Compare towns
Nahant vs Needham vs Orleans
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).
Needham has the most kids (27.5% under 18).
Orleans has the shortest commute (22 min average).
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 | Needham | Orleans |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,325Lowest |
32,459Highest |
6,415 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 60.7±2.9 52% above MA |
43.1±1.6Lowest 8% above MA |
64.7±2.5Highest 62% above MA |
| 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 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
10.6%±2.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 36.2%±6.2 MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
49.3%±6.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| 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% MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
58.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.6%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Needham 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 8% above MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$102,335±$13kLowest about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $748,800±$99kLowest 33% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$957,000±$85k 70% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,777±$334 about the MA average |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,502±$703Lowest 15% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,615 10% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$5,486Lowest 8% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.5%±17.4 MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±22.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Needham 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% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
80.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 10% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
22 minLowest 24% below MA |
| Work from home | 18.7%±5.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
27.4%±5.7 MA: 18.6% |
| Needham and Orleans 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 | #19 of 282 in MA | #158 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Nahant | Needham | Nauset · Orleans |
| High school in town | None in town | Needham High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.9 |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.