The Town FilesForestdale, Massachusetts
Community in Barnstable County · population 4,116 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $490,200
- Household income
- $108,158
- Jan low / Jul high
- 20° / 77°
- Snow a year
- 30 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 42.4
Forestdale is a community of 4,116 people in Barnstable County, Massachusetts. The median home is worth $490,200, close to the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). It ranks easier by car than 97% of Massachusetts towns, better for first-time buyers than 93% of Massachusetts towns, better for families than 78% of Massachusetts towns.
How Forestdale 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 Forestdale is worth $490,200, close to the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). Homes cost about 4.5 times the median household income of $108,158, which is more affordable than 54% of Massachusetts towns. Median rent is $2,176 a month. 88.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Forestdale | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $490,200 | $510,150 |
| Median rent | $2,176 | $1,561 |
| Median household income | $108,158 | $108,622 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.5× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 88.9% | 80.7% |
| Median year built | 1980 | 1968 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.0% | — |
Who lives in Forestdale
| People | Forestdale | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.4 | 44.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.8% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 22.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36.8% | 45.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.5% | 6.3% |
| Veterans | 6.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.9% | — |
| Work from home | 4.9% | 17.7% |
| Average commute | 27.9 min | 30.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 98.3% | 93.9% |
Weather in Forestdale
July highs average 77.1°F and January lows 20.4°F. About 53.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 29.7 inches of snow (typical Massachusetts town: 49.5 in). Expect about 0 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 122 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Forestdale since 1950, compared with 8 for the typical Massachusetts town. The strongest, an F1, struck on August 9, 1968 about 8.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 8, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 5 times; the largest was 1.50 inches on August 16, 2008.
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 Forestdale itself the ACS puts it at 3.1%.
Towns near Forestdale
- Sandwich, MA2.4 mi · 20,259 people · home $601,400
- Mashpee, MA4.6 mi · 15,060 people · home $562,200
- Bourne, MA4.8 mi · 20,452 people · home $575,600
- Sandwich, MA5.1 mi · 2,998 people · home $584,300
- Monument Beach, MA5.2 mi · 2,784 people · home $559,900
- East Sandwich, MA5.4 mi · 3,669 people · home $689,000
- North Falmouth, MA6.8 mi · 3,293 people · home $715,300
- Sagamore, MA7.0 mi · 3,851 people · home $575,700
Forestdale questions
Is Forestdale, Massachusetts a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Forestdale scores better for retirees than 15% of Massachusetts towns and quieter than 61%. 16.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.4).
How much does a house cost in Forestdale?
The median owner-occupied home in Forestdale is valued at $490,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $108,158, so homes cost about 4.5 times income. Median rent is $2,176 a month.
What is the weather like in Forestdale?
July highs average 77.1°F and January lows 20.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 53.0 inches of precipitation a year and 29.7 inches of snow.
Does Forestdale get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Forestdale since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on August 9, 1968. 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)