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Living in
Nantucket.
Nantucket is an unincorporated community in Nantucket County, MA. It has no city government: the county runs it, and the Census counts it as its own place.
About
Life in Nantucket
Nantucket is a community of 10,837 people in Massachusetts. The median household income is $148,017, median rent runs about $2,228 per month, and median home values are around $1,465,300. The unemployment rate is 7.2%.
Nantucket at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
42.2 yrs
Poverty Rate
3.2%
Foreign-Born
14.0%
Broadband Internet
94.8%
of households
Median household income
Demographics14.0% foreign-born, most often from El Salvador
Who lives in Nantucket: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Nantucket, the largest foreign-born group is from El Salvador (38.7%), and 11.8% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
18.4%
of residents
65 and Older
16.1%
of residents
Households with Kids
39.5%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
24.3%
of households
Married Couples
56.9%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.81
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 26% above MA average
Rent, home values, and income in Nantucket
In Nantucket, rent runs 26% above the MA average, and home values are 161% above the MA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
50.1%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
31.4%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$3,877
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
80.8%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1981
median year built
Vacant Homes
48.6%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $3,187,089 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 2.7 pts above MA average
Unemployment in Nantucket
Unemployment in Nantucket County, which includes Nantucket, is 2.7 percentage points higher than the MA average.
Unemployment rate
Nantucket: Nantucket County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Nantucket County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Nantucket Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute16.3 min avg
How Nantucket residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Nantucket, most residents drive alone to work (69%), and 85% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 3 mi
Nantucket Memorial Airport (ACK)
Regional airport · few flights153k passengers boarded in 2025
- 88 mi
Boston Logan International Airport (BOS)
Major hub21.0M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 44% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Nantucket runs 44% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
183.1
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,119.3
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Nantucket Police Department
Natural DisastersHigh Wind most common — 2 events in 2024
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Very Low
38.7 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Nantucket County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Nantucket County, which includes Nantucket, the most common type is high wind, with 2 recorded events in 2024.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2 | High Wind | None reported |
| 2023 | 5 | High Wind | $3,500 |
| 2022 | 6 | High Wind | $1,000 |
| 2021 | 1 | High Wind | None reported |
| 2020 | 9 | High Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 11 | High Wind | $1,200 |
| 2018 | 9 | High Wind | None reported |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Nantucket County, county-wide
Air Quality36 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Barnstable County, MA (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 29 miles from Nantucket) is typically good — 341 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
36
Good Days
341
per year
Moderate Days
20
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Barnstable County, MA (29 mi away)
Climate73°F summers, 29°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Nantucket has mild summers (avg high 73°F) and cold winters (avg low 29°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
52°/39°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
73°/60°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
62°/49°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
42°/29°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
40.9"
Annual Snowfall
25.3"
Hot Days/Year
0
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
85
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
141
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 40°F | 27°F | 3.18" |
| Feb | 40°F | 27°F | 2.84" |
| Mar | 44°F | 32°F | 3.84" |
| Apr | 52°F | 39°F | 3.60" |
| May | 61°F | 47°F | 2.98" |
| Jun | 69°F | 56°F | 3.00" |
| Jul | 75°F | 63°F | 2.72" |
| Aug | 76°F | 62°F | 3.00" |
| Sep | 70°F | 57°F | 3.59" |
| Oct | 62°F | 49°F | 4.39" |
| Nov | 53°F | 40°F | 3.79" |
| Dec | 45°F | 32°F | 3.93" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 3.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Nantucket
Nantucket has 1 hospital, averaging 3.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
9.9%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.0 / 5
Nantucket Cottage Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education10.7:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Nantucket
Nantucket's student/teacher ratio is 10.7:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 52.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
4
within city limits
Private Schools
3
within city limits
College Degree Rate
52.8%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
10.7:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Cape Cod National Seashore, 44 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Nantucket
Nantucket has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Cape Cod National Seashore (44 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Cape Cod National Seashore
National Seashore
44 mi awayNew Bedford Whaling National Historical Park
National Historical Park
49 mi awayTouro Synagogue National Historic Site
National Historic Site
64 mi awayBlackstone River Valley National Historical Park
National Historical Park
78 mi awayRoger Williams National Memorial
National Memorial
78 mi awayAdams National Historical Park
National Historical Park
82 mi awayBoston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
83 mi awayBoston African American National Historic Site
National Historic Site
89 mi awayPublic Libraries in Nantucket
Nantucket Atheneum
1 India Street, Nantucket
Cities Near Nantucket
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Nantucket?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Nantucket FAQ
Is Nantucket, Massachusetts affordable?⌄
Nantucket's median rent is $2,228/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $148,017/year. Median home value is $1,465,300.
Is Nantucket, Massachusetts safe?⌄
Nantucket's violent crime rate was 183 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1119 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Nantucket, Massachusetts?⌄
Nantucket County, which includes Nantucket, has an unemployment rate of 7.2%, which is above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Nantucket, Massachusetts?⌄
The cost of living in Nantucket is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $2,228/month and median household income is $148,017/year. The median home value is $1,465,300. About 50% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Nantucket, Massachusetts?⌄
The average commute in Nantucket is 16 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from