Barnstable County, Massachusetts

(Redirected from Barnstable Town, MA Metropolitan Statistical Area) County in Massachusetts, United States "Barnstable County" redirects here. For other uses, see Barnstable County (disambiguation).

County in Massachusetts

Barnstable County
County
Images, from top down, left to right: Nauset Light in Eastham; View of the Kennedy Compound; The Bourne Bridge; Boat off of Chatham
FlagSeal
Location within the U.S. state of Massachusetts
Massachusetts's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 41°41′56″N 70°18′07″W / 41.698997°N 70.301811°W / 41.698997; -70.301811
Country	United States
State	Massachusetts
Founded	June 2, 1685
Named for	Town of Barnstable
Seat	Barnstable
Largest city	Barnstable
Area
• Total	1,306 sq mi (3,380 km)
• Land	394 sq mi (1,020 km)
• Water	912 sq mi (2,360 km) 70%
Population
• Total	228,996
• Density	580.9/sq mi (224.3/km)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district	9th
Website	www.barnstablecounty.org

Barnstable County is a county in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. At the 2020 census, the population was 228,996. The county seat is Barnstable. The county consists of Cape Cod and associated islands (some adjacent islands are in Dukes County and Nantucket County).

Barnstable County was formed as part of the Plymouth Colony on June 2, 1685, including the towns of Falmouth, Sandwich, and others to the east and north on Cape Cod. Plymouth Colony was merged into the Province of Massachusetts Bay in 1691.

History

Giovanni da Verrazzano

Cape Cod is described in a letter from the Italian explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano to Francis I of France, relating the details of a voyage to the New World made on behalf of the French crown in the ship Dauphine, the only surviving of a fleet of four. Sailing from Madeira in 1524, the Dauphine made land in North Carolina in March. It sailed north to Newfoundland, mapping the coast and interviewing the natives, whom he found friendly south of the cape, but unfriendly north of it. To the north of an island that reminded Verrazzano of Rhodes, the Dauphine made its way with difficulty over shoals "never less than three feet deep" extending "from the continent fifty leagues out to sea," which Brevoort, based on their extent, has identified as Nantucket Shoals. Verrazzano called them Armellini. On the other side was a promontory, Pallavisino, which is probably the cape, as they sailed along it for "fifty leagues." Details of the north end are not given, but subsequently they came to a "high country, full of very dense forests, composed of pines," which, according to Brevoort and others, resembles the coast of Maine.

Bartholomew Gosnold

After Verrazzano, what is now the eastern United States acquired the map label of New France, but France had no way to develop it. Scattered colonies in the wilderness of a few dozen men could not be supported until the foundation of Quebec in 1608. Meanwhile, the paper claim did not deter entrepreneurs. In March 1602, Bartholomew Gosnold set sail from Falmouth, Cornwall, in the ship, Concord, transporting a crew of eight, an exploration party of 12, and 20 colonists, with the intent of establishing a trading post in the New World. Intersecting the coast of Maine, they turned to the south, encountered what appeared to be an island, and dropped anchor in Provincetown Harbor. Gosnold at first called the land Shoal Hope, but after discovering it was a cape, and acquiring a hold full of cod from the abundant schools in Cape Cod Bay, he changed the name to Cape Cod.

Gosnold explored the cape, establishing good relations with the natives there, approximately 1500 members of the Nauset Tribe, closely related in language and custom to the Wampanoag people of the mainland, and under their sovereignty. John Brereton, chaplain of the expedition, reported that they were dark-skinned, customarily nude except for deerskins over the shoulders and sealskins around the waist, and wore their long, black hair up in a knot. They painted their bodies. Some knew a few English words, which is something of a historical problem, as Gosnold and his companions are believed to have been the first English to land in America. Gosnold made a point of describing how healthy the people appeared.

Subsequently, Gosnold sailed around the cape to discover an island, "full of wood, vines, gooseberry bushes, whortleberries, raspberries, eglantines, etc.," as well as large numbers of shore birds. He named it Martha's Vineyard after his daughter. Another island nearby, Cuttyhunk Island, he named Elizabeth Island, in honor of Elizabeth I of England, from which the Elizabeth Islands take their name. He intended to place a trading post there, but when the time came for the return voyage, the colonists decided not to remain. Gosnold ventured a second time to the New World in 1608 as Captain John Smith's second in command of the Jamestown expedition. After three months there, he died of malaria.

Martin Pring

In 1603, another mercantile expedition set sail from Bristol, England, in two ships, the Speedwell and the Discoverer, commanded by a 23-year-old captain, Martin Pring. Elizabeth I had died two weeks earlier, but Pring had secured permission from Sir Walter Raleigh, who held from the queen exploration rights to all of North America.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,306 square miles (3,380 km), of which 394 square miles (1,020 km) is land and 912 square miles (2,360 km) (70%) is water. It is the second largest county in Massachusetts by total area. It has about 550 miles (890 km) of shoreline.

