Barnstable · Relocation
Relocating to Barnstable
Learning the South Coast and the Cape from someone who lives here, before you commit to a town you have only seen in August.
The town where the rest of the Cape goes for things
Barnstable holds the hospital, the airport, the ferries to Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard, the county government and most of the Cape's everyday commerce. People in every other town on this list drive here for something.
For a relocating household that is nervous about being far from services, Barnstable is the answer, because almost nothing here requires leaving the Cape.
Ask me which Barnstable village fits you
Seven villages, and only one of them is called Hyannis
Hyannis, Barnstable Village, Centerville, Osterville, Cotuit, Marstons Mills and West Barnstable are all one town with one tax rate and one school district, and they do not feel remotely alike.
Hyannis is a working year-round center. Barnstable Village and West Barnstable are quiet and old along Route 6A. Osterville and Cotuit are their own worlds on the south side. Marstons Mills and Centerville are largely residential and inland. Naming the town narrows nothing; naming a village starts a search.
Two coastlines that behave differently
The north side faces Cape Cod Bay, with marsh, tide flats and cooler water. The south side faces Nantucket Sound, with beaches, harbors and warmer swimming. The weather is genuinely different across the town on the same day.
Which coast you want is worth deciding early, because it changes the village, the price and the kind of day you will have at the water.
The off-season question answers itself here
A lot of the Cape empties after Labor Day. Barnstable largely does not, because the hospital, the county offices, the airport and the year-round retail keep running regardless of the season.
The town is also the busiest on the Cape in summer for the same reasons. Anyone relocating here should visit both in August and, if at all possible, in the middle of February, which is the visit that actually tells you something.
Where to start
Tell me which coast, and how close to services you want to be. Those two answers sort seven villages down to two quickly.
When you are ready, get in touch, or read about buying a home in Barnstable.
This describes my general process and is not legal, tax, or lending advice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Barnstable a year-round town?
Yes, and more reliably than most of the Cape. The hospital, the county offices, the airport and the year-round retail keep running regardless of the season. It is also the busiest town on the Cape in summer, for the same reasons.
What is the difference between Hyannis and the other villages?
Hyannis is the Cape's working year-round center, with the hospital, the airport and the ferries. Barnstable Village and West Barnstable are quiet and old along Route 6A. Osterville and Cotuit are their own markets on the south side. Marstons Mills and Centerville are largely residential and inland.
Which side of Barnstable should I look at?
The north side faces Cape Cod Bay with marsh, flats and cooler water. The south side faces Nantucket Sound with beaches and warmer swimming. The weather genuinely differs across the town on the same day, so decide the coast before the village.
Barnstable
What relocation looks like in Barnstable
Seven villages in one town, from the harbor and the ferries at Hyannis to the quiet of Route 6A.
Barnstable is Hyannis, Centerville, Osterville, Cotuit, Marstons Mills, West Barnstable and Barnstable Village. It is the widest range of lifestyles available inside a single Cape town line, and the village name matters far more here than the town name.
Sandy Neck and the Route 6A corridor on the Bay side, Craigville and the Sound beaches on the south, and the busiest year-round downtown on the Cape in between. A town-level price figure averages seven places that have very little to do with each other.
The method
How I do it in Barnstable
Relocation: keep exploring
Ready to make your move with Susan Gorden Ryan?