What stands out worked out from the figures below

Great Barrington has the most affordable homes ($494k median).

Danvers has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).

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	Danvers
People
Population	7,202Lowest	28,098Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+1%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+6%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	49.7±4.2Highest 24% above MA	45.3±3Lowest 13% above MA
	Great Barrington and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	14.9%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4%	17.2%±2Highest MA: 19.4%
	Danvers and Great Barrington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	28.7%±4.7Highest MA: 17.9%	22.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Great Barrington and Danvers 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%	48.4%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	10.8%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9%	4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$84,132±$11kLowest 19% below MA	$125,395±$10kHighest 21% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$494,300±$61kLowest 12% below MA	$644,200±$23kHighest 15% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,314±$239Lowest 25% below MA	$2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,935Lowest about the MA average	$6,654Highest 11% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	60.9%±15.2Highest MA: 51.8%	48.8%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Great Barrington and Danvers 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%	4.8%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	68.6%Lowest MA: 62.5%	69.2%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA	1963Highest 1 yr older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	22 minLowest 25% below MA	28 minHighest about the MA average
Work from home	23.6%±6.8Highest MA: 18.6%	19.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Great Barrington and Danvers 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	#91 of 282 in MA
School district	Berkshire Hills	Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers
High school in town	Monument Mt Regional High	Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School
Students per teacherat that high school	9.2Lowest	12.8Highest
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.