Harwich is a medium-sized coastal town (i.e. on the ocean, a bay, or inlet) located in the state of Massachusetts. With a population of 13,595 people and three associated neighborhoods, Harwich is the 151st largest community in Massachusetts. Housing costs in Harwich are among some of the highest in the nation, although real estate prices here don't compare to real estate prices in the most expensive communities in Massachusetts.Unlike some towns, Harwich isn’t mainly white- or blue-collar. Instead, the most prevalent occupations for people in Harwich are a mix of both white- and blue-collar jobs. Overall, Harwich is a town of professionals, service providers, and sales and office workers. There are especially a lot of people living in Harwich who work in management occupations (11.44%), sales jobs (10.41%), and office and administrative support (8.17%). Of important note, Harwich is also a town of artists. Harwich has more artists, designers and people working in media than 90% of the communities in America. This concentration of artists helps shape Harwich’s character. Also of interest is that Harwich 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: 17.16% 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 Harwich is an extremely popular destination for tourists and seasonal residents. So much of the population is seasonal such that the town’s population swells significantly during the vacation season, and drops again when the season ends. Because of this, much of the local economy is centered around tourism; some businesses may be operated only during the high season. During the low season, year-round residents will notice that the city is a substantially quieter place to live. Harwich 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, Harwich’s overall crime rate is lower than average for the country. Harwich 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. The education level of Harwich ranks among the highest in the nation. Of the 25-and-older adult population in Harwich, 46.59% have at least a bachelor's degree. The typical US community has just 21.84% of its adults holding a bachelor's degree or graduate degree. The per capita income in Harwich in 2022 was $57,410, which is middle income relative to Massachusetts, and wealthy relative to the rest of the US. This equates to an annual income of $229,640 for a family of four. The people who call Harwich home describe themselves as belonging to a variety of racial and ethnic groups. The greatest number of Harwich residents report their race to be White, followed by Black or African-American. Important ancestries of people in Harwich include Irish, English, Swedish, Italian, and German. The most common language spoken in Harwich is English. Other important languages spoken here include Chinese and Armenian.
