J.L. Richards summer home 1890, 1890
West Falmouth’s story
199 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1890 and 8 maps from 1886 on.
- 1827West Falmouth is settled
West FalmouthMA
2 bordering townsMap →
Photo: John Phelan · CC BY 3.0
Population
1,325
Census survey, 2020–24
Median home value
$823K
Census ACS
Household income
$77K
median
Median age
64.2
years
Jobs based here
205
A commuter town
Settled
1827
199 years ago
Is West Falmouth a good place to live?
West Falmouth’s age of the median resident is 64.2 years, above both the Massachusetts town median (43.4 years) and the median of U.S. towns (40.5 years). Of the 284 Massachusetts towns we compare, none has a lower share of working residents who work in town than West Falmouth. West Falmouth’s trail density is 1.8 miles per square mile, against 1.8 in Massachusetts’ towns and 0.4 across U.S. towns. Bourne Farm, at 50 acres with 1.8 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve. We don’t grade West Falmouth yet; the figures below are still real.
What makes West Falmouth stand out
Where West Falmouth beats most towns.
By the sea
West Falmouth lives by the ocean
Coastal flooding makes up 15% of the storm damage FEMA expects here.
15%of expected storm damage is coastal flooding
98thpercentile for coastal flood risk nationally
86thpercentile for hurricane risk
On the water
- Little Island Cr (Fassett)
- Gt. Sippiwissett Marsh
- Marshlands
- Great Sippewissett Marsh
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA · OpenStreetMap
The data
Ordered by what stands out in West Falmouth.
Who lives here
47% of residents are 65 or older
64.2median age · MA 40
Four-year graduates: 55% of adults 25 and older here, 47% across Massachusetts.
West FalmouthMassachusettsUnited States
Ages · share of residents
36%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma6%
High school12%
Some college23%
Associate’s4%
Bachelor’s26%
Graduate29%
Women and men · all residents
56% women, 44% men
About 80 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±4.9 points). Across Massachusetts, 51.1% of residents are women.
| West Falmouth | MA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 0.9% | 10.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 5.2% | 9.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 6.3% | 9.8% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 0.8% | 14% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 1.4% | 13% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 7% | 12.3% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 31.6% | 13.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 10.7% | 10.5% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 36.1% | 7.4% | 7% |
| No diploma | 6% | 8.6% | 10.4% |
| High school | 12.1% | 22.6% | 26% |
| Some college | 23.3% | 14.1% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 3.8% | 7.5% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 26.1% | 25.5% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 28.8% | 21.8% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,300, single groups can be off by several points
Work & commute
With only 0.3 jobs per working resident, most people in West Falmouth work out of town
1%work in town
For West Falmouth, the typical household income is $77,000. Employers in West Falmouth added 43 jobs between 2013 and 2023, to 205. 14% of residents live below the poverty line here. The top destinations are Falmouth (36%), Bourne (7%) and Boston (5%).
| West Falmouth | Massachusetts towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 14% | 6% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $77,000 | $120,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 24 minutes | 30 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In West Falmouth1%
Falmouth36%
Bourne7%
Boston5%
Barnstable Town5%
12 mi
median commute distance
205
jobs based in West Falmouth
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Expect four seasons and pleasant summers in West Falmouth
37″snow a winter
West Falmouth’s midsummer high stands at 81°F.
Typical low → high °F
Winter26–41°
Spring39–56°
Summer62–78°
Fall47–63°
Nov 11
typical first frost
Apr 11
typical last frost
+2.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Outdoors
Protected land: 12.5% of West Falmouth
12.5%conserved
Trails run 7.6 miles in 15 parks and preserves. Parks and preserves in West Falmouth: 15, covering 207 acres.
