Barnstable County, Massachusetts
Among the top 12% of US counties for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade F, better than 8% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade C, better than 47% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B, better than 61% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A, better than 88% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade C, better than 45% of US counties
- top 4% for broadband access
- top 5% for school quality
- bottom 2% for cost of living
Barnstable County is a county in Massachusetts with about 229,000 residents. It grades A for getting around and F for affordability. Standout strengths include broadband access, school quality, and walkability. It rates lower on monthly owner costs and cost of living.
Official websitebarnstablecounty.org (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Snowy
very cold
cold
cool
comf.
warm
comf.
cool
cold
v.cold
56%45%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.3 in3.3 in
humid 100%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$90k94th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$69kbetter than 2% of US counties
Home Value$519k98th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$2kbetter than 4% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 4% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.76%better than 58% of US counties
Income Tax9.00%better than 9% of US counties
Sales Tax6.25%better than 77% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden15.41%better than 7% of US counties
Unemployment4.5%better than 55% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)32°F43rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)72°F21st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation48.8 in68th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall24.3 inbetter than 35% of US counties
Sunny Days183 daysbetter than 7% of US counties
Summer Humidity63°Fbetter than 63% of US counties
Comfortable Days97 daysbetter than 89% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk89.1better than 11% of US counties
Air Quality37 AQIbetter than 77% of US counties
School Quality100.0better than 96% of US counties
Violent Crime905/100kbetter than 41% of US counties
Property Crime711/100kbetter than 60% of US counties
Community
Population229,43691st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age54.598th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.2242nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.939th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+257th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)86.5%62nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)2.8%56th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)3.5%38th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)1.5%78th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)5.8%84th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time25 minbetter than 45% of US counties
Walkability8.7/20better than 89% of US counties
Airport Distance53 mibetter than 78% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access92.8%better than 96% of US counties
Amenities Nearby0.00better than 12% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 39% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Barnstable County an affordable place to live?
- Barnstable County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $69k, better than 2% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Barnstable County?
- The median home value in Barnstable County is $519k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Barnstable County?
- Median household income in Barnstable County is $90k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Barnstable County?
- Median gross rent in Barnstable County is $2k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Barnstable County safe?
- Barnstable County is about average for safety comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 905/100k (better than 41%). Property crime is 711/100k.
- What is the weather like in Barnstable County?
- Barnstable County averages 72°F in July and 32°F in January, with 48.8 in of annual precipitation and about 183 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Barnstable County?
- Public-school quality in Barnstable County is above average, scoring better than 96% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Barnstable County?
- The average one-way commute in Barnstable County is 25 min.
Other counties in Massachusetts
Explore Massachusetts
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)