Dukes County, Massachusetts Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Dukes County is located in Massachusetts with a total population of 20,933. It is the 13th most populous county out of 14 in Massachusetts. The county encompasses 3 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Dukes County is 50.7 years. This is 27% higher than the state median of 40.0 years. 10.9% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Dukes County is $125,786. This is 21% higher than the state median of $103,960. It is also 56% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 4.4%. This is 56% lower than the state poverty rate of 10.0%. This exceptionally low poverty rate indicates strong economic prosperity across the community. The unemployment rate is 6.6%. This is 27% higher than the state rate of 5.1%. The median home value is $1,165,800. Housing costs are 107% higher than the state median of $562,100. The home-value-to-income ratio of 9.3x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 82.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 31% higher than the state average of 62.5%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Dukes County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 80.0% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 3.3%. The Black or African American population (2.7%) is well below the state average of 6.4%. The Hispanic or Latino population (3.3%) is well below the state average of 13.3%. The Asian population (1.5%) is well below the state average of 7.2%.

Education

51.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 10% higher than the state rate of 47.3%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 95.3%. Notably, 24.4% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Dukes County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Massachusetts and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.