The Town of Barnstable includes seven villages within its boundaries: Centerville, located on the south side, is primarily residential and has a beach. Osterville, located on the south side, is primarily residential and includes inlets and harbors for fishing and boating. Hyannis is the town's central business/commercial district which includes town offices and several shopping malls. It is also a fishing village and its harbor provides steamship access to Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket Islands. Marstons Mills is primarily residential and is located on Route 28. Cotuit is a village located on a peninsula on the south side, is primarily residential and has several small beaches. West Barnstable is located on the north side, is primarily residential and sparsely populated. Barnstable is located on the north side which houses the County Complex and has a working harbor and several small beaches.

Barnstable was incorporated in 1639 and is located in southeastern Massachusetts on Cape Cod. 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. It's total area is 76.26 square miles, with 60.05 square miles of land area.