The Town FilesChatham, Massachusetts
Town in Barnstable County · population 6,594 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $942,800
- Household income
- $85,167
- Jan low / Jul high
- 25° / 76°
- Snow a year
- 25 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 63.4
Chatham is a town of 6,594 people in Barnstable County, Massachusetts. The median home is worth $942,800, above the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). It ranks better for a vacation home than 99% of Massachusetts towns, better for retirees than 93% of Massachusetts towns, more seaside character than 90% of Massachusetts towns.
- #2 in The 50 Best Vacation-Home Small Towns in America
- #3 in The 50 Best Vacation-Home Places in America
- #7 in 25 Small Towns in Massachusetts With the Mildest Winters
- #9 in 25 Small Towns in Massachusetts With the Fewest Tornadoes Since 1950
- #12 in The 25 Best Small Towns to Retire in Massachusetts
- #18 in The 25 Quietest Small Towns in Massachusetts
How Chatham ranks
Percentile among Massachusetts towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Massachusetts towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Chatham is worth $942,800, above the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). Homes cost about 11.1 times the median household income of $85,167, which is more affordable than 2% of Massachusetts towns. Median rent is $1,485 a month. 85.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Chatham | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $942,800 | $510,150 |
| Median rent | $1,485 | $1,561 |
| Median household income | $85,167 | $108,622 |
| Home value ÷ income | 11.1× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 85.4% | 80.7% |
| Median year built | 1974 | 1968 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 54.1% | — |
Who lives in Chatham
| People | Chatham | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 63.4 | 44.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 45.5% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 8.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 60.7% | 45.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.8% | 6.3% |
| Veterans | 9.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.7% | — |
| Work from home | 25.5% | 17.7% |
| Average commute | 23.9 min | 30.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.5% | 93.9% |
Weather in Chatham
July highs average 75.9°F and January lows 24.9°F. About 45.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 24.5 inches of snow (typical Massachusetts town: 49.5 in). Expect about 0 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 83 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Chatham since 1950, compared with 8 for the typical Massachusetts town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on July 23, 2019 about 6.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 23, 2019.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on August 7, 2014.
Severe weather in Barnstable County since 1996
Barnstable County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 15, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3599: Hurricane Lee |
| March 27, 2020 | Biological | DR-4496: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3438: Covid-19 |
| June 25, 2018 | Severe Storm | DR-4372: Severe Winter Storm And Flooding |
| April 13, 2015 | Severe Storm | DR-4214: Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Barnstable County
Barnstable County had 96,280 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $64,707 a year. Unemployment was 4.2% in 2023; in Chatham itself the ACS puts it at 3.9%.
Public schools in Chatham
2 public schools with 563 students, about 9.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monomoy Regional Middle School | 5-7 | 414 | 9.4 |
| Chatham Elementary School | K-4 | 149 | 8.3 |
Towns near Chatham
- East Harwich, MA6.5 mi · 5,250 people · home $638,900
- Harwich, MA6.9 mi · 13,440 people · home $658,600
- Northwest Harwich, MA8.1 mi · 4,296 people · home $665,100
- Dennis Port, MA8.6 mi · 3,487 people · home $523,900
- Brewster, MA9.7 mi · 10,318 people · home $707,700
- Orleans, MA10.0 mi · 6,307 people · home $957,000
- South Dennis, MA10.4 mi · 3,899 people · home $495,700
- Dennis, MA11.1 mi · 14,674 people · home $627,100
Chatham questions
Is Chatham, Massachusetts a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Chatham scores better for retirees than 93% of Massachusetts towns and quieter than 85%. 45.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 63.4).
How much does a house cost in Chatham?
The median owner-occupied home in Chatham is valued at $942,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $85,167, so homes cost about 11.1 times income. Median rent is $1,485 a month.
What is the weather like in Chatham?
July highs average 75.9°F and January lows 24.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 45.9 inches of precipitation a year and 24.5 inches of snow.
Does Chatham get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Chatham since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on July 23, 2019. The typical Massachusetts town has had 8.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)