AROUND CAPE COD
ORLEANS STATS
Orleans has a remarkable history. In 1897, a trans-Atlantic cable connecting the U.S. to France was installed in Town Cove, with artifacts now housed in the French Cable Station Museum. During the War of 1812, the town was attacked by a British Navy landing party, and in 1918, a German U-Boat shelled the coast, sinking a tugboat— making Orleans the only U.S. site attacked by Germany in World War I. Each summer, visitors can see the Coast Guard Lifeboat CG-36500 at Rock Harbor, the vessel that famously rescued crewmen from the SS Pendleton during a 1952 winter storm. HISTORY Housed in a unique and historic arena theater in East Orleans, the nonprofit Academy of Performing Arts stages year-round theatrical productions and offers educational opportunities in the performing arts. There is a good selection of fine art galleries throughout town, too, including the renowned Addison Art Gallery, which has been featuring emerging artists and established masters for more than 25 years. The seasonal Artist Cottages at the Orleans Market Square are home to Cape Cod-inspired visual artists and artisans. ARTS Orleans was one of the first Massachusetts communities to be officially designated a cultural district by the Massachusetts Cultural Council. Encompassing sections of both Route 6A and Main Street, the Orleans Cultural District is filled with art galleries, museums, antique shops, and historic sites, such as the circa 1720 Jonathan Young Windmill. The town is also home to the Cape Cod Baseball League’s Orleans Firebirds. Fans can catch a game at their home stadium of Eldredge Park. CULTURE Orleans is home to Orleans Elementary School, for town children from kindergarten through fifth grade, and Nauset Regional Middle School, which serves sixth, seventh, and eighth graders from Orleans, Brewster, Wellfleet, and Eastham. High school students attend Nauset Regional High School in Eastham or Cape Cod Regional Technical School in Harwich. EDUCATION
1797 INCORPORATED
6,342 TOTAL POPULATION
3,002 TOTAL HOUSEHOLDS
$1,255,000 MEDIAN SALES PRICE *
The quiet residential streets of Orleans contain venerable family compounds, cozy cottages, convenient condos, and majestic beachfront estates. Many of the local businesses are small, independent shops with personalized services. Commercial hubs include areas on both Route 6A and Route 28, with local seafood markets, a candlepin bowling alley, and a craft brewery among the options for food and fun.
78% OWNER OCCUPIED UNITS
Snow’s Home and Garden Center is a family-run store established in 1887 by William and Annie Snow, whose ancestors were among the original English families that settled Eastham and Orleans. The store originally sold coal, wood, nails, hand tools, and other supplies to local residents. Today, the tradition continues with a large selection of top-quality home and garden products, and around the holidays, an elaborate train display, which entertains people of all ages.
85% SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES
15% MULTI-FAMILY HOMES
Generations of Orleans residents have enjoyed the hidden gem that is the Outer Beach. Accessible only in an approved over-sand vehicle and with a permit from the Town of Orleans, this five-mile stretch of south Nauset Beach is a rare treat. Families and friends park their 4x4s between ocean and dune to delight in the stunning scenery and pounding surf.
Courtesy of U.S. Census, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates for 2023. *Source: CCIMLS Year Over Year Comparison Report, 1.1.25-12.31.25, Single Family Homes Only, Includes Comparable Sales.
56
57
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker