Gay Head Massachusetts Map

About Gay Head, Massachusetts

Gay Head is a locality in Dukes County, Massachusetts, United States. It is a small community with a population of 300. The population density is 18.0 people per km². Gay Head is located at 41.3437°N, 70.8148°W. It observes the Eastern Time (America/New_York) timezone. ZIP code: 2535.

Gay Head commands the westernmost tip of Martha's Vineyard, a land sculpted by wind and water into a breathtaking spectacle of clay cliffs that blaze with ochre, russet, and cream under the sun. It lies 17.7 miles south-west of Falmouth, MA (from Falmouth, MA: bearing 216°T), and is situated 8.6 miles west-south-west of Dukes. The terrain here is a dramatic departure from the island's gentler contours, a rugged, windswept expanse where the Atlantic crashes against the shore with a ceaseless, elemental rhythm. Above the cliffs, hardy scrub oak and pitch pine cling to the thin soil, their gnarled branches testament to the persistent sea breeze that carries the scent of salt and wild rose. The air itself feels thinner, sharper, imbued with a wildness that speaks of open horizons and the vast, indifferent ocean. This dramatic promontory has been the ancestral home of the Wampanoag people for millennia, their history deeply intertwined with the land and its bounty, a lineage that continues to shape the character of Gay Head. The iconic Gay Head Light, a sentinel of white brick, has guided mariners for generations, its beam a steady pulse against the encroaching darkness, a silent witness to the ebb and flow of maritime trade that once sustained this remote corner of Dukes County. Today, while the traditional fishing and whaling industries have largely faded, a quiet tourism sustains the local economy, drawing visitors eager to witness the geological marvel of the cliffs and the panoramic views that stretch to the distant mainland. The distinctive cultural heritage of the Wampanoag, their traditions and stories, remain a vital thread in the singular identity of Gay Head.

About This Gay Head Map Page

This page provides an interactive Google map of Gay Head, Massachusetts with street, satellite and terrain views and integrated Street View imagery. Live weather conditions are sourced directly from the National Weather Service, with current observations and a 7-day forecast also powered by Open-Meteo. Real-time local news and world news feeds keep the page current, while a Wikipedia summary or an editorially written description provides background on Gay Head and Dukes County.

Detailed location data for Gay Head includes the ZIP code (02535), telephone area code (339, 351, 413, 508, 617, 774, 781, 857, 978), county seat of Dukes County (Edgartown), and school district assignment. These are among the most commonly searched location details for any US city or town.

Location data is drawn from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) and cross-verified against 2020 US Census records by coordinate proximity — ensuring the correct Gay Head is identified even where the name is shared across multiple counties or states. Population figures are sourced from the 2020 US Census.