Barnstable Village
Neighborhood in Barnstable, Massachusetts
Barnstable County 02630, 02668, 02675
Sea captain homes and cedar-sided capes
Along King’s Highway, or State Route 6A, are some of Barnstable’s most grand historic homes. Many originally belonged to wealthy sea captains, who made their fortune in the 1700s by importing furs, silk and spices. “They’re big, white wooden houses with wide porches,” Alden says. “The town protects the historic district with codicils to preserve the look." While most of these remain private residences, others have been converted into art galleries, boutiques, retail shops and small eateries, she says. To find traditional Cape Cod-style homes sided with aged cedar shakes and accented with painted wooden shutters, buyers can look along any of the village streets. Barnstable Village has one of the largest collections of historic homes in the town of Barnstable. Due to its traditional character and larger-sized properties, “real estate prices are high, and turnover is low,” Alden says. Two-bedroom capes may sell in the mid-$600,000s, but most housing runs between $720,000 and $1.6 million. If large waterfront family estates come on the market — they might sell between $2.5 and $4.5 million, depending on acreage and condition. Some of the properties in the center of the village have shifted to the town sewer system. Like the rest of the cape, Barnstable will be upgrading its septic/sewer systems over the next decade to minimize nitrogen in the groundwater.
Days on Sandy Neck and evenings at the Barnstable Comedy Club
The waters around Barnstable, which drew English settlers in the 1600s, are still a lure for modern-day visitors. Though the village has a good percentage of year-round residents, many come just for the summer months. They ride beach cruisers down the scrub oak-lined side streets, dig for clams in the mud flats and drive their boats over to the natural beach on Sandy Neck. Whale-watching cruises, which leave from Barnstable Harbor, are a special treat for when people host out-of-town guests, says Lucy Loomis, director of the Sturgis Library. Families head to Sandy Neck Beach to swim and build sandcastles, or they can enjoy the smaller Millway Beach in the harbor. “There are also inlets for boating and kayaking — it feels like a full-service resort, but it looks like a little New England town,” says Pam Alden, Realtor with Exit Cape Realty, who has been visiting the cape since birth and living there full-time since 2000. Outside of beach life, members can play tennis or golf at Cape Cod’s oldest club, the Cummaquid Golf Course. The 101-acre Mass Audubon Long Pasture Wildlife Sanctuary offers 2.5 miles of trails along barrier beaches and coastal plains. In the evenings, locals gather for community theater productions at the Barnstable Comedy Club or lectures at Tales of Cape Cod.Barnstable Public Schools and nearby private options
Year-round residents can send their children to Barnstable Public Schools, beginning with Barnstable-West Barnstable Elementary School. BWB teaches students in kindergarten through third grade, after which children attend fourth and fifth grades at Barnstable United Elementary School. At Barnstable Intermediate School, students who participate in band or chorus perform in the annual winter concert. Both elementary schools and the intermediate school earn B-minus Niche scores. Barnstable High School receives a B-plus rating. Many of their athletics teams — including sailing and golf — compete in statewide championships. There are also several private schools in the area, such as A-minus-rated Trinity Christian Academy of Cape Cod, which teaches prekindergarten through 12th graders.
Book clubs and Doxie Day
The town’s sleepy historic appearance does not reflect its active social calendar. “Almost half of the year-round residents are senior citizens who are retired or nearly retired,” Alden says. “They have lots of activities to choose from like book clubs, lectures, museums, volunteer organizations and nonprofits — there’s always something going on and ways to get involved and contribute.” Some of the locals spend their time organizing annual events, which range from typical, all-American Fourth of July parades to the more whimsical Doxie Day in September. Doxie Day is a festival that celebrates dachshunds — events include a Weiner Waddle and Waggin’ Parade as well as contests to determine which pup is the “teeniest weenie” or looks most like their owner. On summer evenings, the Jailhouse Jam concert series brings community members to the hill beside the county courthouse.
The practicalities of living on Cape Cod
Anyone who has ever driven across the Sagamore Canal Bridge on a Friday in summer knows how congested Cape Cod traffic can get. “Living on the cape is like living in two places. In summer, the population swells to almost twice as much,” Alden says. Though some residents commute to and from Boston for work, the 70-mile trip can take up to three hours during peak drive times. Daily express bus service is available, and people can pick up the commuter rail in Middleboro or Kingston. Some people work from home, but others live and work in the area, making their annual income during the heavy tourism months in the hospitality business or at one of the major educational institutions on the Cape, such as Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute or Marine Biological Labs. “Many residents work really, really hard in the summer — just nonstop. Then, in the winter, some choose to take their vacations and travel south," Alden says. “All the major Boston hospitals have branches on the cape,” which allows some doctors and healthcare professionals to summer near the beach rather than driving back and forth. The Cape Cod Gateway Airport, less than 4 miles south of Barnstable, offers flights into Boston for those who need to get to the city quickly.
