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COUNTY · 1990 CENSUS

Barnstable County

Massachusetts · 186,605 residents · 394 sq mi
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The short version

Barnstable County is a county of 186,605 people in Massachusetts. The median age is 39.5, about 7 years above the US median. The typical home is worth $162,500. Median rent is $646 a month. About 28% of adults have finished a four-year degree. Owners hold 72% of the housing stock.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $30,130
Older
median age 39.5
US median: 33.0
More educated
28% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 20%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $93,722
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
186,605
−16%vs 2000
vs 222,230 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
39.5
−11%vs 2000
vs 44.6 in 2000
US average: 33.0
Land area
394 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
182K196K209K223K236K19902000201020202024Barnstable County
2024232K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 1990
Under 56.4%(11,856)
US avg: 7.3%
5 to 96%(11,266)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 145.5%(10,327)
US avg: 6.9%
15 to 195.1%(9,431)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 245.2%(9,774)
US avg: 7.5%
25 to 3414.8%(27,545)
US avg: 17.5%
35 to 4415%(27,934)
US avg: 15.1%
45 to 549.4%(17,462)
US avg: 10.2%
55 to 6410.6%(19,688)
US avg: 8.5%
65 to 7412.6%(23,433)
US avg: 7.3%
75 to 847.4%(13,780)
US avg: 4%
85 and over2.2%(4,109)
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$31,766
−9%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $45,933 in 2000
US average: $30,130
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$16,402
−35%vs 2000
vs $25,318 in 2000
US average: $14,340
Poverty rate
7.5%
+0.7 ptsvs 2000
vs 6.9% in 2000
US average: 13.2%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$162,500
+20%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $178,000 in 2000
US average: $93,722
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$646
+18%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $723 in 2000
US average: $450
Owner-occupied
72.4%
−5.5 ptsvs 2000
vs 77.8% in 2000
27.6% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic93.4%(207,518)
Black1.7%(3,848)
Hispanic / Latino1.3%(3,000)
Asian0.6%(1,363)
Other0%
1990
White, non-Hispanic96.2%(179,518)
Black1.5%(2,863)
Hispanic / Latino1.2%(2,249)
Asian0.5%(931)
Other1.8%(3,293)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin
South American1.2%(2,778)
Puerto Rican0.7%(1,549)
Mexican0.6%(1,428)
Colombian0.3%(640)
Dominican0.3%(624)
Ecuadorian0.2%(532)
Venezuelan0.2%(369)
Argentine0.1%(295)
Peruvian0.1%(268)
Salvadoran0.1%(266)
Spaniard0.1%(234)
+ 8 more hispanic origin groups with data
Chilean0.1%(215)
Guatemalan0.1%(155)
Cuban0%(115)
Honduran0%(72)
Uruguayan0%(67)
Bolivian0%(35)
Asian origin
Chinese0.5%(1,063)
Nepalese0.2%(399)
Thai0.1%(290)
Filipino0.1%(236)
Taiwanese0.1%(192)
Pakistani0.1%(182)
Asian Indian0.1%(177)
Japanese0.1%(162)
Bangladeshi0.1%(132)
Vietnamese0.1%(122)
Korean0.1%(116)
Cambodian0%(99)
+ 3 more asian origin groups with data
Hmong0%(11)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0%(50)
Ancestry
Irish25.2%(58,418)
English16.7%(38,671)
Italian11.2%(25,882)
German8.1%(18,686)
French4.2%(9,643)
American3.8%(8,759)
Portuguese3.6%(8,271)
Scottish3.4%(7,929)
Polish3.2%(7,380)
French Canadian2.6%(6,009)
Brazilian2.6%(5,983)
Swedish2.4%(5,596)
+ 47 more ancestry groups with data
West Indian1.8%(4,107)
Jamaican1.4%(3,146)
Russian1.1%(2,450)
Greek0.9%(2,029)
Lithuanian0.8%(1,966)
Norwegian0.8%(1,931)
Dutch0.7%(1,625)
Cape Verdean0.7%(1,551)
Scotch-Irish0.7%(1,543)
Canadian0.5%(1,269)
Arab0.5%(1,186)
Finnish0.5%(1,169)
Welsh0.4%(969)
British0.4%(941)
Hungarian0.4%(857)
Lebanese0.4%(820)
Haitian0.3%(807)
Serbian0.3%(794)
Ukrainian0.3%(780)
Danish0.3%(710)
Armenian0.2%(577)
Czech0.2%(459)
Austrian0.2%(430)
Swiss0.2%(377)
Croatian0.1%(280)
Australian0.1%(233)
Turkish0.1%(232)
Romanian0.1%(207)
Slovak0.1%(206)
Belgian0.1%(139)
Syrian0.1%(138)
Bulgarian0.1%(134)
Latvian0%(98)
Moroccan0%(83)
Slovene0%(74)
Ethiopian0%(67)
Nigerian0%(52)
Egyptian0%(50)
Iranian0%(25)
Jordanian0%(15)
Barbadian0%(12)
Israeli0%(11)
Kenyan0%(8)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
28.1%
−5.5 ptsvs 2000
vs 33.6% in 2000
US average: 20.3%
High school or higher
88.4%
−3.4 ptsvs 2000
vs 91.8% in 2000
US average: 75.2%
Graduate degree
9.3%
−3.7 ptsvs 2000
vs 13.0% in 2000
US average: 7.1%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
20.6 min
+21%vs 2000
vs 17.1 min in 2000
US average: 21.9
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married27.9%(27,421)
Married58.9%(57,825)
Widowed3.9%(3,864)
Divorced9.3%(9,108)
Women 15+
Never married23.2%(24,872)
Married51.2%(54,950)
Widowed11.1%(11,969)
Divorced14.5%(15,573)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
2.7%
−2.4 ptssince 2013
from 5.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
55.2%
−0.2 ptssince 2020
from 55.4% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
24.2%
+2.7 ptssince 2020
from 21.5% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
34.0%
+2.9 ptssince 2020
from 31.1% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
18.9%
−1.2 ptssince 2020
from 20.1% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
2.3%
−0.4 ptssince 2020
from 2.7% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
74.4%
+0.8 ptssince 2020
from 73.6% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
48.8%
+0.8 ptssince 2020
from 48.0% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)13%(1,830)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)15.2%(2,144)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era44.8%(6,322)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War10.4%(1,469)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1.3%(181)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 14,125 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper

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Head to head

Compare Barnstable County to nearby counties

BARNSTABLE COUNTY VS
Nantucket County
Income$139,688+340%
Home value$1,593,800+881%
Population14,758−94%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BARNSTABLE COUNTY VS
Plymouth County
Income$114,201+260%
Home value$556,000+242%
Population546,829+134%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BARNSTABLE COUNTY VS
Dukes County
Income$125,786+296%
Home value$1,165,800+617%
Population21,219−91%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BARNSTABLE COUNTY VS
Bristol County
Income$85,625+170%
Home value$451,200+178%
Population593,640+154%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Barnstable County, Massachusetts?

Barnstable County, Massachusetts has about 186,605 residents according to the 1990 Census.

What is the median household income in Barnstable County, Massachusetts?

The typical household in Barnstable County, Massachusetts earns about $31,766 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Barnstable County, Massachusetts expensive?

In Barnstable County, Massachusetts, the median home is worth about $162,500, and the typical rent is about $646 a month.

How educated are people in Barnstable County, Massachusetts?

About 28.1% of adults age 25 and over in Barnstable County, Massachusetts hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Barnstable County, Massachusetts?

About 7.5% of people in Barnstable County, Massachusetts live below the federal poverty line.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →