Compare towns
Nahant vs Dover
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Nahant has the most affordable homes ($749k median).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
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 | Dover |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 3,325Highest |
2,308Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 60.7±2.9Highest 52% above MA |
47.5±4Lowest 19% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 11%±3.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.9%±4.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 36.2%±6.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.5%±3.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 61.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
83.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
9.4%±4.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Dover 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±$6kLowest 8% above MA |
$250,001Highest 140% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $748,800±$99kLowest 33% above MA |
$1,308,300±$149kHighest 133% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,777±$334 about the MA average |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,615Lowest 10% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.5%±17.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Dover and Nahant are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest MA: 10% |
3.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
97.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minLowest 10% above MA |
37 minHighest 26% above MA |
| Work from home | 18.7%±5.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
37.4%±8.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #129 of 282 in MA | #1 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Nahant | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.