Welcome to Data Cape Cod
Explore the latest data, information, and decision support tools.
Explore Data
Explore MapsView data from the Census and American Community Survey in a series of map overlays.
Maps
Town Profiles
Explore and compare compelling current information about the towns in Massachusetts.
Explore Town ProfilesWhat is Data Cape Cod?
Data Cape Cod was first created by the Cape Cod Commission to provide local and regional datasets to support planning efforts, economic development, and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Now an ongoing effort, the initiative increases transparency around economic progress in the region and enhances information access to support data-driven decision-making in our 15 communities. Click on a subject area below to find interactive dashboards with data related to the people, places, and economy of Cape Cod, or click on the search icon in the header to search for certain datasets.
Data Stories
History at Risk
Just over half (56%) of the 1,124 inventoried historic properties in the region from 1800 and earlier are protected from development pressures by preservation restrictions, local or national register historic districts. Explore more in this dashboard.
A Housing Mismatch
The Cape’s housing stock is misaligned with actual households with most homes have more bedrooms than what is needed by a typical household. Providing smaller and more compact housing opportunities can help better align housing in the region with actual residents, as well as providing more naturally affordable housing opportunities. Learn more about the composition of households in the region and the towns in this dashboard and more about the characteristics of housing in the region in this dashboard.
Protecting our Past, Protecting our Future
Cape Cod’s rich history, a defining characteristic of the area, is deeply embedded and highlighted in development patterns and building styles. Inventorying historic resources is a critical first step in preserving their history. An analysis of Massachusetts Historical Commission data for inventoried buildings and structures with construction dates up to 1950 shows distinct stories and patterns of the region’s development.
Improving Intersections
Roadwork projects completed through the Cape Cod Transportation Improvement Program are significant regional investments.
A new Cape Cod Commission study shows that improvements are leading to safer intersections across the region.
Running Out of Room
More than three-quarters of Cape Cod’s housing stock was built between the 1950s and 2000s. During that time, home and lot size steadily increased, nearly doubling between the 1950s and the 2000s. The homes built were predominantly (over 80%) single-family homes. In the 1950s, the median single-family home size was 1,200 square feet. It increased to 1,680 by the 1980s, and by the 2000s, the median single-family home size was nearly 2,400 square feet. Over the same period, the median lot size increased from about a quarter acre to half an acre. Read more here.
The Freshwater Connection
Freshwater ponds and lakes comprise nearly 11,000 acres, about 4% of Cape Cod’s total acreage. We know that about 43,672 acres, nearly 20% of the region’s land area, is connected to its ponds; however, the total contributing area is likely much larger. Pond watersheds haven’t been mapped for more than 700 of Cape Cod’s 890 ponds. Read more here.
A Longer Long Weekend
If you lined up all the cars that traveled to Cape Cod over the July 4th weekend, the line of traffic would extend from Bourne to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Travel data collected over the Canal bridges indicated that visitors extended the 4th of July weekend this year. Read more here.
A Widening Gap
Median sales prices for single-family homes on Cape Cod increased at nearly 3 times the rate of average weekly wages between 2019 and 2021, widening the gap between income and housing costs. Explore how Cape Cod compares to the state in housing costs and wages in this data story. Read more here.
Featured Datasets
