Barnstable County, Massachusetts Population 2026

Updated April 2026 · US Census ACS 2023 5-Year Estimates · 9th-largest in Massachusetts

The population of Barnstable County, Massachusetts is 230,073 as of the 2023 American Community Survey, making it the 9th-largest county in Massachusetts. The median household income is $94,452, the median home value is $575,900, and the median age is 55.1.

The population of Barnstable County has grown 7.7% since 2010 (215,909 → 232,570), a +0.53% annualized rate.

Barnstable County within Massachusetts · Source: US Census TIGER/Line via us-atlas

230,073

Population

+0.53%

Annual growth

584

People / sq mi

$94,452

Median Income

$575,900

Median Home Value

Barnstable County covers 394 sq mi of land at 583.6 people per square mile.

About Barnstable County, MA

Barnstable County is a county in Massachusetts with a population of 230,073. It ranks #9 among counties in Massachusetts by population. The median age is 55.1, older than the national median. The population is 48.2% male and 51.8% female.

The median household income in Barnstable County is $94,452, above the US median of $74,580. 4.1% of residents live below the federal poverty level. Home values sit at a median of $575,900, with monthly rent averaging $1,596. The homeownership rate of 80.6% is higher than the national rate of 64.8%.

Educational attainment in Barnstable County reflects 47.4% of adults 25 and older holding a bachelor's degree or higher, above the national average of 34.3%. Roughly 14.6% of workers primarily work from home, similar to the national work-from-home rate of 14.2%. The average commute is 25.4 minutes each way.

Barnstable County Population History (2010-2024)

The county of Barnstable County had a population of 215,909 in 2010 and 232,570 in 2024, a 7.7% growth over 14 years. The peak was 232,759 in 2023. Average annual growth rate: 0.55%.

232,570

Population (2024)

215,909

Population (2010)

232,759

Peak (2023)

0.55%

Avg Annual Growth

Year	Population	Change	Annual %	Source
2010	215,909	-	-	estimate
2011	215,389	-520	-0.24%	estimate
2012	214,854	-535	-0.25%	estimate
2013	214,609	-245	-0.11%	estimate
2014	214,398	-211	-0.10%	estimate
2015	214,015	-383	-0.18%	estimate
2016	213,805	-210	-0.10%	estimate
2017	213,856	+51	+0.02%	estimate
2018	213,779	-77	-0.04%	estimate
2019	212,923	-856	-0.40%	estimate
2020	228,060	+15,137	+7.11%	estimate
2021	232,379	+4,319	+1.89%	estimate
2022	232,571	+192	+0.08%	estimate
2023	232,759	+188	+0.08%	estimate
2024	232,570	-189	-0.08%	estimate

Race & Ethnicity

White	87.0%
Black or African American	2.7%
Asian	0.0%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	1.4%
Two or More Races	0.0%

Age & Sex

55.1

Median Age

51.8%

Female

48.2%

Male

32.2%

Age 65+

Age Distribution

Under 5

3.5%

5–9

3.9%

10–14

4.2%

15–19

4.6%

20–24

4.8%

25–34

9.1%

35–44

9.2%

45–54

10.7%

55–59

8.3%

60–64

9.5%

65–74

18.6%

75–84

9.5%

85+

4.1%

Children (under 15): 11.6% · Seniors (65+): 32.2%

Income & Poverty

Median household income	$94,452$-6,889 vs state
Mean household income	$132,436
Per-capita income	$60,325
Poverty rate	4.1%-2.5% vs state
Unemployment rate	2.7%
Employment-to-population	56.2%

Top Industries by Employment

Professional & business services

24.4%

Finance & real estate

14.2%

Education & health care

10.4%

Construction

9.7%

Information

6.3%

Manufacturing

5.2%

Public administration

5.0%

Arts, entertainment & food

4.7%

The largest employment sector in Barnstable County is professional & business services, accounting for 24.4% of workers.

How residents commute

1.2%

Drive alone

1.7%

Carpool

74.2%

Public transit

14.6%

Work from home

25.4 min

Avg commute

Housing

$575,900+$50,100 vs state

Median home value

$1,596

Median rent

80.6%

Homeownership rate

165,661

Total housing units

62.2%

Occupied

37.8%

Vacant

19.4%

Renter-occupied

Social & access

97.2%

With health insurance

96.4%

With broadband internet

29.4%

Foreign-born

7.6%

Veterans (18+)

14.3%

With a disability

89.3%

Speak language other than English at home

Education

96.4%

High School+

47.4%

Bachelor's+

Largest cities in Massachusetts

Boston (663,972)Worcester (205,501)Springfield (154,751)Cambridge (117,794)Lowell (114,799)Brockton (105,080)Quincy (101,361)Lynn (100,905)New Bedford (100,731)Fall River (93,764)All Massachusetts cities →

Other counties in Massachusetts

Middlesex County (1,622,896)Worcester County (861,664)Essex County (807,258)Suffolk County (782,172)Norfolk County (724,540)Bristol County (578,436)Plymouth County (531,889)Hampden County (462,853)Hampshire County (156,595)Berkshire County (128,047)All Massachusetts counties →

Part of Massachusetts

Massachusetts demographic profile All Massachusetts data →

Metro areas in Massachusetts

Boston (4,917,661)Providence (1,673,807)Worcester (861,664)Springfield (462,853)Barnstable Town (230,073)Amherst Town (156,595)Pittsfield (128,047)All US metros →

County rankings

US Counties by Population Richest US Counties by Median Household Income Expensive US Counties by Home Value Educated US Counties Counties With Highest Poverty Rates Youngest US Counties by Median Age Oldest US Counties by Median Age Cheapest US Counties by Median Home Value Racially Diverse US Counties Counties With Largest Hispanic Population All rankings →

Frequently Asked Questions

Barnstable County, Massachusetts has a population of 230,073 according to the US Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates, making it the 9th-largest county in Massachusetts. Population density is 584 people per square mile.

The population of Barnstable County has grown 7.7% since 2010 (215,909 → 232,570), a +0.53% annualized rate.

The median household income in Barnstable County, Massachusetts is $94,452, with mean (average) household income of $132,436 and per-capita income of $60,325. 4.1% of residents live below the federal poverty level.

In Barnstable County, the largest racial and ethnic groups are White (87.0%), Black or African American (2.7%), Hispanic or Latino (1.4%). Figures are from the US Census Bureau's 2023 ACS 5-year estimates and reflect self-reported responses.

The median age in Barnstable County, Massachusetts is 55.1 years. Residents are 51.8% female and 48.2% male.

The median home value in Barnstable County is $575,900 and median monthly rent is $1,596. 80.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. The county has 165,661 total housing units, 37.8% of which are vacant.

The largest employment sector in Barnstable County, Massachusetts is professional, scientific, and management services, employing 24.4% of workers. The unemployment rate is 2.7%.

Boston is among the largest cities associated with Barnstable County, Massachusetts, with a population of 663,972.