Compare towns
Nahant vs Bow vs Orleans
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Nahant has the most renters (21.1% rent).
Bow has the most kids (25% under 18).
Orleans has the most expensive homes ($957k median).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Nahant | Bow | Orleans |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,325Lowest |
8,335Highest |
6,415 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 60.7±2.9 56% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
64.7±2.5Highest 66% above U.S. |
| Orleans and Nahant are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.6%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 36.2%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
49.3%±6.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Orleans and Nahant are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 61.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
58.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.6%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Nahant are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,762±$6k 40% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$102,335±$13kLowest 27% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $748,800±$99k 125% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kLowest 52% above U.S. |
$957,000±$85kHighest 188% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,777±$334Highest 26% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,502±$703Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Nahant and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,615 112% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$5,486Lowest 76% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.5%±17.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±22.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Nahant and Orleans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.7%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.4%±5.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Orleans and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #129 of 282 in MA | #26 of 120 in NH | #158 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Nahant | Bow School District | Nauset · Orleans |
| High school in town | None in town | Bow High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.