The Town FilesWest Tisbury, Massachusetts
Town in Dukes County · population 3,555 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $1,302,100
- Household income
- $182,750
- Jan low / Jul high
- 23° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 25 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 54.8
West Tisbury is a town of 3,555 people in Dukes County, Massachusetts. The median home is worth $1,302,100, above the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). It ranks better for a vacation home than 100% of Massachusetts towns, better for retirees than 94% of Massachusetts towns, better for first-time buyers than 85% of Massachusetts towns.
- #6 in The 17 Best Small Towns for Young Families in Massachusetts
- #11 in The 25 Best Small Towns to Retire in Massachusetts
- #18 in 25 Small Towns in Massachusetts With the Mildest Winters
- #23 in The 50 Best Vacation-Home Small Towns in America
- #24 in The 50 Best Vacation-Home Places in America
- #24 in 25 Small Towns in Massachusetts With the Fewest Tornadoes Since 1950
How West Tisbury 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.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in West Tisbury is worth $1,302,100, above the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). Homes cost about 7.1 times the median household income of $182,750, which is more affordable than 8% of Massachusetts towns. Median rent is $2,350 a month. 92.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | West Tisbury | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $1,302,100 | $510,150 |
| Median rent | $2,350 | $1,561 |
| Median household income | $182,750 | $108,622 |
| Home value ÷ income | 7.1× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 92.1% | 80.7% |
| Median year built | 1985 | 1968 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 48.4% | — |
Who lives in West Tisbury
| People | West Tisbury | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 54.8 | 44.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 30.2% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 14.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 58.5% | 45.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.6% | 6.3% |
| Veterans | 4.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.7% | — |
| Work from home | 32.3% | 17.7% |
| Average commute | 16.5 min | 30.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 98.7% | 93.9% |
Weather in West Tisbury
July highs average 79.1°F and January lows 23.4°F. About 42.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 25.3 inches of snow (typical Massachusetts town: 49.5 in). Expect about 2 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 115 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of West Tisbury since 1950, compared with 8 for the typical Massachusetts town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on December 18, 1951 about 6.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on October 29, 2018.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 5 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on July 2, 2009.
Severe weather in Dukes County since 1996
Dukes County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 15, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3599: Hurricane Lee |
| March 27, 2020 | Biological | DR-4496: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3438: Covid-19 |
| April 13, 2015 | Severe Storm | DR-4214: Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, And Flooding |
| April 19, 2013 | Severe Storm | DR-4110: Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Dukes County
Dukes County had 9,176 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $71,428 a year. Unemployment was 4.4% in 2023; in West Tisbury itself the ACS puts it at 6.1%.
Public schools in West Tisbury
2 public schools with 500 students, about 7.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Tisbury Elementary | PK-8 | 325 | 7.1 |
| Martha's Vineyard Charter Public School (charter) | K-12 | 175 | 8.3 |
Towns near West Tisbury
- Vineyard Haven, MA5.0 mi · 2,747 people · home $847,400
- Tisbury, MA5.8 mi · 4,815 people · home $993,600
- Oak Bluffs, MA6.8 mi · 5,341 people · home $923,100
- Edgartown, MA9.2 mi · 5,168 people · home $1,199,300
- Falmouth, MA11.1 mi · 3,818 people · home $837,900
- East Falmouth, MA13.1 mi · 6,278 people · home $593,000
- Falmouth, MA14.2 mi · 32,517 people · home $629,900
- North Falmouth, MA17.2 mi · 3,293 people · home $715,300
West Tisbury questions
Is West Tisbury, Massachusetts a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, West Tisbury scores better for retirees than 94% of Massachusetts towns and quieter than 80%. 30.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 54.8).
How much does a house cost in West Tisbury?
The median owner-occupied home in West Tisbury is valued at $1,302,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $182,750, so homes cost about 7.1 times income. Median rent is $2,350 a month.
What is the weather like in West Tisbury?
July highs average 79.1°F and January lows 23.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 42.1 inches of precipitation a year and 25.3 inches of snow.
Does West Tisbury get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of West Tisbury since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on December 18, 1951. The typical Massachusetts town has had 8.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)