What stands out worked out from the figures below

Great Barrington has the most people working from home (23.6%).

Bourne has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.5%).

What matters to you?

Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Great Barrington	Bourne
People
Population	7,202Lowest	20,323Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+1%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+3.5%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	49.7±4.2Lowest 24% above MA	52±1.8Highest 30% above MA
	Bourne and Great Barrington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	14.9%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4%	14.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Great Barrington and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	28.7%±4.7Lowest MA: 17.9%	29.8%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9%
	Bourne and Great Barrington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	49.8%Highest MA: 47.3%	46%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	10.8%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9%	6.6%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$84,132±$11kLowest 19% below MA	$91,058±$7kHighest 12% below MA
	Bourne and Great Barrington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$494,300±$61kLowest 12% below MA	$575,600±$28kHighest about the MA average
	Bourne and Great Barrington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,314±$239Lowest 25% below MA	$1,379±$300Highest 22% below MA
	Bourne and Great Barrington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,935Highest about the MA average	$4,485Lowest 25% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	60.9%±15.2Lowest MA: 51.8%	62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8%
	Bourne and Great Barrington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	9.2%Highest MA: 10%	6.2%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	68.6%Lowest MA: 62.5%	75.8%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA	1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	22 minLowest 25% below MA	26 minHighest 11% below MA
Work from home	23.6%±6.8Highest MA: 18.6%	14.9%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Great Barrington and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#139 of 282 in MA	#206 of 282 in MA
School district	Berkshire Hills	Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical
High school in town	Monument Mt Regional High	Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical
Students per teacherat that high school	9.2Lowest	9.8Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	None yet	None yet

MA average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.