Barnstable County is not co-extensive with Cape Cod. The latter is a geophysical place defined by its insular or peninsular landmass. According to Freeman, it is a "long, irregular peninsula" between 65 and 75 mi (105 and 121 km), measured along the north or the south shores respectively, and between 5 and 20 mi (8.0 and 32.2 km) wide. Originally, only the tip was considered the cape, but as it was settled the name extended from its tip to the shortest line across the isthmus. Barnstable County, on the other hand, is a geopolitical and legal entity. It is the area contained within the borders of all cities and towns defined to be in the county by the Massachusetts General Court. These borders were decided in episodes of disputed legislation during the centuries since the founding of Plymouth Colony.

The main difference between Cape Cod and Barnstable County is the band of water up to several miles wide extending from the shoreline to the outermost county border. The offshore area contains significant maritime life, is a recreational and transport medium, and contains historical material lost in shipwrecks.

The highest elevation in the county is 306 feet (93 m), at the summit of Pine Hill, on Joint Base Cape Cod, in Bourne. The lowest point is sea level.

Adjacent counties

Barnstable County borders Plymouth County to the northwest; off Barnstable County's southern shore are Dukes County and Nantucket County.

National protected areas

Rivers of Massachusetts by drainage system

Atlantic Ocean

Buzzards Bay	Acushnet River Agawam River Back River Copicut River Crooked River Mattapoisett River Nasketucket River Paskamanset River Pocasset River Sippican River Slocums River Wankinco River Westport River Weweantic River
Nantucket Sound	Bass River Bumps River Childs River Coonamesset River Mashpee River Mitchell River Oyster Pond River Popponesset Creek Quashnet River Santuit River
Others	Tiasquam River

Gulf of Maine

Cape Cod Bay	Bluefish River Eel River Herring River Jones River Little Pamet River Pamet River Town Brook
Massachusetts Bay	Aberjona River Alewife Brook Canton River Charles River Chelsea Creek Cochato River Fore River Fresh River Indian Head River Malden River Millers River Monatiquot River Muddy River Mystic River Neponset River North River Saugus River Stony Brook (Boston) Stony Brook (Waltham) Stop River Weir River Weymouth Back River
Merrimack River Watershed	Artichoke River Assabet River Back River Beaver Brook Cochichewick River Concord River Little River Merrimack River Nashua River Nissitissit River North Nashua River Phillips Brook Powwow River Quinapoxet River Salmon Brook Shawsheen River Souhegan River South Branch Souhegan River South Nashua River Spicket River Squannacook River Stillwater River Sudbury River Trout Brook Vine Brook Whitman River
Others	Annisquam River Blackwater River Eagle Hill River Egypt River Ipswich River Jericho Creek Roger Island River Rowley River Skug River

Long Island Sound

Connecticut River Watershed	Burnshirt River Chapel Brook Chicopee River Connecticut River Cranberry River Deerfield River East Brookfield River Farmington River Fall River Five Mile River Green River Hubbard River Manhan River Mill River (Northampton) Mill River (Springfield) Millers River Mirey Brook North Branch Millers River North Branch Westfield River North River Otter River Quaboag River Scantic River Seven Mile River Tarbell Brook Ware River Westfield River
Housatonic River Watershed	Housatonic River Konkapot River Schenob Brook Umpachene River
Thames River Watershed	French River Quinebaug River

Narragansett Bay

Mount Hope Bay (Taunton River Watershed)	Assonet River Canoe River Cedar Swamp River Cocasset River Cotley River Forge River Hockomock River Matfield River Mill River Nemasket River Poor Meadow Brook Quequechan River Rumford River Salisbury Plain River Satucket River Segreganset River Shumatuscacant River Snake River Taunton River Three Mile River Town River Wading River Winnetuxet River
Providence River Watershed	Abbott Run Blackstone River Bungay River Chockalog River Mill River Mumford River Peters River Quinsigamond River Sevenmile River Tannery River Ten Mile River West River Wilde River
Others	Barrington River Cole River Coles Brook Kickemuit River Lees River Palmer River Runnins River

Upper New York Bay

Hudson River Watershed	Hoosic River Kinderhook Creek

Demographics

Barnstable County is one of the oldest in the country, ranking in the top ten for highest median age (among those with at least 100,000 residents). The median age is 55 years old as of 2020 (whereas the median in the U.S. is 39 years old). It is the only county in the Northeast on the list.

