02648 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
02648
02632
Opportunity
68 · Top 24%
vs68 · Top 24%
Growth
35 · Bottom 25%
vs35 · Bottom 25%
Climate
66 · Bottom 38%
vs66 · Bottom 38%
Physical resilience
72 · Top 33%
vs72 · Top 33%
Housing affordability
77 · Bottom 46%
vs65 · Bottom 28%
Access
67 · Bottom 10%
vs65 · Bottom 9%
Economic stability
70 · Top 31%
vs53 · Bottom 37%
Measured values
| Metric | 02648 | 02632 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 7,968 | 11,685 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $129,681 | $121,317 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $53,565 | $57,301 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 798/sq mi | 1,566/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $593,600 | $616,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,184 | $2,370 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 97.5% | 81.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 3.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 40.8% | 44.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 3.0% | 5.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 101 | 101 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.0 | 2.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -62.7% | -62.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 81°F | 81°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 24°F | 24°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 44.7" | 44.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 53 mi | 56 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.6 min | 31.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 48.4 | 51.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 2 | 1 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 11.41 | 11.13 | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
02648
Elevated or high exposure: coastal flooding, hurricane.
02632
Elevated or high exposure: coastal flooding, hurricane.
Full profiles: 02648 — Barnstable Town, MA · 02632 — Barnstable Town, MA · How this is calculated: methodology