. The town hosts the Berkshire Summer Arts Festival every year in July.

Great Barrington Transportation

Albany International Airport is the nearest major airport.

Great Barrington Higher Education

Simons Rock College of Bard is situated in Great Barrington. Nearby colleges include Williams College, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and Westfield State College.

High Points

Great Barrington strengths, compared to Peers (similar size places nationally) or State (other places in Massachusetts):

CategoryTrophy
Short Commute Times
(vs. State)		Top 8%Great Barrington Short Commute Times
Low Property Crime
(vs. Peers)		Top 17%Great Barrington Low Property Crime
Well-Paid Single Women
(vs. Peers)		Top 19%Great Barrington Well-Paid Single Women

Comparative Profile of Great Barrington, MA

Comparing Great Barrington to similar size places nationwide (Peers) and to other places in Massachusetts (State):

Ratings range from 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest).


The People

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers		Compared
to State
Age of the Population109
Senior Citizens910
Female Share of the Population910
Well-Paid Single Women97
Well-Paid Single Men86
Racial Diversity48
Male Share of the Population21
Children Under 5 Years Old11

Families

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers		Compared
to State
Portion of People Married32
Average Household Size21

Wealth

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers		Compared
to State
College Educated Adults86
Median Family Income63
People Above Poverty63
People in Middle Class or Better62

Commute & Sprawl

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers		Compared
to State
Working at Home108
Public Transportation Use86
Short Commute Times710
Walking and Biking to Work22

Housing

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers		Compared
to State
Seasonal and Vacation Housing108
Studio & One-Bedroom Rentals910
People Living Alone810
Affordability of Rents57
Affordability of Property Taxes35
Housing Recently Built11

Crime

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers		Compared
to State
Low Property Crime95
Low Violent Crime32

Detailed pages on related topics: Great Barrington colleges • Great Barrington travel.

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Additional Details

Great Barrington CollegesGreat Barrington Colleges
Great Barrington colleges and trade schools.
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Great Barrington hotels, landmarks, tourism, transportation.

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