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1790	17,342	—
1800	19,293	11.3%
1810	22,211	15.1%
1820	24,026	8.2%
1830	28,514	18.7%
1840	32,548	14.1%
1850	35,276	8.4%
1860	35,990	2.0%
1870	32,774	−8.9%
1880	31,897	−2.7%
1890	29,172	−8.5%
1900	27,826	−4.6%
1910	27,542	−1.0%
1920	26,670	−3.2%
1930	32,305	21.1%
1940	37,295	15.4%
1950	46,805	25.5%
1960	70,286	50.2%
1970	96,656	37.5%
1980	147,925	53.0%
1990	186,605	26.1%
2000	222,230	19.1%
2010	215,888	−2.9%
2020	228,996	6.1%
2023 (est.)	231,735	1.2%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010–2020

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 222,230 people, 94,822 households, and 61,065 families residing in the county. The population density was 562 people per square mile (217 people/km). There were 147,083 housing units at an average density of 372 per square mile (144/km). The racial makeup of the county was 94.23% White, 1.79% Black or African American, 0.56% Native American, 0.63% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.11% from other races, and 1.66% from two or more races. 1.35% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 24.0% were of Irish, 15.6% English, 9.4% Italian, 5.9% German and 5.0% "American" ancestry, 93.6% spoke English, 1.7% Portuguese, 1.4% Spanish and 1.0% French as their first language.

There were 94,822 households, out of which 24.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.20% were married couples living together, 9.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.60% were non-families. 29.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.82.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 20.40% under the age of 18, 5.20% from 18 to 24, 25.00% from 25 to 44, 26.20% from 45 to 64, and 23.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.10 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $45,933, and the median income for a family was $54,728. Males had a median income of $41,033 versus $30,079 for females. The per capita income for the county was $25,318. About 4.60% of families and 6.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.60% of those under age 18 and 5.00% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States census, there were 215,888 people, 95,755 households, and 58,724 families residing in the county. The population density was 548.3 inhabitants per square mile (211.7/km). There were 160,281 housing units at an average density of 407.1 per square mile (157.2/km). The racial makeup of the county was 92.7% white, 1.9% black or African American, 1.1% Asian, 0.6% American Indian, 1.5% from other races, and 2.2% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 2.2% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 27.0% were Irish, 19.2% were English, 11.4% were Italian, 11.4% were American, and 9.1% were German.

Of the 95,755 households, 22.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.3% were married couples living together, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 38.7% were non-families, and 31.8% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.77. The median age was 49.9 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $60,317 and the median income for a family was $75,056. Males had a median income of $53,480 versus $41,990 for females. The per capita income for the county was $35,246. About 5.0% of families and 7.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.8% of those under age 18 and 5.6% of those age 65 or over.

Demographic breakdown by town

Income

The ranking of unincorporated communities that are included on the list are reflective if the census designated locations and villages were included as cities or towns. Data is from the 2007–2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates.

