Town · Massachusetts
Brewster, Massachusetts
Brewster, town, in Barnstable County, Massachusetts. Brewster had 10,457 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 1.3% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 10,318 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 10,420 (±19). GEOID 2500107980.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
10,457
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 10,318 · ACS 2020-2024: 10,420 ±19
Median household income
$103,317
±$16,370 (90% margin)
Massachusetts: $103,960
Median home value
$707,700
±$50,846 (90% margin)
Massachusetts: $562,100
Median gross rent
$1,589
±$465 (90% margin)
Massachusetts: $1,762
Where is Brewster and what county is it in?
Brewster is a town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts. It covers 22.9 square miles of land, 450 residents per square mile in 2020.
One place lies inside Brewster: Brewster (CDP, 2,028 in 2020).
Brewster is in the Barnstable Town, MA metropolitan statistical area (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Brewster, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 10,457 people lived in Brewster on July 1, 2025, up 1.3% since 2020, in line with Massachusetts (+1.7%). The 2020 Census counted 10,318 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 10,420 (±19).
| Measure | Brewster | Barnstable County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 10,420±19 | 231,668 | +583 |
| Households | 4,687±215 | 105,777 | +489 |
| Average household size | 2.18±0.10 | 2.16 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 8,110±319 | 166,215 | no clear change |
Brewster's population since 2000
From 10,094 in 2000 to 10,457 in 2025: up 3.6%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Brewster as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Brewster?
The median resident of Brewster is 59.6 years old; 13.1% are under 18 and 38.6% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 90.8%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 3.9%. 7.8% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Brewster | Barnstable County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 59.6±4.7 | 55.4 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 13.1%±2.1 pts | 14.1% | – |
| 65 years and over | 38.6%±3.8 pts | 33.1% | – |
| Male | 49.9%±3.7 pts | 48.1% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 3.9%±2.4 pts | 3.7% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 90.8%±3.4 pts | 85.2% | −3.9 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.7%±1.0 pts | 2.8% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 1.0%±1.0 pts | 1.5% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±0.4 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±0.4 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.4%±1.7 pts | 5.2% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.2%±0.4 pts | 1.3% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 7.8%±3.1 pts | 9.9% | +3.9 pts |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 7.6%±3.1 pts | 10.8% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 5.6%±2.1 pts | 7.1% | – |
| With a disability | 15.6%±3.6 pts | 14.8% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 2.4%±1.4 pts | 2.7% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 97.3%±1.7 pts | 96.2% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 55.5%±5.5 pts | 48.2% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 28.1%±5.6 pts | 22.4% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 90.2%±3.5 pts | 90.8% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 4.7%±2.9 pts | 2.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Brewster earn?
Half of Brewster's 4,687 households earn less than $103,317 a year (±$16,370), against $95,241 in Barnstable County and $103,960 in Massachusetts. In 2015-2019 it was $92,697 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 6.8% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Brewster | Barnstable County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $103,317±$16,370 | $95,241 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $157,087±$19,803 | $134,349 | – |
| Per capita income | $71,346±$8,992 | $62,086 | +$15,518 |
| People below the poverty line | 6.8%±2.7 pts | 7.7% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 3.9%±6.5 pts | 9.1% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 11.7%±4.4 pts | 9.4% | – |
| Households with a computer | 94.7%±3.1 pts | 96.5% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 92.2%±3.9 pts | 94.3% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Brewster?
Owners occupy 85.0% of Brewster's occupied homes and renters 15.0%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $707,700 by its owner (±$50,846). The median renter pays $1,589 a month including utilities, and 35.1% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Brewster | Barnstable County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $707,700±$50,846 | $629,000 | +$163,733 |
| Median gross rent | $1,589±$465 | $1,678 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 35.1%±20.0 pts | 48.8% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,440±$174 | $2,432 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 85.0%±4.9 pts | 81.1% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 15.0%±4.9 pts | 18.9% | – |
| Housing units | 8,110±319 | 166,215 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0%±1.1 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0%±5.8 pts | 4.7% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 79.3%±4.7 pts | 81.6% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.2%±0.4 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.8%±0.7 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 4.2%±2.1 pts | 4.1% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 4.5%±2.2 pts | 11.4% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 7.2%±4.1 pts | 5.4% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Brewster building?
Builders took permits for 13 new housing units in Brewster in 2025 (13 in single-family houses; the permit office reported 3 of 12 months), 1.2 per 1,000 residents against 1.7 across Massachusetts.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Brewster work and get to work?
65.3% of Brewster's workers drive alone and 20.3% work from home. The average trip to work takes 21.0 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 10.9%.
| Measure | Brewster | Barnstable County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 52.8%±4.9 pts | 58.3% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 10.9%±5.8 pts | 5.0% | +8.0 pts |
| Drove alone to work | 65.3%±7.2 pts | 72.1% | – |
| Carpooled | 7.0%±5.4 pts | 7.0% | – |
| Public transportation | 2.0%±1.4 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Walked | 3.6%±3.4 pts | 1.9% | – |
| Worked from home | 20.3%±5.6 pts | 16.0% | +9.7 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 21.0 min±2.8 | 24.8 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Brewster?
2 census tracts lie mostly in Brewster (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $101,804 (Tract 109) to $104,183 (Tract 108).
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Brewster) · Census block assignment files
How does Brewster compare with other places in Massachusetts?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Brewster is the 1,183rd-most populous of the 16,079 U.S. towns and townships that have one and the 97th-most populous of 266 in Massachusetts.
Brewster ranks 270th of 453 places in Massachusetts with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 97th | 266 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 160th | 292 |
| Residents per square mile | 327th | 461 |
| Median household income | 270th | 453 |
| Per capita income | 106th | 460 |
| Median home value | 111th | 459 |
| Median gross rent | 210th | 410 |
| Poverty rate | 161st | 338 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 148th | 459 |
| Median age | 33rd | 461 |
| Owner-occupied share | 151st | 460 |
| Work from home | 169th | 429 |
| Travel time to work | 416th | 459 |
Brewster's figures with every place in Massachusetts (CSV)
Every place in Massachusetts, sortable · Compare Brewster with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Brewster?
13 of the 57 figures for Brewster on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Brewster are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.