The Town FilesEastham, Massachusetts
Town in Barnstable County · population 5,752 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $732,200
- Household income
- $72,992
- Jan low / Jul high
- 26° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 24 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 60.4
Eastham is a town of 5,752 people in Barnstable County, Massachusetts. The median home is worth $732,200, above the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). It ranks better for a vacation home than 97% of Massachusetts towns, quieter than 88% of Massachusetts towns, better for first-time buyers than 87% of Massachusetts towns.
- #4 in The 50 Best Vacation-Home Small Towns in America
- #4 in 25 Small Towns in Massachusetts With the Mildest Winters
- #5 in The 50 Best Vacation-Home Places in America
- #8 in The 17 Best Small Towns for Young Families in Massachusetts
- #10 in The 25 Quietest Small Towns in Massachusetts
- #11 in 25 Small Towns in Massachusetts With the Fewest Tornadoes Since 1950
How Eastham ranks
Percentile among Massachusetts towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Massachusetts towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Eastham is worth $732,200, above the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). Homes cost about 10.0 times the median household income of $72,992, which is more affordable than 2% of Massachusetts towns. Median rent is $1,747 a month. 87.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Eastham | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $732,200 | $510,150 |
| Median rent | $1,747 | $1,561 |
| Median household income | $72,992 | $108,622 |
| Home value ÷ income | 10.0× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 87.9% | 80.7% |
| Median year built | 1975 | 1968 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 53.3% | — |
Who lives in Eastham
| People | Eastham | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 60.4 | 44.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 40.9% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 12.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 54.4% | 45.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.7% | 6.3% |
| Veterans | 9.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 10.6% | — |
| Work from home | 20.4% | 17.7% |
| Average commute | 18.5 min | 30.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.1% | 93.9% |
Weather in Eastham
July highs average 78.7°F and January lows 25.5°F. About 45.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 23.6 inches of snow (typical Massachusetts town: 49.5 in). Expect about 1 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 92 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Eastham since 1950, compared with 8 for the typical Massachusetts town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on July 23, 2019 about 10.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 23, 2019.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 5 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on July 18, 1997.
Severe weather in Barnstable County since 1996
Barnstable County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 15, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3599: Hurricane Lee |
| March 27, 2020 | Biological | DR-4496: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3438: Covid-19 |
| June 25, 2018 | Severe Storm | DR-4372: Severe Winter Storm And Flooding |
| April 13, 2015 | Severe Storm | DR-4214: Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Barnstable County
Barnstable County had 96,280 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $64,707 a year. Unemployment was 4.2% in 2023; in Eastham itself the ACS puts it at 9.7%.
Public schools in Eastham
1 public school with 176 students, about 9.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eastham Elementary | PK-5 | 176 | 9.8 |
Towns near Eastham
- Orleans, MA5.4 mi · 6,307 people · home $957,000
- Wellfleet, MA5.6 mi · 3,566 people · home $855,300
- Brewster, MA7.6 mi · 10,318 people · home $707,700
- East Harwich, MA9.4 mi · 5,250 people · home $638,900
- Harwich, MA10.8 mi · 13,440 people · home $658,600
- East Dennis, MA11.4 mi · 2,585 people · home $694,000
- Northwest Harwich, MA11.9 mi · 4,296 people · home $665,100
- South Dennis, MA12.6 mi · 3,899 people · home $495,700
Eastham questions
Is Eastham, Massachusetts a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Eastham scores better for retirees than 79% of Massachusetts towns and quieter than 88%. 40.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 60.4).
How much does a house cost in Eastham?
The median owner-occupied home in Eastham is valued at $732,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $72,992, so homes cost about 10.0 times income. Median rent is $1,747 a month.
What is the weather like in Eastham?
July highs average 78.7°F and January lows 25.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 45.2 inches of precipitation a year and 23.6 inches of snow.
Does Eastham get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Eastham since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on July 23, 2019. The typical Massachusetts town has had 8.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)