Towns of Barnstable County
historical map of 1890

Rank	Town		Per capita income	Median household income	Median family income	Population	Number of households
	Woods Hole	CDP	$123,954	$125,156	$136,731	725	368
	New Seabury	CDP	$61,788	$91,528	$101,563	975	483
	Chatham	CDP	$59,799	$82,656	$103,375	1,754	805
	Popponesset	CDP	$59,468	$250,000+	$250,000+	158	96
1	Chatham	Town	$52,039	$69,325	$97,096	6,177	2,920
	Monomoscoy Island	CDP	$49,544	$107,143	$170,179	177	72
	Mashpee Neck	CDP	$48,867	$90,096	$108,618	869	333
2	Wellfleet	Town	$47,428	$59,234	$93,107	2,858	1,621
	Falmouth	CDP	$44,413	$34,018	$75,590	3,595	2,116
	Harwich Port	CDP	$42,832	$49,925	$79,205	1,909	1,021
	Dennis	CDP	$42,820	$52,727	$68,750	2,330	1,220
	Yarmouth Port	CDP	$42,334	$63,177	$82,159	4,908	2,593
3	Orleans	Town	$42,268	$61,897	$84,099	5,946	2,888
	North Falmouth	CDP	$41,985	$75,408	$84,444	2,849	1,343
	Provincetown	CDP	$41,925	$46,696	$87,857	2,842	1,539
	Teaticket	CDP	$41,595	$46,469	$67,171	1,625	901
4	Provincetown	Town	$41,488	$46,547	$87,228	2,994	1,645
	Seconsett Island	CDP	$41,384	$60,625	$115,250	32	22
	Seabrook	CDP	$40,604	$69,400	$88,750	354	154
	Sandwich	CDP	$40,209	$82,989	$86,875	2,699	1,265
5	Truro	Town	$39,856	$71,964	$85,909	1,903	873
	Monument Beach	CDP	$38,459	$80,240	$90,110	2,714	1,185
	Bourne	CDP	$38,452	$53,059	$55,469	1,406	699
6	Falmouth	Town	$38,334	$61,244	$77,488	31,674	14,293
	West Chatham	CDP	$37,397	$52,500	$92,552	1,109	540
	East Sandwich	CDP	$36,850	$91,806	$103,914	4,018	1,621
7	Barnstable (County Seat)	City	$36,121	$62,191	$75,620	45,486	20,119
8	Sandwich	Town	$36,047	$82,485	$95,273	20,635	7,702
	Barnstable County	County	$36,000	$60,525	$76,708	216,639	96,775
	East Dennis	CDP	$35,874	$64,875	$84,550	2,795	1,269
9	Eastham	Town	$35,352	$56,029	$75,803	5,011	2,404
	Massachusetts	State	$35,051	$65,981	$83,371	6,512,227	2,522,409
	West Falmouth	CDP	$34,659	$58,831	$59,073	1,684	769
10	Brewster	Town	$34,380	$59,321	$77,463	9,853	4,354
	Northwest Harwich	CDP	$34,287	$54,753	$63,947	4,060	1,750
11	Harwich	Town	$34,087	$57,455	$69,811	12,259	5,537
	Brewster	CDP	$34,024	$46,473	$69,713	2,291	1,117
	North Eastham	CDP	$33,833	$50,214	$68,693	1,792	938
12	Mashpee	Town	$33,492	$62,763	$73,560	13,900	5,753
13	Yarmouth	Town	$33,251	$50,228	$63,975	23,919	11,825
	Popponesset Island	CDP	$32,909	$39,712	$62,639	152	54
14	Bourne	Town	$32,330	$62,531	$79,613	19,632	8,051
15	Dennis	Town	$31,986	$51,580	$64,861	14,392	6,790
	East Harwich	CDP	$31,872	$60,674	$67,146	4,426	1,953
	South Yarmouth	CDP	$31,498	$46,505	$60,015	11,463	5,732
	Pocasset	CDP	$31,038	$54,349	$83,472	3,065	1,390
	Orleans	CDP	$30,759	$39,444	$48,125	1,453	778
	Sagamore	CDP	$30,655	$70,554	$76,523	3,728	1,379
	East Falmouth	CDP	$30,575	$55,967	$66,141	5,926	2,689
	West Falmouth	CDP	$30,553	$45,529	$53,027	6,097	2,948
	West Dennis	CDP	$30,428	$49,815	$64,619	2,095	1,020
	Forestdale	CDP	$30,139	$84,981	$88,274	4,047	1,313
	Buzzards Bay	CDP	$30,074	$51,341	$79,145	3,120	1,218
	Harwich Center	CDP	$29,955	$58,729	$80,278	1,864	813
	Dennis Port	CDP	$28,071	$45,375	$65,313	3,686	1,633
	United States	Country	$27,915	$52,762	$64,293	306,603,772	114,761,359
	South Dennis	CDP	$26,704	$49,123	$58,027	3,486	1,648

Politics

United States presidential election results for Barnstable County, Massachusetts
Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
Year	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	57,451	38.61%	88,129	59.23%	3,205	2.15%
2020	55,311	36.79%	91,994	61.20%	3,020	2.01%
2016	54,099	39.84%	72,430	53.34%	9,252	6.81%
2012	60,446	45.41%	70,822	53.20%	1,847	1.39%
2008	55,694	42.08%	74,264	56.11%	2,395	1.81%
2004	58,527	44.29%	72,156	54.60%	1,465	1.11%
2000	49,686	41.03%	62,363	51.50%	9,037	7.46%
1996	40,144	36.25%	59,223	53.48%	11,370	10.27%
1992	33,916	31.12%	46,641	42.79%	28,440	26.09%
1988	49,676	49.74%	48,747	48.81%	1,449	1.45%
1984	51,261	56.99%	38,369	42.66%	321	0.36%
1980	41,493	50.43%	23,952	29.11%	16,828	20.45%
1976	39,295	53.74%	31,268	42.76%	2,554	3.49%
1972	36,340	61.14%	22,636	38.08%	466	0.78%
1968	24,296	57.63%	16,546	39.24%	1,320	3.13%
1964	15,133	42.80%	20,101	56.85%	121	0.34%
1960	20,900	62.63%	12,423	37.23%	49	0.15%
1956	23,472	83.23%	4,672	16.57%	58	0.21%
1952	20,943	80.64%	4,984	19.19%	44	0.17%
1948	14,633	75.08%	4,616	23.68%	241	1.24%
1944	11,543	69.85%	4,938	29.88%	44	0.27%
1940	12,659	69.87%	5,351	29.53%	108	0.60%
1936	11,337	68.77%	4,751	28.82%	397	2.41%
1932	9,476	70.05%	3,829	28.31%	222	1.64%
1928	9,886	76.96%	2,899	22.57%	60	0.47%
1924	7,333	85.50%	881	10.27%	363	4.23%
1920	6,383	84.41%	1,125	14.88%	54	0.71%
1916	2,836	58.68%	1,892	39.15%	105	2.17%
1912	1,249	25.11%	1,322	26.57%	2,404	48.32%
1908	3,312	76.30%	777	17.90%	252	5.81%
1904	3,638	77.72%	900	19.23%	143	3.05%
1900	3,372	79.74%	749	17.71%	108	2.55%
1896	4,456	86.39%	517	10.02%	185	3.59%
1892	3,688	70.49%	1,373	26.24%	171	3.27%
1888	3,371	73.36%	1,044	22.72%	180	3.92%
1884	3,144	67.98%	937	20.26%	544	11.76%
1880	3,473	77.75%	956	21.40%	38	0.85%
1876	3,493	81.54%	785	18.32%	6	0.14%
1872	2,703	88.45%	353	11.55%	0	0.00%
1868	3,381	83.94%	647	16.06%	0	0.00%
1864	3,994	85.07%	701	14.93%	0	0.00%
1860	2,371	75.34%	133	4.23%	643	20.43%
1856	2,667	72.67%	703	19.16%	300	8.17%
1852	1,379	50.09%	892	32.40%	482	17.51%
1848	2,015	60.46%	802	24.06%	516	15.48%
1844	2,290	57.89%	1,415	35.77%	251	6.34%
1840	2,751	62.91%	1,554	35.54%	68	1.55%
1836	1,187	57.37%	882	42.63%	0	0.00%
1832	1,013	76.17%	194	14.59%	123	9.25%
1828	627	96.17%	25	3.83%	0	0.00%
1824	769	83.23%	155	16.77%	0	0.00%
1820	648	76.69%	197	23.31%	0	0.00%
1812	1,282	71.62%	508	28.38%	0	0.00%
1804	724	64.24%	403	35.76%	0	0.00%

