Buzzards Bay’s trail density is 1.6 miles per square mile, below Massachusetts’ towns (1.8) but above U.S. towns (0.4). We don’t grade Buzzards Bay yet; the figures below are still real.

What makes Buzzards Bay stand out

Where Buzzards Bay beats most towns.

0historic places

History

Settled in 1621

A long history

A history going back 405 years.

Buzzards Bay railroad bridge 1907 postcard, c. 1907

Buzzards Bay’s story

405 years in pictures

The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1901 and 7 maps from 1886 on.

1621Buzzards Bay is settled

Explore the history →

Nearby attractions

USS Massachusetts and 64 more within 40 miles

Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Buzzards Bay. Close and well known come first.

All 222 attractions →

28 mi MuseumUSS Massachusetts

39 mi Ancient siteHMS Endeavour

13 mi MuseumPlimoth Patuxet

15 mi LandmarkNational Monument to the Forefathers

36 mi Ancient siteSS Pendleton

28 mi MuseumBattleship Cove

Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons

Photo credits

USS Massachusetts: USN, Public domain · HMS Endeavour: Samuel Atkins (c.1760-1810), Public domain · Plimoth Patuxet: Tr!sie, CC BY-SA 3.0 · National Monument to the Forefathers: T.S. Custadio aka ToddC4176 at en.wikipedia, Public domain · SS Pendleton: United States Coast Guard, Richard C. Kelsey, Public domain · Battleship Cove: Electroengie at English Wikipedia, Public domain

Getting set up

Moving to Buzzards Bay: who provides what

Buzzards Bay is unincorporated, so Barnstable County and regional agencies provide most services.

PowerEversource21.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA

WaterBuzzards Bay Water DistrictNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA

Internet4 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC

Trash & county servicesBarnstable CountyBarnstable County provides services here

SchoolsBourne School DistrictWhich school depends on your addressNCES

Register to voteOnlineIn Massachusetts you can register online until 10 days before Election Day, in person until 10 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 10 days before).vote.gov

Who runs elections hereBourne Town ClerkTown of Bourne; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2023

ZIP code0253202532 100%Census 2020

EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.

The data

Ordered by what stands out in Buzzards Bay.

Natural hazards

Natural hazards: low risk in Buzzards Bay, mostly inland flooding

Expected losses in Buzzards Bay break down as 50% from inland flooding and 26% from hurricanes. The town’s FEMA risk score stands at 32 of 100, where Massachusetts’ towns sit at 25 of 100 and U.S. towns at 44 of 100.

32risk score of 100

FEMA risk score

Inland floodingHurricanesCoastal flooding

Full pageBuzzards Bay’s hazards pageOpen the page

What it facesLow risk Flood claims0 paid flood claims · No paid flood claims on record Past disasters19 disaster declarations · Declared for the county Get ready1.1 events a year, on average · Ready for inland flooding

FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Climate

Expect four seasons and pleasant summers in Buzzards Bay

A winter brings about 37 inches of snow, with January nights at 24° and July afternoons at 81°.

37″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter26–41°

Spring39–56°

Summer62–79°

Fall47–63°

Oct 24

typical first frost

Apr 21

typical last frost

+1.9°

vs. the 20th-century average

Full pageBuzzards Bay’s climate pageOpen the page

A year of weatherJuly highs 81°, January lows 24°Rain & snow37″ of snow a winter · 50 inches of rain and snow a year Heating & coolingMostly a heating bill Then and now+1.9° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Work & commute

With 0.9 jobs for every working resident, most of Buzzards Bay’s workers commute out

The median commute is under 18 miles. Jobs in Buzzards Bay fell by 145 from 2013 to 2023, to 1,255. Just 6% of the town’s working residents have a job in town. The town’s average commute stands at 32 minutes.

6%work in town

	Buzzards Bay	Massachusetts towns	U.S. towns
Average trip to work	32 minutes	30 minutes	25 minutes
Median household income	$94,000	$120,000	$80,000
Working residents who work in town	5.8%	9.8%	8%
Below the poverty line	7.3%	6%	9.6%

Where working residents work

In Buzzards Bay6%

Bourne17%

Falmouth7%

Barnstable Town6%

Wareham6%

18 mi

median commute distance

1,255

jobs based in Buzzards Bay

Balanced

jobs vs. working residents

Full pageBuzzards Bay’s work & commute pageOpen the page

The jobs here1,255 jobs based here · Balanced Where people work6% work in Buzzards Bay Commute times32 minutes · The average commute How far they goHalf commute less than 18 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

Health

Buzzards Bay stands out in Massachusetts and nationally, with more of its adults who binge drink

For adults in Buzzards Bay, the share who report frequent physical distress is 12%. Only 5 of the 280 Massachusetts towns we compare have a lower share of adults who have diabetes than Buzzards Bay. Of 32 CDC measures, Buzzards Bay beats the Massachusetts average on 6 and trails it on 1.

