Barnstable County, Massachusetts
182,800 parcels. Parcel data edition 2026-10-26.
Who owns the land
| Measure | County | Of what | Massachusetts | Rank in state (highest first) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Out-of-state owners | 14.1% | 24,759 of 175,007 parcels with a known mailing state | 4.8% | 4 of 14 |
| Absentee owners | 51.3% | Estimated from 128,033 in-state parcels whose addresses could be compared, plus out-of-state owners | 25.9% | 2 of 13 |
| Vacant lots | 12.4% | 22,747 of 182,800 parcels in all | 12.0% | 10 of 14 |
| Inherited (estate or heirs) | 0.4% | 714 of 182,724 parcels with an owner name | 0.2% | 2 of 14 |
| Owned by individuals | 76.2% | 139,153 of 182,724 parcels with an owner name | 80.5% | 12 of 14 |
| Publicly owned | 4.1% | 7,403 of 182,724 parcels with an owner name | 3.5% | 4 of 14 |
Where out-of-state owners live
By the owner's mailing address, for the 24,759 out-of-state parcels.
| Mailing state | Parcels | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | 4,398 | 17.8% |
| New York | 4,264 | 17.2% |
| Florida | 3,783 | 15.3% |
| New Jersey | 1,623 | 6.6% |
| California | 1,348 | 5.4% |
| New Hampshire | 1,273 | 5.1% |
| Rhode Island | 1,095 | 4.4% |
| Pennsylvania | 879 | 3.6% |
| Texas | 702 | 2.8% |
| Virginia | 700 | 2.8% |
| 42 other states and territories | 4,605 | 18.6% |
| US military mail (APO/FPO) | 7 | under 0.1% |
| Outside the US, or an unrecognized code | 82 | 0.3% |
Housing context
| Measure | County | Massachusetts | Rank in state (highest first) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms | $2,422/month | $2,227/month (median county) | 5 of 14 |
| Fair market rent, change over 5 years | +45.3% | +48.1% (median county) | 9 of 14 |
| Median home value (owners' estimate) | $629,000 | $587,550 (median county) | 6 of 14 |
| Price-to-rent (home value / a year of rent) | 21.6 | 20.1 (median county) | 5 of 14 |
| Housing units, 2020 to 2025 | +1.8% | +2.3% | 9 of 14 |
Rent: HUD FMR (FY26); HUD sets one rent for a whole metro area. Rent change: HUD FMR, FY2021 to FY2026. Home value: Census American Community Survey, 2020-2024 average; price-to-rent divides it by twelve months of the HUD rent above. Housing units: Census Housing Unit Estimates (vintage 2025).
Compared with neighboring counties
| County | Out-of-state owners | Absentee owners | Vacant lots | Inherited (estate or heirs) | Owned by individuals | Publicly owned | 2BR rent | Rent change, 5 yrs | Price-to-rent | Housing units 2020-25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnstable County | 14.1% | 51.3% | 12.4% | 0.4% | 76.2% | 4.1% | $2,422 | +45.3% | 21.6 | +1.8% |
| Bristol County | 3.2% | 22.5% | 13.0% | 0.2% | 82.3% | 3.6% | $1,527 | +50.9% | 24.6 | +1.3% |
| Dukes County | 31.4% | no data | 24.4% | 0.3% | 74.4% | 3.6% | $2,143 | +8.5% | 45.3 | +4.1% |
| Plymouth County | 3.1% | 21.7% | 14.2% | 0.1% | 79.6% | 4.4% | $2,311 | +48.1% | 20.0 | +3.1% |