Until the 1990s, Barnstable County was a stronghold of the Republican Party. The county voted for Republican presidential candidates in every election from 1876 to 1992, with the exception of 1912 (when the Progressive candidate won the county) and 1964. It has since come to favor the Democratic Party, supporting Democratic candidates in all presidential elections since 1992.

Voter registration

Voter registration and party enrollment as of February 2024
	Unenrolled	124,134	64.96%
	Democratic	42,285	22.13%
	Republican	22,835	11.95%
	Libertarian	577	0.3%
	Other parties	1,251	0.65%
Total		191,082	100%

Government

Barnstable County is one of the last functioning counties in Massachusetts. County government consists of a legislative branch (Barnstable County Assembly of Delegates) and an executive branch (Barnstable County Commissioners).

Barnstable County Assembly of Delegates

The Assembly of Delegates is the legislative branch of Barnstable County. There are 15 towns in Barnstable County, each town represented on the Assembly. In 1989, by an Act of the Massachusetts General Court and confirmed by most Barnstable County voters, the Barnstable County Home Rule Charter went into effect and the first session of the Assembly of Delegates convened. All legislative powers of the county are vested in the Assembly, which acts by ordinance and adopts resolutions.

The Assembly of Delegates consists of 15 delegates, one representing each of the towns in Barnstable County. A delegate's vote is weighted on the basis of the population of his or her town. The town of Barnstable, for example, has the largest share of the vote, at 20.92%, and Truro has the smallest, at 0.93%.

Barnstable County Commissioners

There are three Barnstable County Commissioners, who together act as the Executive Branch of county government. Each commissioner is elected at large and serves a four-year staggered term. The commissioners direct county agencies, prepare budgets to submit to the Assembly, oversee the care of county property and finances, propose ordinances to the Assembly, and appoint the County Administrator.

Ronald Bergstrom (D-Chatham), Chair

Term: 2023–2027

Sheila Lyons (D-Wellfleet), Vice-chair

Term: 2021–2025

Mark Forest (D-Yarmouth), Commissioner

Term: 2021–2025

Cape Cod Commission

The planning agency of Barnstable County is the Cape Cod Commission.

Communities

Cities and towns have been legally incorporated as such under the laws of the State of Massachusetts. They include the entire territory of the state. A city may continue to name itself a town even though legally a city. Villages are subordinate to cities or towns. In addition to and not necessarily based on these legal municipalities are the arbitrary divisions of the United States Census Bureau. Villages are census divisions which may be used as special purpose municipalities or may have a greater sense of civic identity than their constituent town(s), but are not fully functioning municipal corporations. For example, the City of Barnstable has five fire districts that cover the seven villages - each village has its own fire department except that Centerville, Osterville and Marstons Mills have combined their efforts into the COMM Fire Department.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

Upper Cape

1	Bourne
2	Falmouth

3	Sandwich
4	Mashpee

Mid-Cape

5	Barnstable
6	Yarmouth

Dennis

Lower Cape

8	Brewster
9	Harwich

Chatham

Outer Cape (occasionally, Lower Cape)

11	Orleans
12	Eastham
13	Wellfleet

14	Truro
15	Provincetown

City

Barnstable (county seat)

Towns

Villages

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

Education

School districts include:

Officially K-12:

Barnstable School District
Bourne School District
Dennis-Yarmouth School District
Falmouth School District
Mashpee School District
Monomoy Regional School District
Provincetown School District - While it is designated as a K-12 district, Provincetown High School ended operations after 2013.
Sandwich School District

Secondary:

Nauset School District

Elementary:

Truro residents are eligible to go to Nauset Regional High School, and formerly to Provincetown High.

