Barnstable County, Massachusetts Housing Market Prices
Barnstable County Home Prices and Rent at a Glance
The median home price (often called the average home price), rent costs, affordability metrics, and housing stock characteristics for this housing market.
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Median home price 10% below the Massachusetts median$446,620
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Median rent 5% below the Massachusetts median$1,678
Median Home Price Map: Nearby Counties
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Barnstable County | Massachusetts Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $446,620 | $494,523 | $248,835 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 2.9% | 6.6% | 7.5% |
| Median Gross Rent | $1,678 | $1,761 | $1,407 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 5.0% | 5.7% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Barnstable County is about 10% lower than in Massachusetts. Rent is about 5% lower than the Massachusetts average.
Median Home and Rent Price Trends
Median Home Prices, 2015-2024
Median Rent Prices, 2015-2024
Both home prices and rent are rising in Barnstable County, up about 2.9% and 5.0% a year respectively. Rent is changing faster.
Median rent in Barnstable County rose about 52.1% between 2015 and 2024, from $1,103 to $1,678. Over the same span, rent in Massachusetts rose about 59.8%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 4.7 yearly household incomes in Barnstable County.
Buying the median-priced home in Barnstable County costs roughly 22.2 years of rent at the median monthly rate. That is a relatively high price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor renting over buying in Barnstable County. The price-to-rent ratio in Massachusetts is about 23.4.
| Metric | Barnstable County | Massachusetts Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $446,620 | $494,523 | $248,835 |
| Median Household Income | $95,861 | $104,336 | $80,455 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 4.7 | 4.7 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2024, the median home price in Barnstable County rose about 33.8%, while median household income rose about 50.4% between 2009 and 2025 — income grew faster than the home price.
Income Growth vs Housing Cost Growth (Year-over-Year %)
Compare income and housing cost trends.
Occupancy & Tenure
| Metric | Barnstable County | Massachusetts Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 51.6% | 57.5% | 58.5% |
| Rental Rate | 12.1% | 34.4% | 31.2% |
| Vacancy Rate | 36.3% | 8.1% | 10.2% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 18.0 | 16.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2008 | 2010 | 2011 |
Barnstable County has a homeownership rate of 51.6%, lower than the Massachusetts average of 57.5%. Its housing vacancy rate is 36.3%, compared with 8.1% in Massachusetts.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Barnstable County | Massachusetts Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.16 people | 2.44 people | 2.53 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1977 | 1963 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 5.8 | 5.5 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Barnstable County was built around 1977. On average, 2.2 people live in a home with about 5.8 rooms, staying for about 18.0 years on average.
Barnstable County, MA Housing Compared With Nearby Counties
Barnstable County, MA is the 4th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 231,272 residents against a local median of 534,586. Where Barnstable County, MA breaks from the counties next to it is median home price, sitting 41% below the local median of $753,442 at $446,620.
The counties themselves spread $1,114,771 on median home price, so Barnstable County, MA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Barnstable County, MA has the 5th highest median home price of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median home price | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnstable County, MA | 231,272 | $446,620 #5/6 | $1,678 #4/6 | 81.1% #2/6 |
| Nantucket County, MA | 14,483 | $1,416,666 | $2,213 | 71.8% |
| Plymouth County, MA | 534,586 | $463,963 | $1,747 | 77.6% |
| Dukes County, MA | 20,933 | $1,481,817 | $1,277 | 82.1% |
| Bristol County, MA | 582,104 | $367,046 | $1,244 | 62.3% |
| Suffolk County, MA | 779,263 | $753,442 | $2,129 | 36.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Barnstable County, Massachusetts.
What is the median home price in Barnstable County, Massachusetts?
The median home price in Barnstable County, Massachusetts is $446,620, lower than the Massachusetts average of $494,523.
What is the average home price in Barnstable County, Massachusetts?
The typical home price in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, reported as the median sale price, is $446,620. The median is used instead of a mathematical average because it is not skewed by a small number of very expensive or very cheap homes, so it better reflects what a typical buyer pays.
What is the median rent in Barnstable County, Massachusetts?
The median gross rent in Barnstable County, Massachusetts is $1,678 per month, lower than the Massachusetts average of $1,761.
What was the median gross rent in Barnstable County in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Barnstable County, Massachusetts was $1,362 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Barnstable County, Massachusetts?
The price-to-rent ratio in Barnstable County, Massachusetts is about 22.2, meaning it would take roughly 22.2 years of rent payments at the median rent to equal the median home price. That is a relatively high price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor renting over buying in Barnstable County.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Barnstable County, Massachusetts?
Both home prices and rent are rising in Barnstable County, up about 2.9% and 5.0% a year respectively. Rent is changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Barnstable County, Massachusetts?
51.6% of households in Barnstable County, Massachusetts own their home, lower than the Massachusetts average of 57.5%.
What is the vacancy rate in Barnstable County, Massachusetts?
The housing vacancy rate in Barnstable County, Massachusetts is 36.3%, higher than the Massachusetts average of 8.1%.
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