Overall
98.4
-1.6 below avg
2024 BEA RPP All 4 categories Federal source
Barnstable Town, MA
Cost-of-living indicators for Barnstable Town, MA, compiled from Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities (2024 data year). Categories include All Items, Goods, Services, and Rents.
CBSA: 12700 · Data year: 2024 · Rank: #104 of 387
Barnstable Town, MA has a cost of living index of 98.4, meaning it's 1.6% less expensive than the national average. Goods cost 3.0% less, services 58.4% more, and rents are 10.0% below average. A $100K national salary has the purchasing power of $101,677 here.
What the Numbers Mean for Barnstable Town
Barnstable Town ranks #104 of 387 U.S. metro areas measured by the Bureau of Economic Analysis, placing it in the upper half by cost. With an overall Regional Price Parity of 98.4, Barnstable Town, MA is 1.6% less expensive than the national baseline of 100. The gap between Barnstable Town's most and least expensive categories — services at 158.4 versus rents at 90.0 — is what drives the household budget experience on the ground, not the single headline number.
Translated into dollars, a nationally-benchmarked $100,000 salary carries the purchasing power of $101,677 inside Barnstable Town, while a household needs roughly $98,351 here to match a $100K lifestyle elsewhere. Rents carry the biggest swing in the BEA formula and are indexed at 90.0 — 10.0% below the national average — so anyone weighing a move or a remote-work arbitrage should treat the housing line as the single largest variable in the equation.
Looking at the 2008-2024 trajectory, Barnstable Town's overall index has fallen by 4.4 points, improving relative affordability. For the 2024 data year, goods are indexed at 97.0 and services at 158.4, meaning everyday spending in Barnstable Town is governed more by the services and rent mix than by retail goods prices. Readers comparing multiple destinations should always pair the RPP headline with local wage data and housing costs before drawing relocation conclusions.
Barnstable Town Cost Index at a Glance
Barnstable Town all-items cost index
Regional Price Parity vs national average (100)
Barnstable Town category breakdown
BEA RPP composition by goods, services, rents, overall
Price Index Summary
Goods
97.0
-3.0 below avg
Services
158.4
+58.4 above avg
Rents
90.0
-10.0 below avg
Price Index vs National Average (100)
Overall
National avg
Index 98.4 (-1.6 vs national avg)
Goods
National avg
Index 97.0 (-3.0 vs national avg)
Services
National avg
Index 158.4 (+58.4 vs national avg)
Rents
National avg
Index 90.0 (-10.0 vs national avg)
Vertical line on each bar = national average (100)
Cost Breakdown Analysis
Above National Average
Services +58.4% (158.4)
Below National Average
Rents -10.0% (90.0)
Goods -3.0% (97.0)
Overall -1.6% (98.4)
Income Adequacy in Barnstable Town
Barnstable Town income adequacy score
$75,000 median income vs RPP 98.4
Salary Equivalent
A $100,000 salary at the national average cost of living equals:
$98,351
in Barnstable Town, MA purchasing power
$50,000 nationally
$49,176
$75,000 nationally
$73,763
$125,000 nationally
$122,939
$150,000 nationally
$147,527
$200,000 nationally
$196,702
Use the salary calculator for custom amounts.
RPP History (2008-2024)
The cost of living has been trending downward, decreasing by 4.4 points over this period.
| Year | Overall |
|---|---|
| 2008 | 102.8 |
| 2009 | 102.7 |
| 2010 | 105.2 |
| 2011 | 99.4 |
| 2012 | 100.9 |
| 2013 | 100.0 |
| 2014 | 104.5 |
| 2015 | 105.7 |
| 2016 | 105.8 |
| 2017 | 105.8 |
| 2018 | 101.1 |
| 2019 | 105.2 |
| 2020 | 101.3 |
| 2021 | 101.4 |
| 2022 | 108.8 |
| 2023 | 106.5 |
| 2024 | 98.4 |
Metros with Similar Cost of Living
These metros have an overall RPP closest to Barnstable Town, MA's index of 98.4.
Other MA Metros
Related Data for Barnstable Town
Salary Data
BLS occupation wages for Barnstable Town area
Fair Market Rents
HUD rent data for Barnstable Town metro
Crime Rates
FBI UCR crime data near Barnstable Town
School Districts
NCES school data for Barnstable Town area
ZIP Code Data
Census demographics for Barnstable Town area
Life Score
Quality-of-life composite rating
Relocation Guide
7-dimension relocation intelligence
Cost of Living Guides
Cheapest Metros to Live in 2026
Official BEA data on the most affordable areas
Most Expensive Cities: 2026 Rankings
What drives high costs and how to cope
Salary Negotiation Using RPP Data
Calculate real purchasing power for negotiations
Comparing Metro Areas
Step-by-step BEA RPP comparison walkthrough
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost of living in Barnstable Town, MA? ▼
Barnstable Town, MA has a Regional Price Parity (RPP) index of 98.4, meaning it is 1.6% less expensive than the national average. Goods are indexed at 97.0, services at 158.4, and rents at 90.0. It ranks #104 out of 387 U.S. metro areas by overall cost.
What salary do I need in Barnstable Town, MA to match $100K nationally? ▼
To maintain the same purchasing power as a $100,000 salary at the national average, you would need approximately $98,351 in Barnstable Town, MA. Conversely, $100K earned in Barnstable Town, MA has the purchasing power of $101,677 at the national average.
How expensive is rent in Barnstable Town, MA? ▼
Rents in Barnstable Town, MA are indexed at 90.0, which is 10.0% below the national average. This is close to the U.S. average.
Is Barnstable Town, MA getting more expensive? ▼
From 2008 to 2024, Barnstable Town, MA's overall cost index changed by -4.4 points (from 102.8 to 98.4). The cost of living has been declining.
What costs the most in Barnstable Town, MA? ▼
The most expensive category in Barnstable Town, MA is services at 158.4, which is 58.4% above the national average. The most affordable category is rents at 90.0, 10.0% below average.
What metros have a similar cost of living to Barnstable Town, MA? ▼
Metros with the most similar overall cost index include Boise City, Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, Coeur d'Alene. These areas have RPP values within a few points of Barnstable Town, MA's 98.4.
Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by Metropolitan Statistical Area (2024). Index where national average = 100.
Related
Data sourced from official U.S. government datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCost Editorial
Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
All federal data sources used on this page
- BEA Regional Price Parities (RPP) — cost-of-living indices by metro and state. bea.gov/data/regional-price-parities
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI) — inflation context by metro. bls.gov/cpi
- HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR) — housing-cost component. huduser.gov/datasets/fmr
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) — wage component. bls.gov/oes
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS — household income + demographics. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
- IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) — tax-burden context. irs.gov/statistics
