The Town Files

Sandwich, Massachusetts

Community in Barnstable County · population 2,998 (2020 Census)

Map: where Sandwich is in MassachusettsSandwich
Median home
$584,300
Household income
$117,321
Jan low / Jul high
20° / 77°
Snow a year
37 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
1
Median age
59.1

Sandwich is a community of 2,998 people in Barnstable County, Massachusetts. The median home is worth $584,300, above the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 97% of Massachusetts towns, more seaside character than 94% of Massachusetts towns, better for retirees than 92% of Massachusetts towns.

Sandwich in our rankings:

How Sandwich 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.

Sandwich lifestyle rankings vs other Massachusetts townsRetirement92nd pctFamilies26th pctQuiet81st pctWalkability67th pctFirst-time buyers97th pctYoung professionals85th pctVibrancy77th pctHip & trendy59th pctCollege town3rd pctUpscale67th pctVacation homes90th pctSeaside character94th pctCyclingbottomTransit34th pctDriving38th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Sandwich is worth $584,300, above the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). Homes cost about 5.0 times the median household income of $117,321, which is more affordable than 39% of Massachusetts towns. Median rent is $1,789 a month. 77.1% of households own their home.

Sandwich vs Barnstable County vs typical Massachusetts townSandwichBarnstable CountyTypical Massachusetts townHome value$584,300$629,000$510,150Household income$117,321$95,241$108,622Monthly rent$1,789$1,678$1,561
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Massachusetts towns with 500+ people.
HousingSandwichTypical Massachusetts town
Median home value$584,300$510,150
Median rent$1,789$1,561
Median household income$117,321$108,622
Home value ÷ income5.0×4.5×
Homeownership77.1%80.7%
Median year built19711968
Seasonal / vacation homes24.2%—

Who lives in Sandwich

PeopleSandwichTypical Massachusetts town
Median age59.144.8
Age 65 and over41.7%20.7%
Under 1816.2%—
Bachelor's degree or higher62.6%45.7%
Below the poverty line6.3%6.3%
Veterans8.3%—
Born outside the U.S.5.0%—
Work from home22.4%17.7%
Average commute23.8 min30.1 min
Homes with broadband85.0%93.9%

Weather in Sandwich

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 37.2 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.

Sandwich monthly temperatures and precipitation20°30°40°50°60°70°80°32° freezing38°20°Jan40°22°Feb45°27°Mar55°36°Apr65°47°May71°56°Jun77°63°Jul76°62°Aug70°55°Sep61°44°Oct52°35°Nov44°27°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue4.912.94.09.25.37.34.61.33.94.13.83.03.95.34.70.25.66.3
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the E Sandwich station (3.2 mi away); snow from E Wareham (8.9 mi).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Sandwich since 1950, compared with 8 for the typical Massachusetts town. The strongest, an EF0, struck on August 8, 2023 about 7.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 8, 2023.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Sandwich by decade01950s01960s01970s01980s01990s02000s02010s12020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 6 times; the largest was 2.25 inches on August 16, 2008.

Severe weather in Barnstable County since 1996

Storm events in Barnstable County since 1996 by typeHail45Flood36High Wind221Lightning32Heavy Rain22Heavy Snow32Flash Flood18Strong Wind118
NOAA Storm Events Database, Barnstable County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 4 deaths recorded.

Barnstable County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
September 15, 2023HurricaneEM-3599: Hurricane Lee
March 27, 2020BiologicalDR-4496: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3438: Covid-19
June 25, 2018Severe StormDR-4372: Severe Winter Storm And Flooding
April 13, 2015Severe StormDR-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 Sandwich itself the ACS puts it at 2.9%.

Largest industries in Barnstable CountyHotels & restaurants15,677 jobs · $40,105Health care & social assistan…15,098 jobs · $73,389Retail14,563 jobs · $44,996Construction7,204 jobs · $81,495Professional & technical serv…4,768 jobs · $93,138Administrative & support4,390 jobs · $62,109
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Barnstable County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%12%2000200420082012201620202023Barnstable 4.2%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Sandwich

Sandwich questions

Is Sandwich, Massachusetts a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sandwich scores better for retirees than 92% of Massachusetts towns and quieter than 81%. 41.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 59.1).

How much does a house cost in Sandwich?

The median owner-occupied home in Sandwich is valued at $584,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $117,321, so homes cost about 5.0 times income. Median rent is $1,789 a month.

What is the weather like in Sandwich?

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 37.2 inches of snow.

Does Sandwich get tornadoes?

1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Sandwich since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF0 on August 8, 2023. The typical Massachusetts town has had 8.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Sandwich's Census boundary (GEOID 2559700). Comparisons use the median of Massachusetts towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-12.