Buzzards Bay National Estuary Program

Home    BBNEP Info    Town Information    Pollution    Living Resources    Watershed Info    Enjoy Buzzards Bay    Technical Info    Special Topics

Home  >   Government  >   Town Information

Information on Buzzards Bay Watershed Towns

Sub-pages:      [Town Links Below]    Assessors Info  |   Town Performance

TOWN	Web Site	Online Municipal laws & regulations	Assessors Records	GIS Data
Town of Acushnet, MA	YES	No	No	No
Town of Bourne, MA	Yes	Bylaws Health Wetlands Nat Res Zoning	YES	No
Town of Carver, MA	YES	Wetlands Bylaws Zoning	Yes	No
Town of Dartmouth, MA	YES	General Zoning Wetlands	Yes	No
Town of Fairhaven, MA	YES	Zoning	No	No
City of Fall River, MA	YES	Ordinances	YES	No
Town of Falmouth, MA	YES	All	YES	YES
Town of Gosnold, MA	No	No	No	No
Town of Marion, MA	Yes	Wetlands	YES	No
Town of Mattapoisett, MA	YES	General Health Zoning	YES	No
Town of Middleborough, MA	YES	No	No	No
City of New Bedford, MA	YES	No	YES	No
Town of Plymouth, MA	YES	All	YES	No
Town of Rochester, MA	YES	Zoning	No	No
Town of Wareham, MA	YES	Gen-Zoning-Health Shellfish-Waterways	YES	No
Town of Westport, MA	Yes	No	No	No

Or click on the town name or map for more information on the municipality.

Deed Information

Deed information for all Buzzards Bay towns is now online. In some counties (Barnstable), this information is provided free over the Internet. In other counties (Bristol and Plymouth), there is a fee to obtain this information. Click the links below for more information.

Barnstable County Registry of Deeds
Bristol County Registry of Deeds
Plymouth County Registry of Deeds

Note on "Villages" within municipalities

Many municipalities, particularly those that did not develop large populations until after the 1960s, retain distinct village identities to sections of towns that were settled with multiple village centers in the 1600s and 1700s. This is particularly true with many Cape Cod towns. Consequently, many phone listings and mailing addresses show the name of the village, and not the name of the municipality. This phenomenon causes confusion to visitors, individuals trying to look up information or directions on the Internet, and persons looking up phone listings. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that some nearby villages have their own post offices, but neighboring post offices may have identical zip codes. This situation is not often found outside of New England. For example, if you cannot find a listing under "Bourne, MA" try "Buzzards Bay, MA" "Monument Beach, MA" or another village. Keep in mind it is possible for two villages in the same town to have identical street names!

• BOURNE: Buzzards Bay-02532, Sagamore-02561, Sagamore Beach-02562, Bournedale-02532, Pocasset-02559, Cataumet-02534, and Monument Beach-02553.
  
• DARTMOUTH: Nonquit, Russels Mills, Padanaram, South Dartmouth, Bayview, Smith Mills
  
• FALMOUTH: East Falmouth-02536, Hatchville-02536, Teaticket-02536, Waquoit-02536, North Falmouth-02556, Silver Beach-02565, West Falmouth-02574, Sippewisset, Quissett, and Woods Hole-02543
  
• WAREHAM: Onset-02558, East Wareham-02538
  
• WESTPORT: Adamsville, Westport Point
  

Population Overview

Below is a summary of the Buzzards bay watershed population. This table includes all municipalities, even those with just a sliver of land in the watershed. Perhaps the most interesting statistic from this data is that most Buzzards Bay watershed residents live within a 15 minute walk of salt water.

Town	US Census 2005 estimated population	% of town area in the watershed	approx. BB watershed 2005 population	population within 1/2 mile of Buzzards Bay	percent of population 1/2 mile of Buzzards Bay
Acushnet	10544	100.0%	10544	2326	22%
Bourne	19365	83.2%	14468	9569	66%
Carver	11562	84.3%	9664	0	0%
Dartmouth	31389	100.0%	31388	6970	22%
Fairhaven	16222	100.0%	16222	12552	77%
Fall River	91802	27.6%	457	0	0%
Falmouth	33644	41.8%	9118	5613	62%
Freetown	8979	13.7%	1688	0	0%
Gosnold	86	52.3%	66	66	77%
Kingston	12457	2.6%	306	0	0%
Lakeville	10639	0.6%	53	0	0%
Marion	5319	100.0%	5319	4295	81%
Mattapoisett	6479	100.0%	6479	4007	62%
Middleborough	21198	23.6%	1666	0	0%
New Bedford	93102	96.1%	91164	40001	44%
Plymouth	54923	43.8%	12265	937	8%
Rochester	5310	91.5%	4767	0	0%
Sandwich	20726	4.3%	0	0	0%
Wareham	21296	100.0%	21296	14715	69%
Westport	15071	85.2%	11776	2826	24%
Totals	490113		248706	104883	42%

Note: Population estimates are based on 2000 US Census data, and US Census 2005 population estimates. For 2000 data, population in census blocks bisected by the watershed boundary are assigned a population proportional to the portion of the census block within the watershed, then proportionally adjusted to 2005 US Census estimates. The population within a half mile of Buzzards Bay includes populations within half mile of any saltwater area including all saltwater embayments, bays, and harbors. Census blocks bisected by this half-mile boundary line were also apportioned populations based on their area within this zone.

Looking for 2000 US census data on Buzzards Bay towns?:

Download entire demographic data report for all Massachusetts Towns from the US Census Bureau (3.3 MB pdf file)
right CLICK on the above link to download to your hard drive to open later, otherwise it will open in explorer.

---