No fast food or big-box stores in Barnstable
In the village of Barnstable, “you won’t find any fast-food or big-box chain stores,” Alden says. “There are no supermarkets either.” There is the Barnstable Pottery, where visitors might see Kevin Nolan at his wheel. In place of national grocery chains, there is the Barnstable Market across from the county courthouse. It carries a full line of groceries and household essentials as well as hearty sandwiches to tuck into a beach cooler or homemade soups for warming up on a chilly winter evening. Harvest Moon Farms and the Cape Cod Organic Farm stock seasonal produce. “The downtown area along 6A is very walkable,” Alden says. “On certain days, there’s an awful lot of people walking from gallery to gallery or store to store.” In the summer months, the Mattakeese Wharf Waterfront Seafood Restaurant and Osterville Fish Too serve up fresh seafood beside the Barnstable Harbor. The Buttercup Café and Nirvana Coffee Company, both along Main Street, remain open year-round. To step away from small-town New England life and into more familiar stores, the Cape Cod Mall is around 3 miles south. Nearby it is a Whole Foods Market and the Home Depot.
Living on the water
Barnstable is a waterfront community, and homes closest to the water may be impacted by storm surges and flooding. Some homeowners may be required to purchase flood insurance. All residents are advised to familiarize themselves with storm procedures and the Cape Cod Emergency Traffic Plan.
Written By
Ginny West
Photography Contributed By
Jonathan Coon
Video By
Emily McNamara
Was this overview helpful?
Agents Specializing in this Area
-
Alison Brown
Alison Brown
Coldwell Banker Realty - Westwood
(774) 806-8180
100 Total Sales
1 in Barnstable Village
$680,000 Price
-
John Cotton
John Cotton
Sotheby's International Realty
(774) 252-9948
90 Total Sales
1 in Barnstable Village
$877,500 Price
-
Bonnie Filiault
Bonnie Filiault
William Raveis Real Estate & Home Services
(351) 215-0176
50 Total Sales
1 in Barnstable Village
$341,250 Price
-
MaryEllen Monahan
MaryEllen Monahan
Today Real Estate
(774) 268-5264
119 Total Sales
1 in Barnstable Village
$580,000 Price
-
Natalia Weiner
Natalia Weiner
Responds QuicklyGibson Sotheby's International Realty
(508) 501-9145
110 Total Sales
1 in Barnstable Village
$587,500 Price
-
Victoria Harrison Farr
Victoria Harrison Farr
Responds QuicklySotheby's International Realty - Sandwich Brokerage
(401) 425-4043
251 Total Sales
2 in Barnstable Village
$585K - $1.6M Price Range
Schools
Source:
GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
- 8th to 12th
- Public
- 6th to 7th
- Public
- K to 3rd
- Public
Interested in learning more about homes in this area? Reach out to , an experienced agent in this neighborhood.
Transit
Crime and Safety
| 1 - Low Crime, 10 - High Crime | Barnstable Village | US |
|---|---|---|
| Homicide | 1 | 4 |
| Sexual Assault | 1 | 4 |
| Assault with Weapon | 1 | 4 |
| Robbery | 1 | 4 |
| Burglary | 1 | 4 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 1 | 4 |
| Larceny | 1 | 4 |
| Crime Score | 1 | 4 |
Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com
Barnstable Village Demographics and Home Trends
On average, homes in Barnstable Village, Barnstable sell after 50 days on the market compared to the national average of 49 days. The median sale price for homes in Barnstable Village, Barnstable over the last 12 months is $1,085,000, up 17% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
Housing Trends
Median List Price
$1,149,900
Median Sale Price
$1,085,000
Median Single Family Sale Price
$1,100,000
Median Townhouse Sale Price
$1,875,000
Median Change From 1st List Price
5%
Last 12 months Home Sales
74
Median Home Sale Price YoY Change
17%
Average Price Per Sq Ft
$564
Neighborhood Facts
Number of Homes in Neighborhood
1,427
Number of Homes for Sale
9
Median Year Built
1975
Months of Supply
1.50
Average Single Family Home Size Sq Ft
2,162
Above the national average
1,933
Average Townhouse Size Sq Ft
2,651
Average 2 Bedroom Size Sq Ft
1,172
Average 1 Bedroom Size Sq Ft
903
Median Lot Size Sq Ft
35,719
Open Houses
-
Sunday, Jun 1510 - 11:30am
Distribution of Home Values
Homes for Sale
Homes for Rent
Interested in learning more about homes in this area? Reach out to , an experienced agent in this neighborhood.
Average Home Value
Property Mix - Square Feet
This Neighborhood Has More Owners
Demographics
Total Population
1,973
Median Age
58
Population under 18
15.4%
Below the national average
23.8%
Population over 65
39.7%
Above the national average
19.1%
Finances
Median Household Income
$132,246
Significantly above the national average
$71,702
Average Household Income
$165,632
Education and Workforce
High School Graduates
89.4%
College Graduates
60.3%
Significantly above the national average
34.1%
Advanced Degrees
31.5%
Above the national average
13.3%
% Population in Labor Force
64.1%
Weather
Annual Precipitation
46''
Average Winter Low Temperature
23°F
Average Summer High Temperature
78°F
Annual Snowfall
6''
Area Factors
Somewhat Bikeable
Bike Score®
26
/ 100
Car-Dependent
Walk Score®
36
/ 100
Some Transit
Transit Score®
31
/ 100
Source: Walk Score
Source: Walk Score
Sound Score® measures the noise level of any address. Transit Score® measures access to public transit. Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address.
Nearby Neighborhoods
West Barnstable
Mid-cape village along a national scenic byway
Reviews
Are you familiar with the Barnstable Village neighborhood? to let others know what life in this neighborhood is like.
Was this page helpful?
