The Town Files

Nantucket, Massachusetts

Community in Nantucket County · population 10,166 (2020 Census)

Map: where Nantucket is in MassachusettsNantucket
Median home
$1,465,300
Household income
$148,017
Jan low / Jul high
27° / 75°
Snow a year
25 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
0
Median age
42.2

Nantucket is a community of 10,166 people in Nantucket County, Massachusetts. The median home is worth $1,465,300, above the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). It ranks better for cycling than 96% of Massachusetts towns, better for young professionals than 84% of Massachusetts towns, better for a vacation home than 84% of Massachusetts towns.

How Nantucket ranks

Percentile among Massachusetts towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Massachusetts towns.

Nantucket lifestyle rankings vs other Massachusetts townsRetirement23rd pctFamilies35th pctQuiet23rd pctWalkability58th pctFirst-time buyers58th pctYoung professionals84th pctVibrancy76th pctHip & trendy42nd pctCollege town17th pctUpscale62nd pctVacation homes84th pctSeaside character81st pctCycling96th pctTransit45th pctDriving50th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Nantucket is worth $1,465,300, above the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). Homes cost about 9.9 times the median household income of $148,017, which is more affordable than 2% of Massachusetts towns. Median rent is $2,228 a month. 80.8% of households own their home.

Nantucket vs Nantucket County vs typical Massachusetts townNantucketNantucket CountyTypical Massachusetts townHome value$1,465,300$1,593,800$510,150Household income$148,017$139,688$108,622Monthly rent$2,228$2,213$1,561
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Massachusetts towns with 500+ people.
HousingNantucketTypical Massachusetts town
Median home value$1,465,300$510,150
Median rent$2,228$1,561
Median household income$148,017$108,622
Home value ÷ income9.9×4.5×
Homeownership80.8%80.7%
Median year built19811968
Seasonal / vacation homes44.1%—

Who lives in Nantucket

PeopleNantucketTypical Massachusetts town
Median age42.244.8
Age 65 and over16.1%20.7%
Under 1818.4%—
Bachelor's degree or higher52.8%45.7%
Below the poverty line3.2%6.3%
Veterans4.3%—
Born outside the U.S.14.0%—
Work from home13.9%17.7%
Average commute16.3 min30.1 min
Homes with broadband94.8%93.9%

Weather in Nantucket

July highs average 75.4°F and January lows 26.6°F. About 40.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 25.3 inches of snow (typical Massachusetts town: 49.5 in). Expect about 0 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 85 nights at or below freezing.

Nantucket monthly temperatures and precipitation20°30°40°50°60°70°80°32° freezing40°27°Jan40°27°Feb44°32°Mar52°39°Apr61°47°May69°56°Jun75°63°Jul76°62°Aug70°57°Sep62°49°Oct53°40°Nov45°32°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue3.28.82.88.13.84.73.60.33.03.02.73.03.64.43.83.93.4
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Nantucket Mem Ap station (2.2 mi away); snowfall estimated from the 1 nearest snow stations, weighted by distance.

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Nantucket since 1950.

Severe weather in Nantucket County since 1996

Storm events in Nantucket County since 1996 by typeFlood8Blizzard7High Wind124Lightning3Heavy Rain8Heavy Snow21Strong Wind62Winter Storm11
NOAA Storm Events Database, Nantucket County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 1 deaths recorded.

Nantucket County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
September 15, 2023HurricaneEM-3599: Hurricane Lee
March 27, 2020BiologicalDR-4496: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3438: Covid-19
June 25, 2018Severe StormDR-4372: Severe Winter Storm And Flooding
April 13, 2015Severe StormDR-4214: Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, And Flooding

Jobs and pay in Nantucket County

Nantucket County had 8,560 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $78,799 a year. Unemployment was 5.8% in 2023; in Nantucket itself the ACS puts it at 6.1%.

Largest industries in Nantucket CountyHotels & restaurants1,727 jobs · $59,699Construction1,126 jobs · $95,440Retail1,066 jobs · $65,240Administrative & support936 jobs · $84,620Arts & recreation640 jobs · $69,518Health care & social assistan…568 jobs · $89,282
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Nantucket County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%12%2000200420082012201620202023Nantucket 5.8%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Nantucket

Nantucket questions

Is Nantucket, Massachusetts a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Nantucket scores better for retirees than 23% of Massachusetts towns and quieter than 23%. 16.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.2).

How much does a house cost in Nantucket?

The median owner-occupied home in Nantucket is valued at $1,465,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $148,017, so homes cost about 9.9 times income. Median rent is $2,228 a month.

What is the weather like in Nantucket?

July highs average 75.4°F and January lows 26.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 40.9 inches of precipitation a year and 25.3 inches of snow.

Does Nantucket get tornadoes?

No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Nantucket in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Nantucket's Census boundary (GEOID 2543755). Comparisons use the median of Massachusetts towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.