Living inOrleans, MA
Homes, costs, villages and what owners should know
Orleans is the Lower Cape's year-round commercial center, where Routes 6, 6A and 28 meet, with Nauset Beach on the Atlantic, Skaket Beach on Cape Cod Bay and Pleasant Bay to the south. In the 12 months to 30 October 2026, the median Orleans home sold for $899,900 (127 sales, Cape Cod & Islands MLS).
The fastest sales got the best prices.
100.8% of asking for homes that sold within 7 days94.4% for homes that sat
Free. Arthur visits, then writes your home value and a plan to sell it fast. Median sale price as % of original asking, five Lower Cape towns, Cape Cod & Islands MLS, Nov 2023 – Oct 2026.
By Arthur Radtke, Realtor, brokered by eXp Realty, MA licence #9582725. Updated .
- Homes sold, 12 months
- 127
- Median time to sell
- 27 days
- Tax rate, FY2026
- $6.11 per $1,000
- Beaches
- Nauset and Skaket
More Orleans facts
- Villages
- Orleans Center, East Orleans, South Orleans
- ZIP codes
- 02653, 02643, 02662
- Schools
- Nauset Public Schools
- County
- Barnstable (Lower Cape)
- Seasonal homes
- 47.0% of housing units
- Sewer
- Downtown + phased expansion
- Town Hall
- 19 School Rd
What is Orleans like year-round?
Orleans is where much of the Lower and Outer Cape does its everyday shopping and errands. Its shops, Snow Library, town services and farmers' market stay open through the winter; the Orleans Farmers' Market runs about 50 weeks a year. Town Hall is at 19 School Road and the Senior Center at 150 Rock Harbor Road.
Summer brings beach traffic to Nauset and Skaket and longer waits at the rotary. From November to April the town is quieter and several seasonal attractions close. About 47.0% of Orleans housing units are seasonal or occasional-use homes, according to state data.
Getting around Orleans
Orleans is the crossroads of the Lower Cape. Route 6 (the Mid-Cape Highway), Route 6A and Route 28 all meet at the Orleans rotary, so most trips to Chatham, Eastham, Brewster and the Outer Cape pass through town. The Cape Cod Rail Trail runs through Orleans for walking and cycling.
What do homes cost in Orleans, MA?
Median sale price, 127 Orleans homes sold 31 Oct 2025 to 30 Oct 2026
- Single-family homes (89 sales)
- $1,100,000
- Condos (38 sales)
- $360,000
- Five Lower Cape towns
- $865,500
- Sale price vs first asking price
- 95.83%
See the full numbers
The median Orleans home sold for $899,900 in the 12 months to 30 October 2026. That is above the five-town Lower Cape median of $865,500 for the same period. In the 12 months before that, the median was $965,000 (121 sales). Medians move with the mix of homes that sell, so treat one year's change with care. 27.6% of Orleans homes sold within 7 days (35 of 127) and 44.9% were bought with cash (57 of 127).
| Sale price | Orleans sales |
|---|---|
| Under $750,000 | 46 |
| $750,000 to $1.5 million | 53 |
| Over $1.5 million | 28 |
Source: Cape Cod & Islands MLS, residential (single-family and condo) sales in Orleans, sold 31 Oct 2025 to 30 Oct 2026, n = 127; analysis by The Celebrate Team, checked with two separate methods. Medians. Market-wide figures, not Arthur's own sales. Estimate what you'd keep from a sale.
The fastest sales got the best prices.
Lower Cape homes that sold within 7 days got a median 100.8% of their asking price. Homes that sat got 94.4%. On an $899,900 home, that gap is about $57,000. Arthur's free Orleans home value and selling plan are built to help you land on the right side of that gap.
Arthur visits your home. Within a week of the visit, you get a plan written for it alone:
- Your home value. The price most likely to sell your home fast, with the recent Orleans sales it rests on and why each sold for what it did.
- What you'd walk away with. Your estimated proceeds after commission, deed tax and closing costs.
- Your property check. Sewer or septic, flood zone and any sewer betterment for your address, so nothing surprises a buyer.
- Fix or skip. What's worth doing before you list, and what isn't worth the money.
- A marketing plan for your home, not a template. Who your likely buyer is and where they're looking from, which features to lead with, the photo, video and drone shot list, and the launch schedule.
Live off-Cape? Arthur can walk through by video call, with you or your caretaker at the house.
What are the villages of Orleans?