Cape Cod Community College is in the county.

Economy

The county is known for aquaculture. It ranks first in the state for revenue from aquaculture products.

Citations

"2020 Census Demographic Data Map Viewer". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 12, 2021.
"Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on July 4, 2012. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
Giovanni da Verrazzano (2006). "Letter to King Francis I of France, 8 July 1524: Excerpts" (PDF). National Humanities Center. p. 8. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 23, 2013. Text reproduced by permission from Wroth, Lawrence C., ed. (1970). The Voyages of Giovanni da Verrazzano, 1524-1528. New Haven: Yale University Press.
^ Brevoort, James Carson (1874). Verrazano the Navigator. New York: American Geographical Society of New York. pp. 135–136.
^ Conway 2008, pp. 31–32
Conway 2008, pp. 33–35
"2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on September 14, 2014. Retrieved September 15, 2014.
Freeman 1860, p. 27
A history of this extensive legislation through 1860 on a town-by-town basis can be found in Freeman 1862, passim
To protect this area, Barnstable County created the Cape Cod Commission, giving it control over the oceanic waters within county jurisdiction, excluding the bays, the river mouths, and the Cape Cod Canal. Its final plan, completed in 2011, includes maps showing the total extent of Barnstable County, most of which is oceanic, including most of Cape Cod Bay, half of upper Buzzard's Bay, and some of the waters south of the cape."Cape Cod Ocean Management PLan" (PDF). Cape Cod Commission. October 13, 2011. p. 33. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 17, 2013. Retrieved December 5, 2012.
"Age and Sex Composition: 2020 Census Brief C2020BR-06" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. May 2023. Retrieved February 5, 2024.
"Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
"U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 15, 2014.
"Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Archived from the original on August 11, 2012. Retrieved September 15, 2014.
"Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on April 28, 2015. Retrieved September 15, 2014.
"Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 18, 2014. Retrieved September 15, 2014.
"2020 Census Demographic Data Map Viewer". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 12, 2021.
"U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
^ "DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved January 12, 2016.
"Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved January 12, 2016.
"DP02 Selected Social Characteristics in the United States – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved January 12, 2016.
"DP03 Selected Economic Characteristics – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved January 12, 2016.
"Selected Economic Characteristics 2007-2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved January 26, 2013.
"ACS Demographic and Housing Estimates 2007-2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved January 26, 2013.
"Households and Families 2007-2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved January 26, 2013.
"A Listing of Counties and the Cities and Towns Within". Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Archived from the original on June 24, 2023.
Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Archived from the original on March 23, 2018. Retrieved May 6, 2018.
"The Commonwealth of Massachusetts" (PDF). Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. February 24, 2024. Retrieved April 9, 2024.
^ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Barnstable County, MA" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved July 21, 2022. - Text list
"Final class graduates from Provincetown High School - The Boston Globe". The Boston Globe.
^ "Census of Agriculture - State and County Profiles - Barnstable County Massachusetts". USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. 2017. Retrieved July 29, 2022.

General bibliography

Conway, Jack North (2008). The Cape Cod Canal. Charleston, South Carolina: The History Press.
Freeman, Frederick (1860). The History of Cape Cod: the Annals of Barnstable County and of its Several Towns, Including the District of Mashpee. Vol. I. Boston: Geo. C Rand & Avery.
Freeman, Frederick (1862). The History of Cape Cod: the Annals of the Thirteen Towns of Barnstable County. Vol. II. Boston: Geo. C Rand & Avery.
Whalen, Richard F. (2007). Truro. Charleston, South Carolina: The History Press.

