Barnstable Town, MA
The numbers that matter most
What an investor checks first when sizing up a new metro — affordability ratio, rent vs income, cap rate proxy, and where the market is moving. Each metric shown vs. state and national medians for instant context.
expensive
Price to income
6.10×
The single most-cited 'is this market still cheap' check. Below 3× and you're in an affordability tailwind.
- vs Massachusetts
- 4.19×
- vs U.S.
- 3.43×
Benchmark
ACS median home value ÷ median HHI
burdened
Rent to income
30.8%
What share of a typical household's income goes to rent. Below 30% means tenants can absorb modest rent increases.
- vs Massachusetts
- 29.5%
- vs U.S.
- 23.3%
Benchmark
(HUD FMR 2BR × 12) ÷ median HHI
tight
Cap rate proxy
3.28%
Rough first-pass yield assuming a 35% expense ratio. Not an underwriting number — a 'is this even worth modeling' filter.
- vs Massachusetts
- 4.32%
- vs U.S.
- 4.35%
Benchmark
(FMR 2BR × 12 × 0.65) ÷ ACS median home value
steady
Net migration
+0.12%
Forward-looking demand signal. Positive net migration drives rent growth and absorbs new supply.
- vs Massachusetts
- -0.09%+0.21
- vs U.S.
- 0.03%+0.09
Benchmark
IRS net migration ÷ population
normal
Permit pipeline
3.03
permits per 1,000 residents
Forward-supply indicator. Above ~5 means the metro is building meaningfully relative to its size; below 2 means supply is tight.
- vs Massachusetts
- 1.64+1.39
- vs U.S.
- 3.52
Benchmark
Census BPS permits TTM ÷ population × 1,000
softening
Unemployment
5.8%
Tighter unemployment means higher wages, more rental demand, lower vacancy.
- vs Massachusetts
- 4.9%
- vs U.S.
- 3.9%
Benchmark
BLS LAUS, latest month
Where prices are and where they've been
5-year price appreciation
+63.1%
homeValues.yearOverYear
+2.3%
Median home value
$575,900
The rent ladder
| Bedroom | Monthly | Annual | % of median HHI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 BR | $1,846 | $22,152 | 23.5% |
| 2 BR | $2,422 | $29,064 | 30.8% |
| 3 BR | $2,985 | $35,820 | 37.9% |
Labor market direction
Unemployment
5.8%
Median household income
$94,452
What's being built
Total TTM
696
Single-family
393
2–4 unit
51
5+ unit
252
All 1 counties, ranked by population
| County | Population | Home value | Median HHI | Permits TTM | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnstable County | 229,436 | $575,900 | $94,452 | 696 |
Similar metros nationally
| Metro | Pop | Med HHI | P/I | Cap proxy | HPI 5y | Permits/1k | Unemp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ★Barnstable Town | 229,436 | $94,452 | 6.10× | 3.28% | +63.1% | 3.03 | 5.8% |
| Burlington-South Burlington, VT | 225,745 | $90,911 | — | — | +56.9% | — | 2.3% |
| Rochester, MN | 225,911 | $89,675 | — | — | +39.2% | — | 3.3% |
| Charlottesville, VA | 221,648 | $90,552 | — | — | +52.2% | — | 2.9% |
| Appleton, WI | 242,972 | $83,919 | — | — | +60.8% | — | 2.6% |
| Bellingham, WA | 226,523 | $80,989 | — | — | +49.5% | — | 5.2% |
Where people are moving in from
Net migration
+267
+0.12% of population
| Origin county | Tax returns |
|---|---|
| Middlesex County, MA | 842 |
| Plymouth County, MA | 648 |
| Norfolk County, MA | 609 |
| Suffolk County, MA | 459 |
| Worcester County, MA | 367 |
| Bristol County, MA | 275 |
Who lives in Barnstable Town
- Median age
- 55
- Bachelor's+
- 47.4%
- Owner-occupancy
- 80.6%
- Vacancy rate
- 37.8%
- Rent burdened (30%+)
- 52.6%
- Median household income
- $94,452
This page shows federally sourced data. A full editorial analysis with charts and investment commentary is in progress.