Chatham is a somewhat small coastal town (i.e. on the ocean, a bay, or inlet) located in the state of Massachusetts. With a population of 6,711 people and two associated neighborhoods, Chatham is the 225th largest community in Massachusetts. Chatham home prices are not only among the most expensive in Massachusetts, but Chatham real estate also consistently ranks among the most expensive in America.Chatham is a decidedly white-collar town, with fully 89.23% of the workforce employed in white-collar jobs, well above the national average. Overall, Chatham is a town of professionals, managers, and sales and office workers. There are especially a lot of people living in Chatham who work in management occupations (16.01%), sales jobs (9.98%), and office and administrative support (9.52%). Of important note, Chatham is also a town of artists. Chatham has more artists, designers and people working in media than 90% of the communities in America. This concentration of artists helps shape Chatham’s character. Also of interest is that Chatham has more people living here who work in computers and math than 95% of the places in the US. Telecommuters are a relatively large percentage of the workforce: 24.54% of people work from home. While this number may seem small overall, as a fraction of the total workforce it is high relative to the nation. These workers are often telecommuters who work in knowledge-based, white-collar professions. For example, Silicon Valley has large numbers of people who telecommute. Other at-home workers may be self-employed people who operate small businesses out of their homes. Another notable thing is that Chatham is a major vacation destination. Much of the town’s population is seasonal: many people own second homes and only live there part-time, during the vacation season. The effect on the local economy is that many of the businesses are dependent on tourist dollars, and may operate only during the high season. As the vacation season ends, Chatham’s population drops significantly, such that year-round residents will notice that the city is a much quieter place to live. Chatham is a good choice for families with children because of several factors. Many other families with children live here, making it a place where both parents and children are more likely to develop social ties with other families. The town’s good public school district and large population of college-educated adults provide an environment conducive to academic success. Many people own their own single-family homes, providing areas for children to play and stability in the community. Finally, Chatham’s overall crime rate is lower than average for the country. It is a fairly quiet town because there are relatively few of those groups of people who have a tendency to be noisy. (Children, for example, often can't help themselves from being noisy, and being parents ourselves, we know!) Chatham has relatively few families with children living at home, and is quieter because of it. Renters and college students, for their own reasons, can also be noisy. Chatham has few renters and college students. But the biggest reason it is quieter in Chatham than in most places in America, is that there are just simply fewer people living here. If you think trees make good neighbors, Chatham may be for you. Chatham is also nautical, which means that parts of it are somewhat historic and touch the ocean or tidal bodies of water, such as inlets and bays. Quite often, nautical areas such as these attract visitors and locals who come to enjoy the scenery and various waterfront activities. Do you have a 4-year college degree or graduate degree? If so, you may feel right at home in Chatham. 63.05% of adults here have a 4-year degree or graduate degree, whereas the national average for all cities and towns is just 21.84%. The per capita income in Chatham in 2022 was $86,990, which is wealthy relative to Massachusetts and the nation. This equates to an annual income of $347,960 for a family of four. However, Chatham contains both very wealthy and poor people as well. The people who call Chatham home describe themselves as belonging to a variety of racial and ethnic groups. The greatest number of Chatham residents report their race to be White, followed by Asian. Important ancestries of people in Chatham include Irish, English, German, Italian, and Scottish. The most common language spoken in Chatham is English. Other important languages spoken here include French Creole and Spanish.
