Self-Employment
Self-employment plays a critical role in the Cape Cod economy. In 2020, a total of 16,629 Barnstable County residents were self-employed either in their own incorporated business or in their own or a family member’s unincorporated business. Men comprise the majority of self-employed residents in Barnstable County, as in both Massachusetts and the United States, and have significantly higher median annual earnings than their female counterparts.