Industry Mix

For the last 100 years, Cape Cod has been known as a global vacation destination. The peninsula’s 550 miles of natural, sandy coastline draws millions of visitors each year. Industries directly tied to tourism are prominent here in comparison to national industry averages such as retail trade; accommodation and food services; real estate and rental and leasing; and arts, entertainment, and recreation. Although the region may appear over saturated by retail trade when compared to year-round demographics, the swell of summer visitors and returning part-time residents are responsible for upholding such industries. 

Cape Cod is also a popular place for second home ownership and retired individuals for the same reasons vacationers are attracted to the region: natural beauty and open spaces for outdoor recreation. Of the year-round population, 32% are 65 years or older, which is nearly double the national average of 17%. Due to the region’s popularity among older individuals, heath care and social assistance is among one of the top employers by industry in the region. This unique population also accounts for industries that appear here under industry concentration such as educational services.

Regional Blue Economy

The history of Cape Cod’s economy relates directly to the surrounding bodies of water (the Blue in Blue Economy) and the marine life therein. The peninsula got its current name in 1602 from Bartholomew Gosnold, an English explorer who was awed by the abundance of codfish in the surrounding waters. In the early to mid-1800’s the peninsula was a hub of the whaling industry. Today, marine research and preservation organizations based in the region are globally recognized for their contributions to science and technology. Further highlighting the region’s dependency on surrounding waterways, Cape Cod’s most utilized mass-transit are ferries.

To support and draw attention to our region’s strong relationship with water, the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce established the Cape Cod Blue Economy Foundation in 2017. The mission of the Cape Cod Blue Economy Foundation is to grow the region’s economy in a sustainable and balanced way, focusing on protecting and promoting our water and coastal resources. 

Further refinement and development of this graphic information is underway. 

Labor Market

Few occupations grew in number of jobs offered in Barnstable County. Among the occupations that saw growth since 2017 is the Farming, Fishing, and Forestry sector. As displayed in the Blue Economy Industry graph, shell fishing and fin fishing account for the majority of that occupation sector. Economic growth reliant on the water that surrounds Cape Cod could see even more growth with support from organizations like the Cape Cod Blue Economy Foundation and the Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen’s Alliance. 

Migration Trends 

Cape Cod is a place people want to live. During the early stages of the 2020 pandemic restrictions, Barnstable County saw an increase in residents whereas Massachusetts saw an overall decrease in population. The open spaces and fresh air were more appealing than ever. 

Migration continues to trend towards a growing population as more people move to the area. Most newcomers to Barnstable County are likely familiar with the area before moving, since most new residents come from nearby counties and neighboring states. 

Although Cape Cod is considered a great place to retire, it is common for older Cape Cod residents to relocate to warmer areas such as Florida. 

Bridge Crossings

Most of Cape Cod is separated from mainland Massachusetts by the widest sea level canal in the world. The Cape Cod Canal cuts 135 miles off a journey by sea, is occasionally closed to allow safe passage of North Atlantic Right Whales, and is spanned by two iconic automotive bridges—the Sagamore and Bourne bridges—and one railroad bridge which lowers and raises for safe train and boat traffic respectively.

Automobile traffic is tracked year-round and is one of the clearest indicators of the region’s seasonal popularity. At the peak of the summer season in 2022, the Sagamore bridge saw 84,544 individual vehicle crossings in a day in comparison to the lowest of 20,888 daily crossings in January. Bourne bridge traffic follows the same pattern throughout the year.

Both the Sagamore and Bourne bridges are 90 years old and require continuous maintenance to assure safe passage. To best accommodate the growing number of workers commuting daily over the canal and drastically increased summer use of the canal bridges, regional leaders are engaged in conversations and planning for new bridge construction.

Wage Trends

For the most part, wage ranges in Barnstable County are below the same ranges by occupation compared to Boston. Some occupations such as Food Preparation and Serving Related have higher annual wages than Boston. Farming, Fishing, and Forestry wages are also higher in Barnstable County than in Boston. These differences are in keeping with the tourism and blue economies in the county.

Job Posting Trends

The impacts of the recent global pandemic are marked by the lowest jobs postings in April 2020. Since then, job posting trends in Barnstable Country show a more dynamic seasonal pattern than prior to April 2020. Although the region’s year-round population has grown and more businesses remain open throughout the year, these job postings highlight the region’s seasonal economy.

Health Care and Social Assistance; Retail Trade; and Educational Services are among the most in-demand industry sectors. Health Care needs are consistent given the region’s aging population. Retail Trade will see rises in demand leading into summertime. Education Services job postings speak to the region’s overall need for certified instructors, teachers, and trainers to build a future workforce as Barnstable County welcomes emerging industries such as offshore wind farming and electrification of mass public transportation.  

Educational Attainment

Overall, Massachusetts is a highly educated state. A higher percentage of the state’s population hold bachelor’s degrees or beyond compared to the United States. Barnstable County’s population displays similar levels of education attainment as Massachusetts overall. 

Although the population of Barnstable County is highly educated, more than half of the available jobs within the county today do not list specific education requirements in their descriptions or postings. A 2022 study and analysis by The Burning Glass Institute explores this trend of decreased value placed on educational attainment by employers as a natural reaction to labor and workforce shortages.

Cost of Living

Barnstable County sits level with Boston and Plymouth County on costs of living in most categories. The cost of Healthcare on Cape Cod is slightly higher than in Boston. This is attributed to the lack of medical specialists in Barnstable County. Cape Cod residents often seek treatment from world-class medical professionals located in or near Boston. 

Homeownership costs more in Boston’s metropolitan landscape. Compared to other counties in Massachusetts with less housing density like Plymouth and Berkshire Counties, Cape Cod’s median home value is notably higher.