Population 6,178 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Orleans
Household size in Orleans
| Period | Orleans | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.98 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 1.96 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.14 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.07 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.09 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Orleans are small: just 2.07 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. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 1.98, even as the national average fell. Only nine 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 Orleans
| Period | Orleans | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 60.0 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 60.8 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 59.2 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 63.5 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.5 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
Orleans skews older: half of its residents are older than 63.5, 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 60.0, as it has nationally. Orleans has the oldest population of any Massachusetts city with 5,000+ people.
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 Orleans
| Period | Orleans | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.0% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 6.7% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 6.9% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.4% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.6 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 7.4% of households in Orleans, well below the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 2.6 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Orleans
Renters in Orleans
| Period | Orleans | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 27.2% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 23.8% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 17.6% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 19.6% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | −7.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Orleans is largely a place of homeowners: only 19.6% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. More than four in ten owners (43.1%) have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is down 7.6 points from 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 Orleans
| Period | Orleans | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.3% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 41.0% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 50.1% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 45.8% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | +7.5 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 45.8% of the housing in Orleans, 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. Since 2006–10, vacancy has risen 7.5 points, even as the national rate fell.
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 Orleans
| Period | Orleans | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1973 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1975 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1974 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1978 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +5 | +6 |
Homes in Orleans are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1978, versus 1980 nationally. Homes here are newer than in Massachusetts as a whole, where the median home dates to 1963. The median year built has moved up from 1973 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building.
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 Orleans
| Period | Orleans | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $831 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $885 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $947 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,401 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$570 | +$775 | +$606 |
Rent in Orleans runs $1,401 a month at the median, utilities included, below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $570 a month from 2006–10, a 69% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 32.2% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
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 Orleans
Bachelor's degrees in Orleans
| Period | Orleans | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 50.6% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 48.8% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 59.6% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 59.3% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +8.8 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Orleans: 59.3% 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. The share with a degree is up 8.8 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Orleans
| Period | Orleans | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 97.1% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 97.5% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 98.8% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 99.0% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.9 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Orleans: 99.0% 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 1.9 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Of the 275 Massachusetts cities with 5,000+ people, only four 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 Orleans
| Period | Orleans | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.3% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 3.3% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.9% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.8% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.5 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Orleans has been strong: just 2.8% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is down 2.5 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current 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).
Orleans 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orleans | 2.07 | 63.5 | 7.4% | 19.6% | 45.8% | 1978 | $1,401 | 59.3% | 99.0% | 2.8% |
| South Orleans | 2.03 | 62.6 | 5.6% | 10.3% | 45.8% | 1980 | $1,857 | 57.8% | 99.3% | 4.0% |
| Eastham | 1.94 | 59.4 | 6.0% | 11.2% | 51.3% | 1975 | $1,790 | 55.8% | 95.2% | 9.9% |
| Brewster | 2.20 | 58.2 | 4.2% | 14.8% | 44.6% | 1982 | $1,565 | 61.2% | 97.7% | 8.2% |
| North Chatham | 2.03 | 62.9 | 8.6% | 13.0% | 44.4% | 1980 | $1,350 | 54.3% | 99.2% | 6.7% |
| North Eastham | 1.90 | 59.3 | 6.9% | 13.9% | 55.7% | 1973 | $1,838 | 50.2% | 93.1% | 8.2% |
| East Harwich | 2.04 | 61.4 | 4.3% | 10.4% | 23.2% | 1982 | $1,512 | 49.1% | 98.8% | 2.6% |
| Chatham | 1.89 | 64.8 | 10.3% | 17.9% | 47.2% | 1975 | $1,502 | 58.9% | 99.2% | 4.9% |
| West Chatham | 2.03 | 62.5 | 8.2% | 10.3% | 66.3% | 1971 | $1,711 | 72.7% | 99.3% | 3.3% |
| 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% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Margaret, AL · Port St. Joe, FL · Port Ludlow, WA · Piketon, OH · Paris, AR · Midway, FL · Middletown, RI · Mickleton, NJ · Marion, KY · Margate City, NJ
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 Orleans. 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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