External links

Geographic data related to Barnstable County, Massachusetts at OpenStreetMap
Barnstable County Registry of Deeds
Cape Cod Commission official site
USGenWeb Genealogical Site for Barnstable County
OASIS Online Archival Search Information System; Barnstable County
US Census Bureau map of cities, towns, Native American reservations, and census-designated places

Places adjacent to Barnstable County, Massachusetts

Plymouth County

Cape Cod Bay

Gulf of Maine

Buzzards Bay

Barnstable County, Massachusetts

Atlantic Ocean

Dukes County

Nantucket County

Atlantic Ocean

v t e Municipalities and communities of Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States
County seat: Barnstable
City	Barnstable
Towns	Bourne Brewster Chatham Dennis Eastham Falmouth Harwich Mashpee Orleans Provincetown Sandwich Truro Wellfleet Yarmouth
CDPs	Bourne (CDP) Brewster (CDP) Buzzards Bay Chatham (CDP) Dennis (CDP) Dennis Port East Dennis East Falmouth East Harwich East Sandwich Falmouth (CDP) Forestdale Harwich Center Harwich Port Mashpee Neck Monomoscoy Island Monument Beach New Seabury North Eastham North Falmouth Northwest Harwich Orleans (CDP) Pocasset Popponesset Popponesset Island Provincetown (CDP) Sagamore Sandwich (CDP) Seabrook Seconsett Island South Dennis South Yarmouth Teaticket West Chatham West Dennis West Falmouth West Yarmouth Woods Hole Yarmouth Port
Other villages	Barnstable Village Bournedale Centerville Cotuit Craigville Hatchville Hyannisport Hyannis Marstons Mills Menauhant North Harwich North Truro Osterville Pleasant Lake Sagamore Beach South Harwich West Barnstable West Harwich
Massachusetts portal United States portal

v t e Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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Regions	Cape Ann Central Massachusetts (Blackstone Valley, Montachusett-North County, South County) Greater Boston Greater Lowell Merrimack Valley MetroWest North Shore Southeastern Massachusetts (Cape Cod, South Coast, South Shore) Western Massachusetts (The Berkshires, Housatonic Valley, Pioneer Valley, Quabbin-Swift River Valley)
Counties	Barnstable Berkshire Bristol Dukes Essex Franklin Hampden Hampshire Middlesex Nantucket Norfolk Plymouth Suffolk Worcester Note: Nine former counties were in the District of Maine
Cities	Agawam Amherst Amesbury Attleboro Barnstable Beverly Boston Braintree Bridgewater Brockton Cambridge Chelsea Chicopee East Longmeadow Easthampton Everett Fall River Fitchburg Framingham Franklin Gardner Gloucester Greenfield Haverhill Holyoke Lawrence Leominster Lowell Lynn Malden Marlborough Medford Melrose Methuen New Bedford Newburyport Newton North Adams Northampton Palmer Peabody Pittsfield Quincy Randolph Revere Salem Somerville Southbridge Springfield Taunton Waltham Watertown Westfield West Springfield Weymouth Winthrop Woburn Worcester Note: Municipalities not listed have a town meeting form of government (see all municipalities)
Massachusetts portal

