Compare towns
Great Barrington vs Merrimac vs Deerfield
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%).
Merrimac has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Deerfield has the shortest commute (18 min average).
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 | Merrimac | Deerfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,202Highest |
6,748 |
5,158Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-0.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.7±4.2 24% above MA |
49.4±6.8Lowest 24% above MA |
51.8±3.6Highest 30% above MA |
| Deerfield 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% |
16.5%±6.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.2%±3.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Merrimac 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% |
26.7%±5.8 MA: 17.9% |
22.9%±4.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Great Barrington and Merrimac 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% |
41%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
44.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.8%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
7.9%±3.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Great Barrington and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $84,132±$11kLowest 19% below MA |
$123,054±$16kHighest 18% above MA |
$106,136±$14k about the MA average |
| Merrimac and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $494,300±$61k 12% below MA |
$553,400±$38kHighest about the MA average |
$414,900±$37kLowest 26% below MA |
| Merrimac 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 |
$1,352±$325Highest 23% below MA |
$1,334±$318 24% below MA |
| Merrimac and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,935 about the MA average |
$7,399Highest 23% above MA |
$5,824Lowest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.9%±15.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
59.3%±29.1 MA: 51.8% |
26.1%±15.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Great Barrington and Merrimac are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.2% MA: 10% |
9.4%Highest MA: 10% |
7.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
81.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
78.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 25% below MA |
32 minHighest 10% above MA |
18 minLowest 40% below MA |
| Work from home | 23.6%±6.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
8.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.5%±6.2 MA: 18.6% |
| Great Barrington and Deerfield 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 | #188 of 282 in MA | #156 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Berkshire Hills | Pentucket | Deerfield · Frontier |
| High school in town | Monument Mt Regional High | None in town | Frontier Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.2Lowest |
— | 11.1Highest |
| 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.