At a glance
| Region | Upper Cape, at the southwest corner of Cape Cod |
|---|---|
| Villages | Falmouth Village, Woods Hole, West Falmouth, North Falmouth, East Falmouth, Teaticket, Hatchville, Waquoit, plus neighborhoods such as Falmouth Heights, Sippewissett, Quissett, Silver Beach and Megansett |
| Year-round population | 32,517 in the 2020 Census. The July 2025 Census estimate is 33,361 (U.S. Census QuickFacts). |
| Tax rate (residential) | FY2025: $5.87 per $1,000, a single rate for all classes (MMA community profile, DLS data). Confirm the FY2026 rate with Falmouth Assessing. |
| Residential exemption | Confirm with town assessor (Falmouth Assessing) |
| Public water supplier(s) | Town of Falmouth Water Division (Department of Public Works). Some outlying properties use private wells. |
| Sewer status | Partial. Sewer serves parts of Falmouth Village and Woods Hole, with expansion projects in the Little Pond and Great Pond areas. |
| Nitrogen / watershed permit | The town has estuary nitrogen limits for Oyster Pond and West Falmouth Harbor and a targeted watershed plan for Great Pond. Confirm NSA and watershed permit status with the town. Background: septic & sewer guide. |
| School district | Falmouth (DESE district profile) |
| Town website | falmouthma.gov |
Villages & areas
Falmouth covers about 44 square miles. Buzzards Bay is on its west side and Vineyard Sound on its south. A series of salt ponds and inlets cuts into the south shore, including Oyster Pond, Salt Pond, Little Pond, Great Pond, Green Pond, Bournes Pond and Waquoit Bay. Route 28 is the main north–south road, and Route 151 crosses to Mashpee.
Falmouth Village and Falmouth Heights
The historic center has a village green, Main Street shops and Falmouth Inner Harbor, with the town marina and seasonal passenger ferry service. Falmouth Heights sits on the bluff and beach east of the harbor. Housing ranges from antique homes near the green to in-town Capes, condos and beach-area homes.
Woods Hole
Woods Hole is the small village at the southwest tip, known for its ocean-science institutions and the Steamship Authority's Martha's Vineyard ferry terminal. Eel Pond and Great Harbor are its waterfront. Housing is mostly older village homes on small lots, some of them waterfront.
West Falmouth, North Falmouth and Sippewissett
These Buzzards Bay villages run along Route 28A, with harbors and coves at West Falmouth Harbor, Wild Harbor and Megansett. Old Silver Beach is in North Falmouth. Housing includes antique and shingle-style homes, mid-century neighborhoods and bay-front properties.
East Falmouth, Teaticket, Waquoit and Hatchville
The eastern villages include the Route 28 commercial corridor in Teaticket and the salt-pond neighborhoods south of Route 28, such as Maravista, Menauhant and Davisville. Waquoit Bay is on the Mashpee line. Hatchville is the more rural interior area to the north. Housing runs from small Capes and ranches to waterfront homes on the ponds and the Sound.
Septic & Sewer
Most of Falmouth is still on septic, so expect a Title 5 inspection on most sales. The town lists several wastewater efforts on its DPW Wastewater pages:
- Little Pond Sewer Service Area, a sewer project in the Little Pond watershed
- Great Pond Phase 1 sewer project and the Great Pond Targeted Watershed Management Plan
- Woods Hole infiltration reduction work on existing sewer
- An ocean outfall study for treated effluent disposal
- Estuary nitrogen limits for Oyster Pond and West Falmouth Harbor
Projects like these can bring sewer assessments, connection requirements or nitrogen-reducing (I/A) septic requirements. Ask the Health Department for the septic file and DPW for sewer plans on the specific street, and ask your attorney to address any pending assessments in the purchase and sale agreement. Start at the town website (Departments › Public Works › Wastewater). Our septic, sewer & nitrogen guide covers the regional rules.
Water, Flood & Environment
Water: The Town of Falmouth Water Division supplies most homes. Long Pond is one of its sources, along with groundwater wells. Ask for the latest annual water quality report (Consumer Confidence Report) from the town Water page. The Health Department also publishes freshwater cyanobacteria notices and a PFAS fish-consumption advisory for certain ponds. Test any private well. See our water & flood guide.
Flood: Falmouth has a long, exposed shoreline. The south-shore salt pond neighborhoods, Falmouth Heights, Woods Hole and the Buzzards Bay shore all include FEMA flood zones. The town has a Coastal Resilience program within DPW. Check any address on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center.
Ponds and conservation: Freshwater ponds, salt ponds and marshes are everywhere in Falmouth. Conservation Commission permits apply to work near them.
Living here
- Beaches and stickers: The town has a Beach Department, and the Town Clerk's office handles beach, waste management and shellfish permits. Town beaches include Old Silver, Surf Drive, Falmouth Heights and Menauhant. Check the town website for current permit rules.
- Trash: Falmouth offers town curbside trash and recycling and runs a Waste Management Facility. Rules are under Public Works.
- Harbors and moorings: The Marine & Environmental Services department includes the Harbormaster, town marina, shellfish and waitlists. Mooring regulations and waitlist info are on the town website.
- Getting around: Routes 28, 28A and 151. The Shining Sea Bikeway runs from North Falmouth to Woods Hole. CCRTA buses run from Woods Hole. Ferries: the Steamship Authority runs vehicle and passenger service from Woods Hole to Vineyard Haven and, seasonally, Oak Bluffs.
- Healthcare: Falmouth Hospital is in town.
- Short-term rentals: Falmouth has a Short-Term Rental Advisory Committee. Check the town website for any current local rules, and ask your attorney about state registration and tax requirements.
Official links
- Town of FalmouthMain town website (department directory) · Town of Falmouth
- Assessing: Property ValuesProperty database (WebPro) and interactive GIS · Town of Falmouth
- Health Department / Board of HealthConfirm with town: septic files, wells, rentals · Community Development
- Building DepartmentConfirm with town: permits · Community Development
- Marine & Environmental Services / HarbormasterConfirm with town: moorings, marina, shellfish · Town of Falmouth
- Conservation CommissionConfirm with town: wetlands permitting · Community Development
- Veterans ServicesConfirm with town: local VSO · Community Services
- Town ClerkConfirm with town: census, elections, beach and dump permits · Town of Falmouth
- Falmouth community profileGovernment form, area, tax data · Massachusetts Municipal Association
Questions about buying in Falmouth?
Call or text Sherman at 508-534-3425 or send a message.