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 13,620 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.

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.

A relatively large number of people in Harwich telecommute to their jobs. Overall, about 17.28% 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 Harwich is an extremely popular vacation destination. A significant portion of the population is seasonal. During the vacation season, the town experiences a large influx of people who take up residence in second homes they own in the area. As the vacation season ends, the population drops again, leaving behind a substantially quieter and smaller town.

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.

The town is relatively quiet, having a combination of lower population density and few of those groups of people who have a tendency to be noisy. For example, Harwich has relatively fewer families with younger children, and/or college students. Combined, this makes Harwich a pretty quiet place to live overall. If you like quiet, you will probably enjoy it here.

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. Such areas are often places that visitors and locals go for waterfront activities or taking in the scenery.

If knowledge is power, Harwich is a pretty powerful place. 50.61% of the adults in Harwich 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 Harwich in 2022 was $64,329, which is upper middle income relative to Massachusetts, and wealthy relative to the rest of the US. This equates to an annual income of $257,316 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 Asian. Important ancestries of people in Harwich include Irish, English, German, Italian, and Swedish.

The most common language spoken in Harwich is English. Other important languages spoken here include Chinese and French.