Labor Force and Earnings

Barnstable County’s workforce is shaped by the region’s seasonality, tourism-driven economy, and second-homeowner and retiree communities. It has a lower labor force participation rate than Massachusetts and the United States. While earnings vary by occupation, Barnstable County’s median annual earnings across all occupations for the employed civilian population 16 years and older in 2024 were $56,902, lower than the state’s but higher than the country’s. Across all three geographies, women had lower median annual earnings than their male counterparts, with the gender gap in Barnstable County amounting to more than $16,000 in 2024. In 2024, Barnstable County had a lower labor force participation rate than Massachusetts and the United States. Among individuals 60 and over, Barnstable County’s labor force participation rate is similar to Massachusetts and the United States as a whole. Among Women aged 20 to 64 with their own children under 18 years, Barnstable County’s labor force participation rate is higher than both Massachusetts and the United States.

Download an Excel file of the Labor Force and Earnings Dashboard data.