East Harwich, Massachusetts Demographics & Population 2026

Population Overview

East Harwich is a small city located in Massachusetts, within Barnstable County. The total population is 5,654. It ranks as the 115th most populous out of 248 Census-designated places in Massachusetts.

Age Demographics

The median age in East Harwich is 60.3 years. This is 51% higher than the state median of 40.0 years. Only 12.8% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 12.0% 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 East Harwich is $111,508. This is 7% higher than the state median of $103,960. It is also 38% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 1.7%. This is 83% 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 1.8%. This is 64% lower than the state rate of 5.1%. The median home value is $638,900. Housing costs are 14% higher than the state median of $562,100. The home-value-to-income ratio is 5.7x. 91.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 46% higher than the state average of 62.5%.

Race & Ethnicity

East Harwich has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 94.3% of all residents. Asian residents account for 2.9%. The Black or African American population (0.4%) is well below the state average of 6.4%. The Hispanic or Latino population (1.0%) is well below the state average of 13.3%. The Asian population (2.9%) is well below the state average of 7.2%.

Education

47.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is about the same as 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 99.3%. Notably, 23.5% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for East Harwich, Massachusetts is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Massachusetts state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 248 Census-designated places in Massachusetts. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.