The typical owner-occupied home in Barnstable County is worth about $629,000, 12% above the Massachusetts median of $562,100 and 89% above the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $4,239 a year in property taxes, about 0.67% of their home's value, lower than the Massachusetts rate of 1.07%. The median household earns $95,241 a year, so the median home costs 6.6 times the median income (5.4 times for Massachusetts). 81% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 58% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Barnstable County at a glance
| Barnstable County | Massachusetts | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $629,000 | $562,100 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $4,239 | $5,992 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 0.67% | 1.07% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $95,241 | $103,960 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 81% | 63% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 58% | 66% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $2,432 | $2,726 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 24.1% | 21.9% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $1,678 | $1,762 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 34.4% | 30.9% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1977 | 1964 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 36.4% | 8.1% | 10.1% |
| Population | 231,668 | 7,044,056 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Barnstable County
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Barnstable County home of $629,000 with 20% down costs about $3,998 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $5,046, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.
Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $171,357 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 50% of the median Barnstable County household income of $95,241; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $350,000.
The median rent here is $1,678 a month, so owning the median home costs about $2,320 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $125,800 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $503,200 |
| Principal and interest | $3,385 |
| Property taxes (0.67% a year) | $351 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $262 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $3,998 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $22,015 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $617,607 |
| Principal and interest | $4,155 |
| Property taxes (0.67% a year) | $351 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $262 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $278 |
| Total per month | $5,046 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Barnstable County
What is the median home value in Barnstable County?
About $629,000 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Barnstable County?
Homeowners pay a median $4,239 a year, which is about 0.67% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.
What income do you need to buy a home in Barnstable County?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $3,998 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $171,357 a year.
More about Barnstable County
- Mortgage Refinance in Barnstable County
- Debt Relief in Barnstable County
- Home Equity Loans in Barnstable County
- Guides and quotes for mortgage refinance on our sister site, MortgageRefinance.com
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data