[5] Barnstable is the largest community, both in land area and population, on Cape Cod, and is one of thirteen Massachusetts municipalities that have been granted city forms of government by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts but wish to retain "the town of" in their official names.

[8] Its largest village, Hyannis, is the central business district of the county and home to Barnstable Municipal Airport, the airline hub of Cape Cod and the islands of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket.

Barnstable takes its name from the English town of Barnstaple, in the county of Devon.

It was settled in 1638, as one of the first towns in the Plymouth Colony, one year behind Sandwich further south in Massachusetts on Cape Cod.

The early settlers were farmers, led by the Reverend Joseph Hull, the founder of Barnstable.

[9] A memorial tablet was dedicated there in 1939 (the 300th anniversary of the town's founding) marking the site of his home, and the rock from which he preached still stands along the highway there.

But the role of sailing ships declined with the rise of ocean-going steamships and the railroad, which had arrived in 1854.

Many prominent Bostonians spent their summers on the Cape shores, as did presidents Ulysses S. Grant and Grover Cleveland.

Significant sites and renowned historic houses listed on the National Register of Historic Places include the Ancient Burying Ground and Gideon Hawley House, representing the town's colonial history.

[15] It is bordered by Cape Cod Bay on the north, Nantucket Sound on the south, Sandwich and Mashpee on the west and Yarmouth on the east.

The central part of the town is dominated by the pines and oaks around Wequaquet Lake.

The average snowiest month is February, which corresponds with the annual peak in nor'easter activity.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, the plant hardiness zone is 7a, with an average annual extreme minimum air temperature of 0.3 °F (-17.6 °C).

It was created in 1989, when the Town rewrote its charter and changed from a selectmen-town meeting form of government to adopt a council-manager system.

Barnstable is one of thirteen Massachusetts municipalities that have applied for, and been granted, city forms of government but wish to retain "the town of" in their official names.

Klimm had his contract bought out in 2011 due to internal disputes among a majority of the Barnstable City Council.

He was succeeded by the executive director of the Barnstable Housing Authority, Thomas K. Lynch.

[51] The town is patrolled by the Second (Yarmouth) Barracks of Troop D of the Massachusetts State Police.

[52] On the national level, Barnstable is a part of Massachusetts's 9th congressional district, and is currently represented by William R. Keating.

Barnstable has the largest public school enrollment of any town on Cape Cod, with over 5,000 students.

In 2010, the public school system underwent major changes due to budgetary constraints.

The Kingston/Route 3 and Middleborough/Lakeville stations of the MBTA's commuter rail system provide the closest, year-round, direct service to Boston.