The Town FilesWest Chatham, Massachusetts
Community in Barnstable County · population 1,619 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $739,600
- Jan low / Jul high
- 26° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 25 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 59.7
West Chatham is a community of 1,619 people in Barnstable County, Massachusetts. The median home is worth $739,600, above the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). It ranks better for a vacation home than 100% of Massachusetts towns, better for retirees than 99% of Massachusetts towns, quieter than 93% of Massachusetts towns.
How West 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 West Chatham is worth $739,600, above the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). Median rent is $1,772 a month. 83.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | West Chatham | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $739,600 | $510,150 |
| Median rent | $1,772 | $1,561 |
| Median household income | — | $108,622 |
| Home value ÷ income | —× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 83.8% | 80.7% |
| Median year built | 1975 | 1968 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 68.6% | — |
Who lives in West Chatham
| People | West Chatham | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 59.7 | 44.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 42.1% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 14.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 73.8% | 45.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 22.0% | 6.3% |
| Veterans | 13.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 8.6% | — |
| Work from home | 20.1% | 17.7% |
| Average commute | 20.9 min | 30.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.6% | 93.9% |
Weather in West Chatham
July highs average 78.7°F and January lows 25.5°F. About 45.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 24.5 inches of snow (typical Massachusetts town: 49.5 in). Expect about 1 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 92 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of West Chatham since 1950, compared with 8 for the typical Massachusetts town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on July 23, 2019 about 2.4 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 West Chatham itself the ACS puts it at 3.9%.
Towns near West Chatham
- Chatham, MA1.6 mi · 1,551 people · home $1,866,800
- East Harwich, MA2.8 mi · 5,250 people · home $638,900
- Harwich Port, MA3.8 mi · 1,899 people · home $815,500
- Harwich Center, MA3.9 mi · 1,995 people · home $636,800
- Chatham, MA4.1 mi · 6,594 people · home $942,800
- Harwich, MA4.2 mi · 13,440 people · home $658,600
- Northwest Harwich, MA5.9 mi · 4,296 people · home $665,100
- Brewster, MA6.0 mi · 10,318 people · home $707,700
West Chatham questions
Is West Chatham, Massachusetts a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, West Chatham scores better for retirees than 99% of Massachusetts towns and quieter than 93%. 42.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 59.7).
How much does a house cost in West Chatham?
The median owner-occupied home in West Chatham is valued at $739,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of —. Median rent is $1,772 a month.
What is the weather like in West Chatham?
July highs average 78.7°F and January lows 25.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 45.2 inches of precipitation a year and 24.5 inches of snow.
Does West Chatham get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of West 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)