The Town FilesWellfleet, Massachusetts
Town in Barnstable County · population 3,566 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $855,300
- Household income
- $117,938
- Jan low / Jul high
- 26° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 23 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 58.4
Wellfleet is a town of 3,566 people in Barnstable County, Massachusetts. The median home is worth $855,300, above the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). It ranks better for a vacation home than 97% of Massachusetts towns, better for retirees than 95% of Massachusetts towns, quieter than 93% of Massachusetts towns.
- #3 in The 25 Quietest Small Towns in Massachusetts
- #4 in 25 Small Towns in Massachusetts With the Fewest Tornadoes Since 1950
- #6 in 25 Small Towns in Massachusetts With the Mildest Winters
- #10 in The 25 Best Small Towns to Retire in Massachusetts
- #22 in The 50 Best Vacation-Home Small Towns in America
- #22 in The 50 Best Small Towns to Retire in America With the Fewest Tornadoes
How Wellfleet 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 Wellfleet is worth $855,300, above the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). Homes cost about 7.3 times the median household income of $117,938, which is more affordable than 7% of Massachusetts towns. Median rent is $1,563 a month. 85.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Wellfleet | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $855,300 | $510,150 |
| Median rent | $1,563 | $1,561 |
| Median household income | $117,938 | $108,622 |
| Home value ÷ income | 7.3× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 85.5% | 80.7% |
| Median year built | 1975 | 1968 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 53.6% | — |
Who lives in Wellfleet
| People | Wellfleet | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 58.4 | 44.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 35.3% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 14.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 64.6% | 45.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.2% | 6.3% |
| Veterans | 6.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.9% | — |
| Work from home | 20.7% | 17.7% |
| Average commute | 34.5 min | 30.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 98.5% | 93.9% |
Weather in Wellfleet
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 23.3 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
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Wellfleet since 1950.
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 Wellfleet itself the ACS puts it at 9%.
Public schools in Wellfleet
1 public school with 91 students, about 7.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wellfleet Elementary | K-5 | 91 | 7.6 |
Towns near Wellfleet
- Eastham, MA5.6 mi · 5,752 people · home $732,200
- Orleans, MA10.9 mi · 6,307 people · home $957,000
- Brewster, MA11.9 mi · 10,318 people · home $707,700
- Provincetown, MA12.4 mi · 3,318 people · home $959,000
- Provincetown, MA12.8 mi · 3,664 people · home $902,200
- East Dennis, MA14.2 mi · 2,585 people · home $694,000
- East Harwich, MA14.4 mi · 5,250 people · home $638,900
- Harwich, MA15.3 mi · 13,440 people · home $658,600
Wellfleet questions
Is Wellfleet, Massachusetts a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Wellfleet scores better for retirees than 95% of Massachusetts towns and quieter than 93%. 35.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 58.4).
How much does a house cost in Wellfleet?
The median owner-occupied home in Wellfleet is valued at $855,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $117,938, so homes cost about 7.3 times income. Median rent is $1,563 a month.
What is the weather like in Wellfleet?
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 23.3 inches of snow.
Does Wellfleet get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Wellfleet in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- 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)