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
02655
Opportunity
68 · Top 24%
vs69 · Top 21%
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 29%
Access
67 · Bottom 10%
vs67 · Bottom 10%
Economic stability
70 · Top 31%
vs46 · Bottom 27%
Measured values
| Metric | 02648 | 02655 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 7,968 | 4,024 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $129,681 | $118,750 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $53,565 | $101,734 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 798/sq mi | 622/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $593,600 | $806,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,184 | $1,869 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 97.5% | 92.8% | 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% | 60.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 3.0% | 5.1% | 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 | 54 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.6 min | 22.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 48.4 | 57.1 | 2024 ACS 5-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.
02655
Elevated or high exposure: coastal flooding, hurricane.
Full profiles: 02648 — Barnstable Town, MA · 02655 — Barnstable Town, MA · How this is calculated: methodology