Population 5,186 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in East Harwich
Household size in East Harwich
| Period | East Harwich | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.22 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.39 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.26 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.04 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.19 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in East Harwich are small: just 2.04 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Household size has dropped from 2.22 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only three of the 275 Massachusetts cities with 5,000+ people have smaller households.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in East Harwich
| Period | East Harwich | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 49.5 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 51.1 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 56.1 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 61.4 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +11.9 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
East Harwich skews older: half of its residents are older than 61.4, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 49.5, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only one other Massachusetts city with 5,000+ people is older.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in East Harwich
| Period | East Harwich | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.3% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.7% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 5.0% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.3% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.0 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 4.3% of households in East Harwich, well below the national share of 11.6%. Only 19 of the 275 Massachusetts cities with 5,000+ people have a lower share of single-parent households.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in East Harwich
Renters in East Harwich
| Period | East Harwich | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.0% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.8% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 15.9% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 10.4% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | −0.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
East Harwich is overwhelmingly a place of homeowners: only 10.4% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. More than a third of owners (37.1%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. The renter share has edged down 0.6 points since 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in East Harwich
| Period | East Harwich | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.5% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 34.4% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 37.6% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 23.2% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −5.3 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 23.2% of the housing in East Harwich, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Vacancy has fallen 5.3 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in East Harwich
| Period | East Harwich | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1979 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1980 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1979 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1982 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +5 | +6 |
The typical home in East Harwich was built around 1982, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). Homes here are newer than in Massachusetts as a whole, where the median home dates to 1963. East Harwich has newer homes than at least four in five Massachusetts cities.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in East Harwich
| Period | East Harwich | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $887 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,285 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,349 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,512 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$625 | +$775 | +$606 |
The median renter in East Harwich pays $1,512 a month for rent and utilities, close to the national median of $1,571. Rents here are lower than in Massachusetts as a whole ($1,860). Rent has climbed $625 a month since 2006–10, up 70%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 27.3% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in East Harwich
Bachelor's degrees in East Harwich
| Period | East Harwich | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.1% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 38.5% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 48.1% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 49.1% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +10.9 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in East Harwich: 49.1% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 10.9 points, in line with the national trend.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in East Harwich
| Period | East Harwich | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 97.2% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 92.7% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 96.9% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 98.8% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.6 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in East Harwich: 98.8% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 1.6 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Only nine of the 275 Massachusetts cities with 5,000+ people have a higher share of high school graduates.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in East Harwich
| Period | East Harwich | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.4% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.3% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 1.4% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.6% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.8 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in East Harwich has been low: just 2.6% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 1.8 points, in line with the national trend. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
East Harwich compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Harwich | 2.04 | 61.4 | 4.3% | 10.4% | 23.2% | 1982 | $1,512 | 49.1% | 98.8% | 2.6% |
| South Chatham | 1.89 | 62.1 | 5.7% | 13.3% | 52.5% | 1963 | $1,577 | 64.9% | 98.8% | 5.9% |
| Harwich | 1.94 | 56.9 | 4.5% | 26.2% | 27.6% | 1975 | $1,814 | 51.3% | 97.7% | 3.7% |
| West Chatham | 2.03 | 62.5 | 8.2% | 10.3% | 66.3% | 1971 | $1,711 | 72.7% | 99.3% | 3.3% |
| North Chatham | 2.03 | 62.9 | 8.6% | 13.0% | 44.4% | 1980 | $1,350 | 54.3% | 99.2% | 6.7% |
| Chatham | 1.89 | 64.8 | 10.3% | 17.9% | 47.2% | 1975 | $1,502 | 58.9% | 99.2% | 4.9% |
| Brewster | 2.20 | 58.2 | 4.2% | 14.8% | 44.6% | 1982 | $1,565 | 61.2% | 97.7% | 8.2% |
| Harwich Port | 2.07 | 58.2 | 6.9% | 21.1% | 53.1% | 1958 | $1,753 | 61.2% | 98.7% | 9.6% |
| Northwest Harwich | 2.34 | 55.7 | 9.4% | 8.0% | 28.0% | 1980 | $2,926 | 47.1% | 97.7% | 7.4% |
| South Orleans | 2.03 | 62.6 | 5.6% | 10.3% | 45.8% | 1980 | $1,857 | 57.8% | 99.3% | 4.0% |
| Orleans | 2.07 | 63.5 | 7.4% | 19.6% | 45.8% | 1978 | $1,401 | 59.3% | 99.0% | 2.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Baldwin, WI · Wellsburg, WV · Bay Harbor Islands, FL · Battlement Mesa, CO · Battlefield, MO · West Greenwich, RI · West Harrison, NY · Barling, AR · Barboursville, VA · West Newton, PA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up East Harwich. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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