Eastham, MA: Buyer's Guide

At a glance

Villages & areas

Eastham is about 14 square miles of land (Census) and is narrow from bay to ocean. Route 6 runs up the middle. Most of the town's houses sit west of Route 6 toward Cape Cod Bay, or in the neighborhoods around Town Cove, Great Pond and the kettle ponds. East of Route 6, much of the land is National Seashore.

Bay side

The west side faces Cape Cod Bay, with First Encounter Beach, Campground Beach, Thumpertown and other bay landings. When the tide goes out, the bay flats are wide. Housing here is mostly seasonal-style cottages, Capes and ranches on smaller lots, along with some larger, newer homes on the bluffs and the water.

Eastham center and Town Cove

The center is along Route 6, with town hall, the library, the historic windmill and the elementary school. Town Cove, shared with Orleans, has waterfront along the Nauset estuary. The Cape Cod Rail Trail runs north through town toward Wellfleet.

North Eastham

North Eastham has the commercial strip along Route 6, Nauset Regional High School, and neighborhoods around Great Pond and the bay. Part of North Eastham drains toward Wellfleet Harbor, which matters for future septic rules.

Ocean side and Nauset Marsh

East of Route 6 you'll find the Salt Pond Visitor Center, Fort Hill, Nauset Marsh, Coast Guard Beach and Nauset Light Beach. Most of this area is inside the Seashore. Private homes on the ocean side are often on larger lots under Seashore zoning, and the ones near the outer beach face active erosion.

National Seashore rules for private homes

The Cape Cod National Seashore was created by Congress in 1961. It covers about 43,000–44,000 acres in six towns, from Chatham to Provincetown, and about 600 lots inside it are still privately owned. The Provincetown Independent counted roughly 123 of them in Eastham (Aug. 2025). Owning one comes with rules that don't apply anywhere else on the Cape:

• Seashore District zoning. Federal standards (36 CFR Part 27, NPS) set the minimum each town's Seashore District bylaw must meet. Homes are limited to residential use and a short list of traditional accessory uses. No new commercial districts are allowed, and there are 50-foot street and 25-foot side setbacks for enlarging an existing home. Eastham's Seashore District requires a 3-acre minimum lot with 150 feet of frontage (Provincetown Independent). Confirm current dimensional rules with the Eastham Building Department.
• Certificate of Suspension of Condemnation. For an "improved property" (a one-family home begun before September 1, 1959), the federal government's power to take it by eminent domain is suspended while it complies with approved town zoning (16 U.S.C. 459b). Owners can ask the Seashore for a certificate confirming that status (NPS certificate application). The certificate stays with the property when it sells.
• Variances can put that at risk. If the town grants a variance or exception the Secretary of the Interior finds inconsistent with the Seashore standards, the suspension can be withdrawn. The Seashore can be consulted in advance.
• ADUs are disputed. State law now allows accessory dwelling units by right, but the Seashore superintendent has said the federal standards do not allow two dwellings on one Seashore lot (Provincetown Independent). Don't count on adding an ADU without checking with the town and the Seashore first.

Septic & Sewer

Every Eastham home is on septic today, so expect a Title 5 inspection on most sales. The bigger changes ahead:

• Salt Pond sewer system. Under its Targeted Watershed Management Plan, Eastham is building a sewer collection system and treatment plant for the Salt Pond watershed, part of the Nauset estuary. Voters approved it in 2025, construction contracts were awarded in June 2026, and the system is expected online around 2030. The current estimate is about $143 million (Provincetown Independent; town wastewater FAQ).
• Connection rules and homeowner costs were still being developed when the town FAQ was written. Each lot is to be assessed once the design is set. If a home is in or near the Salt Pond sewer area, ask the town about expected assessments and connection timing, and have your attorney address them in the purchase and sale agreement.
• Wellfleet Harbor watershed. Part of North Eastham is in the Wellfleet Harbor Nitrogen Sensitive Area (designated September 2023). The town says its watershed permit would take a community-wide approach, so most owners would not need an I/A (nitrogen-reducing) septic system unless Board of Health rules require it. Confirm the current status with the Health Department.

See the town's Wastewater Information page and our septic, sewer & nitrogen guide.

Water, Flood & Environment

Water: Eastham went without any public water supply until recently. Contamination from the old town landfill, including 1,4-dioxane, reached nearby private wells and pushed the town to act. Town Meeting approved Phase 1 of a municipal system in 2014, and water began flowing around 2016 (CAI, 2016). A Phase 2 expansion is extending mains townwide (Cape Cod Commission). The town describes municipal water as available to residents who choose to connect, so many homes are still on private wells. Some Eastham wells have shown high nitrate levels (town wastewater page).

• Find out whether the house is connected to town water or on a well. If there's a main in the street, ask the Water Department about connection steps and fees.
• On a well, order a full water test, including nitrate and PFAS, and see the town's Water Testing page. Our water & flood guide explains what to test for.

Erosion: The ocean side is an exposed outer beach. In 2015 the Seashore reported that storms destroyed the Nauset Light Beach stairs for the third year running and caused significant erosion of the coastal bluffs (NPS). Bay-side bluffs and low areas also see storm damage. For any waterfront or bluff property, ask for the Conservation Commission file and get a survey.

Flood: Check any address on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center, and price flood insurance before you commit.

Living here

• Beaches: Town bay beaches include First Encounter. On the ocean side, Coast Guard Beach and Nauset Light Beach are National Seashore beaches with their own fees. Check the town website for resident beach sticker rules.
• Getting around: Route 6 is the only main road. The Cape Cod Rail Trail crosses town. For hospital care, the nearest hospital is Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis.
• Harbors: Rock Harbor sits on the Orleans line. Bay landings and Town Cove offer small-boat access. For moorings and shellfishing permits, check with the town (see the department directory).
• Short-term rentals: Eastham requires rental registration. At 2024 Town Meeting it capped short-term rentals at two per owner and barred corporate ownership (Provincetown Independent; town FAQ). If rental income is part of your plan, confirm the current bylaw and ask your attorney about state registration and tax rules.

Official links

• Town of EasthamMain town website · Town of Eastham
• AssessingTax rates, residential exemption, property values · Town of Eastham
• Water DepartmentConnections, rates, water quality · Town of Eastham
• Wastewater InformationWastewater planning, priority areas · Town of Eastham
• Wastewater project FAQSalt Pond sewer, I/A and watershed permit questions · Town of Eastham
• Cape Cod National SeashorePark information and contacts · National Park Service
• Seashore zoning standardsFederal standards for town Seashore District bylaws · NPS
• Certificate of Suspension applicationFor improved properties inside the Seashore · NPS
• Nauset Regional School DistrictDistrict profile · MA DESE