12.5%
conserved · 347 of 2,775 acres
7.6 mi
of trails · 1.8 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Bourne Farm | 1.8 mi | 50 |
| 2. Moraine Tract | 0.4 mi | 10 |
| 3. Great Sippewissett Marsh | — | 45 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Health
A larger share of adults had a checkup this year in West Falmouth than in most of Massachusetts or the rest of the country
West Falmouth: 5.8% of adults worry about having enough food. Among 280 Massachusetts towns, just 3 have a lower share of adults who sleep under 7 hours than West Falmouth. On the CDC’s 32 measures, West Falmouth is ahead of Massachusetts on 19 and behind on 6.
| West Falmouth | Massachusetts towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 16% | 17% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 87% | 82% | 79% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 33% | 36% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 17% | 16% |
32 measures vs. Massachusetts
19 better7 too close to call6 worse
| What stands out | West Falmouth | MA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 4.1% | 11.9% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 5.8% | 12.4% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 14.8% | 8.5% |
Falmouth Hospital
2.6 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazards
The biggest natural risk in West Falmouth is inland flooding, at a moderate overall level
43risk score of 100
Storm and flood damage is expected to run lower than in 57% of U.S. communities. Of the losses FEMA expects in West Falmouth, 54% come from inland flooding and 26% from hurricanes.
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingHurricanesCoastal flooding
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Housing
The median home in West Falmouth sells for about $990K
$990Kmedian sale price
The share of households in West Falmouth who live in a home they own: 87%. For West Falmouth, the median rent is $1,745 a month.
| West Falmouth | Massachusetts towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 87% | 79% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,745 a month | $1,683 a month | $1,185 a month |
3
homes sold in September
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about West Falmouth
16pages on West Falmouth
The big questions
Out and about
Nearby attractions
All 190 attractions →The Breakers and 73 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around West Falmouth. Close and well known come first.
Big draw35 mi MuseumThe Breakers
28 mi MuseumUSS Massachusetts
37 mi Ancient siteHMS Endeavour
36 mi MuseumMarble House
36 mi MuseumThe Elms
23 mi MuseumPlimoth PatuxetSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
The Breakers: UpstateNYer, CC BY-SA 3.0 · USS Massachusetts: USN, Public domain · HMS Endeavour: Samuel Atkins (c.1760-1810), Public domain · Marble House: [email protected], Public domain · The Elms: The original uploader was Daderot at English Wikipedia., CC BY-SA 3.0 · Plimoth Patuxet: Tr!sie, CC BY-SA 3.0
_underway_c1944.jpg){kind=link}
Getting set up
Moving to West Falmouth: who provides what
West Falmouth is unincorporated, so Barnstable County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerEversource21.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterFalmouth Water DeptNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesBarnstable CountyBarnstable County provides services here
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.govWho runs elections hereFalmouth Town ClerkTown of Falmouth; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2023
ZIP codes02540, 0255602540 97% · 02556 3%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Small town
1,325 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
North FalmouthFalmouthWest Falmouth
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of West Falmouth
About 0 of every 100 West Falmouth residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across Massachusetts.
About West Falmouth
Census-designated place in Massachusetts, United States
West Falmouth is a census-designated place (CDP) in the town of Falmouth in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2020 census, West Falmouth had a population of 1,812. West Falmouth Village Historic District is at the heart of West Falmouth Village. Historic buildings include the West Falmouth Library, Quaker Meeting House and Quaker Carriage Sheds, Emerson House, the West Falmouth Fire Station, and numerous historic houses. Other nearby attractions include the Shining Sea Bikeway, the public beach at Chapoquoit Beach, West Falmouth Harbor, Bourne Farm, Great Sippewissett Marsh, Swift Playground on Blacksmith Shop Road, and the Mock Moraine conservation area. There are …
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 4.4 sq mi
- Elevation
- 7 ft
- ZIP code
- 02574
Questions about West Falmouth
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is West Falmouth, MA a good place to live?
We don’t grade West Falmouth yet; the figures below are still real.
West Falmouth is in here
Say something about West Falmouth.
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