v t e Massachusetts public high schools
Barnstable County	Barnstable (Barnstable Sturgis Charter) Bourne (Bourne Upper Cape Cod Regional Technical) Chatham Dennis-Yarmouth Regional Falmouth Harwich (Cape Cod Regional Technical Harwich Monomoy Regional) Mashpee Nauset Regional Provincetown Sandwich
Berkshire County	Berkshire Arts & Technology Charter Hoosac Valley Lee Lenox Memorial Monument Mountain Regional Mount Everett Regional Mount Greylock Regional North Adams (Drury Charles H. McCann Technical) Pittsfield (Pittsfield Taconic) Wahconah Regional
Bristol County	Attleboro Dartmouth Dighton (Dighton-Rehoboth Regional Bristol County Agricultural) Fairhaven Easton (Oliver Ames Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical) Fall River (B.M.C. Durfee Diman Regional Vocational Technical) Joseph Case Mansfield New Bedford (Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational-Technical New Bedford) North Attleborough Norton Seekonk Somerset Berkley Regional Taunton (Bristol-Plymouth Regional Technical Taunton) Westport
Dukes County	Martha's Vineyard Regional Martha's Vineyard Charter
Essex County	Amesbury Andover (Andover Greater Lawrence Technical) Beverly (Beverly Northshore Academy) Danvers (Danvers Essex Agricultural and Technical) Georgetown Gloucester Hamilton-Wenham Regional Haverhill (Haverhill Whittier Regional Vocational Technical) Ipswich Lawrence Lynn (Lynn Classical Lynn English Lynn Vocational and Technical) Lynnfield Manchester Essex Regional Marblehead Masconomet Regional Methuen Newburyport North Andover North Shore Technical Peabody Veterans Memorial Pentucket Regional Rockport Salem Saugus Swampscott Triton Regional
Franklin County	Frontier Regional Greenfield (Four Rivers Charter Greenfield) Mohawk Trail Regional Montague (Franklin County Technical Turners Falls) Pioneer Valley Ralph C. Mahar Regional
Hampden County	Agawam Chicopee (Chicopee Comprehensive Chicopee) East Longmeadow Holyoke Longmeadow Ludlow Minnechaug Regional Monson Palmer (Palmer Pathfinder Vocational Technical) Southwick Regional Springfield (SABIS International Charter Springfield High School of Commerce Roger L Putnam Vocational-Technical Springfield Central Springfield High School of Science and Technology Springfield Renaissance) West Springfield Westfield (Westfield Westfield Technical)
Hampshire County	Amherst Regional Belchertown Easthampton Gateway Regional Granby Junior Senior Hampshire Regional Hopkins Academy Northampton (Northampton Smith Vocational and Agricultural) Smith Academy South Hadley (Pioneer Valley Performing Arts Charter South Hadley) Ware
Middlesex County	Acton-Boxborough Regional Arlington Ashland Ayer (Ayer Shirley Regional Francis W. Parker Charter) Bedford Belmont Billerica (Billerica Memorial Shawsheen Valley Technical) Burlington Cambridge (Cambridge Rindge and Latin Community Charter School of Cambridge Prospect Hill Academy Charter School) Chelmsford Concord-Carlisle Dracut Everett (Everett Pioneer Charter School of Science) Framingham (Framingham Joseph P. Keefe Technical) Groton-Dunstable Regional Holliston Hopkinton Hudson Lexington (Lexington Minuteman Career and Technical) Lincoln-Sudbury Regional Littleton Lowell (Lowell Lowell Middlesex Academy Charter) Malden (Malden Mystic Valley Regional Charter) Marlborough (Advanced Math and Science Academy Charter Assabet Valley Regional Technical Marlborough) Maynard Medford (Medford Medford Vocational Technical) Melrose Natick Newton (Newton North Newton South) North Middlesex Regional North Reading Reading Memorial Somerville Stoneham Tewksbury Memorial Tyngsborough (Greater Lowell Technical Innovation Academy Charter Tyngsborough) Wakefield (Northeast Metro Tech Wakefield Memorial) Waltham Watertown Wayland Westford (Nashoba Valley Technical Westford Academy) Weston Wilmington Winchester Woburn Memorial
Nantucket County	Nantucket
Norfolk County	Avon Middle High Bellingham (Bellingham Primavera Junior/Senior) Braintree Brookline Canton (Blue Hills Regional Technical Canton) Cohasset Dedham Dover-Sherborn Foxborough (Foxborough Foxborough Regional Charter) Franklin (Franklin Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical) Holbrook Junior Senior King Philip Regional Medfield Medway Millis Milton Needham Norwood Quincy (North Quincy Quincy) Randolph Sharon Stoughton Walpole (Norfolk County Agricultural Walpole) Wellesley Westwood Weymouth
Plymouth County	Abington Apponequet Regional Bridgewater-Raynham Regional Brockton (Brockton Brockton Champion Edison Academy Frederick Douglass Academy Goddard Alternative School) Carver Duxbury East Bridgewater Hanover (Hanover South Shore Vocational Technical) Hingham Hull Marshfield Middleborough Norwell (Norwell South Shore Charter) Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical Old Rochester Regional Pembroke Plymouth (Plymouth North Plymouth South Rising Tide Charter) Rockland Senior Scituate Silver Lake Regional Wareham West Bridgewater Whitman-Hanson Regional
Suffolk County	Boston (Academy of the Pacific Rim Charter Another Course to College Boston Arts Academy Boston Community Leadership Academy Boston Day and Evening Academy Boston Latin Academy Boston Latin School Brighton Charlestown City on a Hill Charter Codman Academy Charter Dorchester East Boston Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers The English High School Excel Fenway Greater Egleston Hyde Park Jamaica Plain Jeremiah E. Burke School John D. O'Bryant School of Mathematics & Science Madison Park Technical Vocational Match Charter Monument New Mission Odyssey Roxbury Charter Roxbury Memorial Snowden International School South Boston TechBoston Academy West Roxbury) Chelsea (Chelsea Phoenix Charter) Revere (Revere SeaCoast) Winthrop
Worcester County	Algonquin Regional Athol Auburn Bartlett Junior Senior Blackstone-Millville Regional Bay Path Regional Vocational Technical The Bromfield School Clinton David Prouty Douglas Fitchburg (Fitchburg North Central Essential Charter) Gardner Grafton Hopedale Junior Senior Leicester Leominster Lunenburg Milford Millbury Murdock Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical Narragansett Regional Nashoba Regional North Brookfield Northbridge Oakmont Regional Oxford Quabbin Regional Quaboag Regional Southbridge Sutton Upton (Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical Nipmuc Regional) Worcester (Abby Kelley Foster Charter Burncoat Doherty Memorial Massachusetts Academy of Math and Science at WPI North South High Community School University Park Campus School Worcester Technical) Shepherd Hill Regional Shrewsbury Tahanto Regional Tantasqua Regional Uxbridge Wachusett Regional West Boylston Westborough
Italics indicates closed schools

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