PROFILE OF MARTHA'S VINEYARD

Martha's Vineyard is a 100-square-mile island located seven miles off the coast of Cape Cod. Its topography, in fact its very existence, results from its location at the southern extremity, or terminal moraine, of the part of North America covered by ice during the last Ice Age. Home to the Wampanoag Tribe, it was settled by Europeans in the mid 17th century.

Today, year-round residents, seasonal residents—many of whom own second homes—and hundreds of thousands of short-term visitors live on or come to the Island, attracted by the unique natural, ecological, historical, cultural and scientific values that define the beauty and character of Martha's Vineyard.

Each of the Island's towns reflects its origins: Edgartown as the home of master seamen and the seat of County government; Tisbury as the Island's gateway and market town, West Tisbury and Chilmark as agricultural villages, Aquinnah (Gay Head) as the Wampanoag tribal settlement and a fishing village, and Oak Bluffs as the first summer resort. Three-quarters of the Island's population is concentrated in the three "Down-Island" towns: Tisbury, Oak Bluffs and Edgartown, each with a busy commercial town center. Vineyard Haven in Tisbury serves as the Island's main port, seconded by Oak Bluffs in the summertime. The three "Up-Island" towns, West Tisbury, Chilmark and Aquinnah (formerly called Gay Head) are more rural in character.

POPULATION

The population of the Vineyard remained relatively stable for the first half of the 20th century with a population growing from 4,397 in 1900 to 5,763 in 1960. The population began to grow dramatically in the 1970's and doubled in the last quarter of the 20th century. In the past decade, the year-round population surged by 29% compared to an average increase of only 6% in all of Massachusetts. From 1970 to 1990 the population of Martha's Vineyard has increase by over 30% each decade.

As a resort area, the population changes dramatically from one season to the next. It is made up of several distinct groups: year-round residents, seasonal residents who have second homes here, visitors who come for the season, a month, a week or perhaps only a day.

YEAR-ROUND POPULATION-1900 TO 2000

ECONOMY AND EMPLOYMENT

The cornerstone of the Island's economy is providing services to seasonal residents and visitors. The service, retail trade, construction, and finance, insurance and real estate sectors—mainly seasonal industries—account for 54% of Island jobs. A large majority of the businesses on the Island employ four or fewer workers each. The tourism and service industry is highly image-conscious, seasonal and labor intensive.