	Buzzards Bay	Massachusetts towns	U.S. towns
Binge drink (CDC PLACES)	20%	17%	16%
Obesity (CDC PLACES)	24%	28%	35%
Diabetes (CDC PLACES)	7.3%	9.3%	12%
Feel lonely (CDC PLACES)	36%	33%	33%

32 measures vs. Massachusetts

6 better25 too close to call1 worse

What stands out	Buzzards Bay	MA
Fewer adults with diabetes	7.3%	9.8%
Fewer adults facing housing insecurity	8.4%	11.1%
Fewer adults getting cholesterol checked	84.2%	89.7%

Falmouth Hospital

13 mi away · emergency room

None

primary care, dental or mental-health shortage

Full pageBuzzards Bay’s health reportOpen the page

Everyday habitsFewer adults who get no exercise Hospitals & doctors nearby13 miles to an ER · Falmouth Hospital How adults are doingFewer adults in fair or poor health Every CDC estimateBetter than MA on 6 of 32

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

Outdoors

Protected land: 8.5% of Buzzards Bay

Trails total 4.7 miles in 4 parks and preserves. Parks and preserves in Buzzards Bay: 4, covering 10 acres.

8.5%conserved

8.5%

conserved · 160 of 1,881 acres

4.7 mi

of trails · 1.6 per sq mi

Biggest places to walk	Trails	Acres
1. Buzzards Bay Park	0.5 mi	7
2. Taylors Point Park	—	1
3. Bourne Pond Fishway	—	1

Full pageBuzzards Bay’s outdoors pageOpen the page

Trail map4.7 miles of trail, mapped Pick a walk0.5 miles of trail · Buzzards Bay Park Conserved land8.5% conserved · 160 acres protected Questions“Where can I hike in Buzzards Bay?”

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

Housing

The median home in Buzzards Bay sells for about $559K

A home in Buzzards Bay typically sold within 12 days of listing. The rent at the middle of the market here is $1,484 a month. In Buzzards Bay, 33% of sales closed above the list price.

$559Kmedian sale price

	Buzzards Bay	Massachusetts towns	U.S. towns
Median rent	$1,484 a month	$1,683 a month	$1,185 a month
Households that own their home	76%	79%	73%

Market temperature

days on market

104.4%

sale-to-list price

homes sold in May

Full pageBuzzards Bay’s housing & cost-of-living pageOpen the page

Prices over the yearsPrices over the years Years of income to buyA typical home costs 5.9 years of income Rents$1,484 a month · Median rent Vs. the neighbors3 bordering towns

Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Buzzards Bay

17pages on Buzzards Bay

The big questions

HealthBetter than MA on 6 of 32 CDC measures Cost of livingWork & commute$94K median household income · 1,255 jobs here Natural hazardsFEMA risk higher than 32% of U.S. communities · inland flooding

Out and about

Outdoors5 mi of trails · 8% conserved land PlacesAttractions222 nearby · Heritage Museums and Gardens 6 mi LibraryJonathan Bourne Public Library CollegesMassachusetts Maritime Academy is 1.1 mi away

The story

HistorySettled 1621 Famous people1 born in Buzzards Bay Climate81° summer highs · 37″ of snow

Day to day

NewsWeatherHandbookZIP code 02532 Town SquareNeighbors

After high school

Colleges nearby

2 within 15 miles of the center of Buzzards Bay

Massachusetts Maritime AcademyUniversity or college · Public · Buzzards Bay1.1 mi$11,420 in-state tuition Cape Cod Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · West Barnstable15 mi$6,000 in-state tuition

About 9 of every 100 Buzzards Bay residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Massachusetts.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

By the sea

Buzzards Bay lives by the ocean

Coastal flooding makes up 11% of the storm damage FEMA expects here.

11%of expected storm damage is coastal flooding

98thpercentile for coastal flood risk nationally

85thpercentile for hurricane risk

On the water

Taylors Point Park Directions ↗

FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA · OpenStreetMap

About Buzzards Bay

Census-designated place in Massachusetts, United States

Buzzards Bay is a census-designated place (CDP) in the town of Bourne in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2020 census, Buzzards Bay had a population of 4,279. It is the most populous of the five CDPs in Bourne.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)