What is the largest city in Barnstable County, MA?

Barnstable Town is the largest city or town in Barnstable County, with about 49,568 residents.

How many ZIP codes are in Barnstable County?

Barnstable County includes 47 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, including 02532, 02534, 02536, 02537, 02540.

What is the population of Barnstable County, MA?

About 231,668 people live in Barnstable County, based on American Community Survey 5-year estimates.

What counties border Barnstable County?

Barnstable County borders Plymouth County.

Barnstable County, MA: Cities, ZIP Codes & Local Data

Population

231,668

Land area

394sq mi

People per sq mi

588

ZIP codes

47

Barnstable County at a glance

Barnstable County is 35% less dense than Massachusetts as a whole.
By population, it ranks 9th among 14 counties in Massachusetts.
The median household income is $95,241, 8% below the Massachusetts median of $103,960.
A typical owner-occupied home is valued at $629,000 (12% above Massachusetts) and median rent is $1,678 a month.
Its largest cities are Barnstable Town (49,568), South Yarmouth (11,552) and East Falmouth (6,245).

Local data for Barnstable County, MA

Counts from official public data

Housing and community stats

Barnstable County, MA, American Community Survey 2020-2024

Full profile

Median household income

$95,241

Poverty rate

7.7%

Median home value

$629,000

Prices +1.8% in a year

Median rent

$1,678/mo

Homeownership

81.1%

Bachelor's or higher

48.2%

Median age

55.4

Average commute

24.8 min

Largest reported origins and ancestries: Irish Americans (58,418), Italian Americans (25,882), German Americans (18,686).

Home values and rents Income, education and commute

Economy and federal money

Jobs, income, federal spending and pandemic loans

Details

Unemployment rate

3.8%

Sep 2026, 0.0 pts in a year

Average annual pay

$67,176

96,491 jobs, 2025

Income per person

$96,768

BEA, 2024

Federal spending

$3.5B

FY 2026, $15,364 per person

PPP loans

$737M

9,877 loans, 84,767 jobs reported

Campaign donations

$3.2M

Itemized, 2026 cycle

Economy Federal spending PPP loans

How people get to work

Barnstable County, MA, workers 16 and older. American Community Survey 5-year estimates

Drove alone72.1%
Carpooled7.0%
Public transit1.2%
Walked1.9%
Bicycle0.6%
Taxi, ride-hailing, motorcycle or other1.1%
Worked from home16.0%

Average one-way commute: 24.8 minutes for people who do not work from home.

Environment and hazard risk

Barnstable County, MA, from FEMA, NOAA and EPA

Full report

Natural hazard risk

Relatively Moderate

Top: coastal flooding

Storm events since 1996

739

Most often high wind

Flood insurance policies

7,485

5.4% of homes, county

July high / Jan low

79° / 26°F

45.2 inches of rain a year

Hazards, floods and storm history Check a flood zone 143 historic places

Health statistics

Share of adults in Barnstable County, MA, CDC PLACES estimates

All 40 measures

Obesity

26.3%

U.S. 33.3% -7.0 pts

Diabetes

10.7%

U.S. 12.1% -1.4 pts

Smoking

10.5%

U.S. 12.8% -2.3 pts

Uninsured (18-64)

3.6%

U.S. 11.1% -7.5 pts

Cities, towns and ZIP codes in Barnstable County

Population shown

Frequently asked questions

What is the largest city in Barnstable County, MA?: Barnstable Town is the largest city or town in Barnstable County, with about 49,568 residents.
How many ZIP codes are in Barnstable County?: Barnstable County includes 47 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, including 02532, 02534, 02536, 02537, 02540.
What is the population of Barnstable County, MA?: About 231,668 people live in Barnstable County, based on American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
What counties border Barnstable County?: Barnstable County borders Plymouth County.