Orleans 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 6,385 people and two associated neighborhoods, Orleans is the 230th largest community in Massachusetts. Housing costs in Orleans 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, Orleans isn’t mainly white- or blue-collar. Instead, the most prevalent occupations for people in Orleans are a mix of both white- and blue-collar jobs. Overall, Orleans is a town of professionals, managers, and service providers. There are especially a lot of people living in Orleans who work in management occupations (13.74%), teaching (9.71%), and business and financial occupations (7.95%). Of important note, Orleans is also a town of artists. Orleans has more artists, designers and people working in media than 90% of the communities in America. This concentration of artists helps shape Orleans’s character. A relatively large number of people in Orleans telecommute to their jobs. Overall, about 22.77% of the workforce works from home. While this may seem like a small number, as a fraction of the total workforce it ranks among the highest in the country. 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 Orleans 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, Orleans’s population drops significantly, such that year-round residents will notice that the city is a much quieter place to live. 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!) Orleans 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. Orleans has few renters and college students. But the biggest reason it is quieter in Orleans than in most places in America, is that there are just simply fewer people living here. If you think trees make good neighbors, Orleans may be for you. Orleans 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. If knowledge is power, Orleans is a pretty powerful place. 59.03% of the adults in Orleans have earned a 4-year college degree, masters degree, MD, law degree, or even PhD. Compare that to the national average of 21.84% for all cities and towns. The per capita income in Orleans in 2022 was $68,128, which is upper middle income relative to Massachusetts, and wealthy relative to the rest of the US. This equates to an annual income of $272,512 for a family of four. However, Orleans contains both very wealthy and poor people as well. The people who call Orleans home describe themselves as belonging to a variety of racial and ethnic groups. The greatest number of Orleans residents report their race to be White, followed by Asian. Important ancestries of people in Orleans include Irish, English, German, Italian, and Scottish. The most common language spoken in Orleans is English. Other important languages spoken here include Spanish and French.
