Cape Cod and the Islands (more commonly, The Cape and Islands) is a common local name for the area of southeast Massachusetts including Barnstable (Cape Cod), Dukes (Martha's Vineyard and the Elizabeth Islands), and Nantucket Counties, and by some definitions including part or all of the towns of Plymouth and Wareham. The area is largely known as a seasonal resort area and tends to lean politically conservative compared with the rest of Massachusetts; Cape Cod in particular is a popular retirement area, and the average age of residents is the highest of any area in New England.
The bulk of the land in the area is glacial terminal moraine and represents the southernmost extent of glacial coverage in southeast New England; similar glacial formations make up Long Island, New York and Block Island, Rhode Island.