Orleans has three villages: Orleans Center, East Orleans and South Orleans. Rock Harbor, on Cape Cod Bay, is a named area of its own. On the MLS, Orleans listings are filed under Orleans and South Orleans. ZIP codes: 02653 (Orleans), 02643 (East Orleans) and 02662 (South Orleans).
Orleans Center
Town Hall, Snow Library and the main shopping streets. The Jonathan Young Windmill stands at Town Cove Park.
East Orleans
Main Street runs east to Nauset Beach on the Atlantic, home of the Outermost Roots & Blues Festival.
South Orleans
Centered near the junction of Routes 28 and 39, on the Pleasant Bay side of town.
Rock Harbor
A working harbor on Cape Cod Bay with a charter fishing fleet. The historic lifeboat CG36500 docks here in season.
Which beaches and waters are in Orleans?
Orleans has beaches on both sides of the Cape: Nauset Beach on the Atlantic and Skaket Beach on Cape Cod Bay. Pleasant Bay, Town Cove and Rock Harbor give it more protected water for boating than most Lower Cape towns.
Each beach, and beach stickers
- Nauset Beach, town-owned, on the Atlantic, with an over-sand vehicle area on the outer beach.
- Skaket Beach on Cape Cod Bay, with wide flats at low tide.
- Pleasant Bay, shared with Chatham, Harwich and Brewster, plus Arey's Pond and Meetinghouse Pond off it.
- Town Cove and Rock Harbor for boating and moorings.
Orleans beach stickers
Parking at Nauset and Skaket in season needs an Orleans beach sticker from the town Sticker Office. Stickers are tied to one vehicle, can't be transferred or refunded, and 2026 stickers run until 30 June 2027; a replacement costs $5. Driving on the outer beach needs a separate over-sand vehicle permit.
Before you buy, check the deed for any private beach or water rights; town stickers and deeded rights are separate things.
Beach news, events and local spots, every week, in the free Celebrate Lower Cape newsletter
How much are property taxes in Orleans?
The FY2026 residential tax rate in Orleans is $6.11 per $1,000 of assessed value, according to Massachusetts Department of Revenue figures; the town's own rate history still lists FY2025 at $6.24, so confirm with the Orleans assessor. FY2026 assessments reflect values as of 1 January 2025.
Example tax bills
| Assessed value | Approx. annual tax at $6.11 |
|---|---|
| $750,000 | $4,582 |
| $899,900 (the median sale price) | $5,498 |
| $1,500,000 | $9,165 |
Assessed value isn't what your home would sell for. What could waiting cost me? Lower Cape homes that sat sold for a median 94.4% of asking.
Sewer, septic, flood zones and rental rules in Orleans
Before buying in Orleans, check four things: whether the house is on town sewer or a septic system, whether it sits in a FEMA flood zone, whether a sewer betterment applies, and what rules apply if you plan to rent it out. Each can change the cost of owning by thousands of dollars a year.
Sewer
Downtown Orleans (Phase 1) is on the town's new sewer system and treatment plant, and Phase 1 properties were required to connect; betterments apply to Phase 1. The Meetinghouse Pond area is Phase 2. Phase 3, the Lakes and Ponds area, was under construction in October 2026, with Route 28 closures. Check the town's wastewater page for any address.
Septic
Homes outside the sewer areas use septic systems. A Title 5 inspection is normally required when the house is sold.
Flood zones
Waterfront and low-lying streets can fall in FEMA flood zones. Look the address up on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center and get an insurance quote before you make an offer.
Short-term rentals
Stays of 31 days or less must be registered with the Massachusetts Department of Revenue and pay room occupancy excise (5.7% state, a local option of up to 6%, and up to 2.75% for the Cape Cod and Islands Water Protection Fund). Check with the Town of Orleans for local registration rules before counting on rental income.
Schools
Orleans is part of Nauset Public Schools; Orleans Elementary is in town.
Live off-Cape, or inherited a house in Orleans?
Arthur's free guides cover what to do first: The Out-of-State Seller's Playbook and The Inherited Cape Property Starter Guide (PDFs; large-print versions on the Sell page).
Selling a home in Orleans: what the numbers say
Across the five Lower Cape towns over three years, homes that sold within 7 days got a median 100.77% of their original asking price; homes that took longer got 94.44%. In Orleans, 37.8% of sales in the last 12 months had a price cut first, and one in five listings (20.5%, 67 of 327) came off the market without selling. The launch price and the first two weeks matter more than the month you list.
Your plan is built for your home, not a template. The take-home estimate takes 2 minutes: no visit, no phone number.
Or watch the free 16-lesson Lower Cape Sellers Course before you talk to any agent, including Arthur.
