Compare towns
Great Barrington vs Danvers vs Lee
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Great Barrington has the most people working from home (23.6%).
Danvers has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
Lee has the most affordable homes ($353k median).
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.
| Measure | Great Barrington | Danvers | Lee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,202 |
28,098Highest |
5,719Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1% MA: +7.4% |
+6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.7±4.2 24% above MA |
45.3±3Lowest 13% above MA |
55.2±5.8Highest 38% above MA |
| Lee 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%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±2Highest MA: 19.4% |
12.6%±5Lowest 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%±4.7 MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
33.4%±6.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Lee 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% |
48.4% MA: 47.3% |
44.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.8%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $84,132±$11k 19% below MA |
$125,395±$10kHighest 21% above MA |
$83,750±$13kLowest 19% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $494,300±$61k 12% below MA |
$644,200±$23kHighest 15% above MA |
$352,700±$19kLowest 37% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,314±$239Lowest 25% below MA |
$2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$1,375±$212 22% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,935 about the MA average |
$6,654Highest 11% above MA |
$3,980Lowest 34% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.9%±15.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
48.8%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.3%±21.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Great Barrington and Lee 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% |
7.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
69.2% MA: 62.5% |
71.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1963Highest 1 yr older than MA |
1959 5 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 25% below MA |
28 minHighest about the MA average |
18 minLowest 38% below MA |
| Work from home | 23.6%±6.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
16.4%±7.8Lowest 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 | #209 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Berkshire Hills | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Lee |
| High school in town | Monument Mt Regional High | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Lee Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.2Lowest |
12.8Highest |
9.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.