Photo: Anc516 · CC BY 3.0Within Massachusetts, Great Barrington is healthier than 44% of graded towns
Great Barrington differs from Massachusetts on 16 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 10 better, 6 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 01230, 01236. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Great Barrington
Massachusetts sets a high bar
Great Barrington is healthier than 84% of U.S. towns, but only 44% of the 279 Massachusetts towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Cancer, heart disease and arthritis run high in Great Barrington
1 in 8 adults have had cancer (12%), vs 8.5% across Massachusetts. 1 in 13 adults have heart disease (7.6%), vs 5.8% across Massachusetts. Arthritis is also above the state: 31.9%, vs 25.4% across Massachusetts. In all, Great Barrington runs above Massachusetts on five of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 29% of residents are 65 or older (Massachusetts 18%), and cancer, heart disease and arthritis are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Great Barrington has a five-star hospital
Fairview Hospital is rated 5 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
More high blood pressure in Great Barrington, and more people treating it
34.8% of adults have high blood pressure (Massachusetts 30.9%), but 80.8% of them take medicine for it, vs 75.4% statewide. Checkups ↓
Great Barrington keeps up with checkups
It beats Massachusetts on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including dentist visits (73% vs 69.8%) and cholesterol checks (91.9% vs 89.7%). Checkups ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the Massachusetts figure falls outside Great Barrington’s likely range; Great Barrington’s figures come from ZIP codes 01230, 01236, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A+.
What’s behind Great Barrington’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Great Barrington is healthier than 84% of U.S. towns, #156 of 279 in Massachusetts. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is obesity (fewer adults with obesity than 87% of towns); the weakest is physical distress, still better than 70%.
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Great Barrington’s median household income is $84,132; among the 10,464 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($63K–$105K), it’s healthier than 92%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Great Barrington adults…
Great Barrington runs below MA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 6. Tap one to see it as people.
Great Barrington is an older town: 29% of residents are 65 or older, vs 18% across Massachusetts. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Great Barrington as about how healthy they are.
Care in and near Great Barrington
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Great Barrington, plus the nearest just outside it.
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Great Barrington; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
Keeping up with care
Share of Great Barrington adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Massachusetts.
Everyday habits, side by side with Massachusetts
Share of adults, with the Massachusetts figure marked.
62 miles of trails across 33 parks and preserves
How Great Barrington adults are doing
About the same as Massachusetts on each measure.
1 in 3 Great Barrington adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
10% of Great Barrington adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across Massachusetts.
Great Barrington and the towns around it
Great Barrington’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 5 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Great Barrington | A− | 29% | 10.6% | 10.2% | ZIP codes |
| Egremont | A− | 29% | 10.6% | 10.2% | ZIP 01230 |
| Housatonic | — | — | — | — | |
| West Stockbridge | A | 28.4% | 9.9% | 8.8% | ZIP codes |
| Stockbridge | A− | 29.6% | 12.1% | 10.3% | ZIP codes |
| Alford | — | — | — | — | |
| Monterey | A | 28.8% | 10.3% | 10% | ZIP codes |
Housatonic: a Census-designated place inside a larger town, graded as part of it. Alford: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Great Barrington adults live with a disability (Massachusetts 27.3%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Great Barrington
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Great Barrington is better than Massachusetts on 10 and worse on 6; on the rest, the Massachusetts figure falls inside Great Barrington’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Great Barrington | MA | U.S. | vs MA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.6%13.5–18.1 | 16.3% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.9%11.3–14.6 | 12.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15%13.3–16.8 | 16.2% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 29%23.9–34.6 | 27.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.6%9.1–12.2 | 9.8% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 34.8%31.1–38.5 | 30.9% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.2%34.3–42.2 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 31.9%28.7–35.1 | 25.4% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.6%10.3–13 | 11.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 12%11–13.2 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.6%6.8–8.6 | 5.8% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 6.9%6–8 | 5.9% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.6%3.2–4 | 3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 8.6%6.9–10.6 | 11.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.2%8.6–11.9 | 11.3% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 19.9%16.7–23.5 | 21.7% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14.9%12.4–17.6 | 17% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33.7%28.9–38.9 | 33.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 4.1%3.5–5 | 5.2% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 83.1%80.4–85.7 | 80.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 73%70–75.9 | 69.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 91.9%90.7–93 | 89.7% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80.8%77.9–83.4 | 75.4% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 74.8%70.6–78.8 | 68.4% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.9%72.1–84.7 | 83.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.7%20.5–27 | 23.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31%26.8–35.6 | 34.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.4%18.4–24.6 | 23.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 8.7%7.3–10.4 | 12.4% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7.6%6.5–9 | 11.1% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.1%4.4–5.9 | 7% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.7%5–6.6 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 10%8.3–11.9 | 14.1% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 28.8%25.2–32.7 | 27.3% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.8%11–14.9 | 11.6% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.3%10.8–13.9 | 13.7% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.8%6.8–8.7 | 6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 3.9%3.5–4.4 | 4.1% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.9%6.1–7.9 | 7.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.1%2.8–3.5 | 3.1% | 3.8% | About the same |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the Massachusetts figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Great Barrington
Is Great Barrington a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Great Barrington is healthier than 84% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #156 of 279 in Massachusetts. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 92%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Great Barrington?
CDC estimates 29% of adults have obesity, likely between 23.9% and 34.6%, against 27.7% across Massachusetts and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Great Barrington?
Fairview Hospital in Great Barrington, 2.9 miles in a straight line from Great Barrington’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Great Barrington have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 4.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 3.5–5%), against 5.2% across Massachusetts.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Great Barrington more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Great Barrington.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Massachusetts figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.