Where these figures come from
Cape Cod & Islands MLS, residential, five Lower Cape towns. Sales 31 Oct 2023 to 30 Oct 2026 (6 records with negative days on market excluded); 34.0% of sales (828 of 2,432) happened within 7 days of listing. Did-not-sell: listings taken 1 Nov 2023 to 31 Oct 2025 that sold, expired or were cancelled by 1 Nov 2026 (expired or cancelled = did not sell). Medians. Not Arthur's own sales.
How does Orleans compare with nearby towns?
Orleans has the second-highest median sale price of the five Lower Cape towns: $899,900 in the 12 months to 30 October 2026, against $865,500 across all five. 27.6% of Orleans homes sold within 7 days (fewer than the five-town 34.9%), and 44.9% were bought with cash (more often than the five-town 42.3%). See all five towns compared
Compare all five towns
| 12 months to 30 Oct 2026 | Orleans | Harwich | Chatham | Brewster | Eastham | 5 towns |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median sale price | $899,900 | $760,000 | $1,458,750 | $750,000 | $828,000 | $865,500 |
| Sales | 127 | 220 | 178 | 193 | 102 | 820 |
| Sale price vs original ask | 95.83% | 97.65% | 97.32% | 98.48% | 96.85% | 97.32% |
| Sold within 7 days | 27.6% | 36.4% | 34.8% | 38.3% | 34.3% | 34.9% |
| Had a price cut first | 37.8% | 31.8% | 24.7% | 24.9% | 30.4% | 29.4% |
| Paid cash | 44.9% | 39.1% | 44.4% | 42.5% | 42.2% | 42.3% |
| Median days on market | 27 | 13.5 | 16.5 | 12 | 24 | 16 |
Questions people ask about Orleans, MA
What is the median home price in Orleans, MA?
$899,900. That is the median sale price of the 127 Orleans homes that sold on the Cape Cod & Islands MLS between 31 October 2025 and 30 October 2026. Across the five Lower Cape towns the median for the same 12 months was $865,500 (820 sales).
Do homes in Orleans sell quickly?
27.6% of Orleans sales (35 of 127) happened within 7 days of listing in the 12 months to 30 October 2026, and 37.8% (48) had a price reduction first. The median Orleans sale closed at 95.83% of its original asking price after 27 days on the market.
How much is a condo in Orleans, MA?
The median Orleans condo sold for $360,000 in the 12 months to 30 October 2026 (38 sales). The median single-family home sold for $1,100,000 (89 sales).
What are the villages of Orleans, MA?
Orleans Center, East Orleans and South Orleans. Rock Harbor, on Cape Cod Bay, is a named area of its own. On the MLS, Orleans listings appear under Orleans and South Orleans.
Which beaches are in Orleans, MA?
Nauset Beach on the Atlantic, Skaket Beach on Cape Cod Bay, plus Pleasant Bay, Town Cove and Rock Harbor. Town beach parking needs a vehicle-specific sticker; 2026 stickers run until 30 June 2027.
Is Orleans on town sewer or septic?
Both. Downtown Orleans is on the town's sewer system (Phase 1), the Meetinghouse Pond area is Phase 2, and Phase 3 around the lakes and ponds was under construction in October 2026. Other homes use septic systems, which need a Title 5 inspection when the house is sold.
What ZIP codes are in Orleans, MA?
Three: 02653 for Orleans, 02643 for East Orleans and 02662 for South Orleans.
About Arthur Radtke
Arthur is a Realtor with The Celebrate Team, brokered by eXp Realty (MA license #9582725), working in Brewster, Chatham, Harwich, Orleans and Eastham from 60 Munson Meeting Way, Chatham. He publishes the Celebrate Lower Cape newsletter and wrote Selling Your Lower Cape Home and The House After Probate Begins.
Call or text (774) 209-6032 or email arthur.radtke@exprealty.com
Sources for this page (6)
- Cape Cod & Islands MLS, residential closed sales and listings, Brewster, Chatham, Harwich, Orleans and Eastham; export of 2 Nov 2026, analysed by The Celebrate Team.
- Town of Orleans, Sticker Office, wastewater infrastructure (updated 30 Oct 2026), tax rate history and Council on Aging (accessed 2 Nov 2026).
- Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce, Orleans.
- Celebrate Lower Cape, Orleans Farmers' Market, fifty weeks a year (May 2026).
- Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Seasonal Communities Advisory Council policy overview (Dec 2024; seasonal share of housing units, American Community Survey).
- FEMA, Flood Map Service Center; Massachusetts DOR, Room occupancy excise.