Compare towns
Nahant vs Needham vs Wellfleet
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).
Wellfleet has grown the fastest since 2010 (+29.7%).
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 | Wellfleet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,325Lowest |
32,459Highest |
4,404 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1% MA: +7.4% |
+29.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 60.7±2.9Highest 52% above MA |
43.1±1.6Lowest 8% above MA |
58.4±4.1 46% above MA |
| Nahant and Wellfleet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11%±3.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
14.4%±5.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 36.2%±6.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
35.3%±5.8 MA: 17.9% |
| Nahant and Wellfleet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 61.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
64.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±2.1Lowest 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±$6kLowest 8% above MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$117,938±$27k 13% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $748,800±$99kLowest 33% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$855,300±$70k 52% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,777±$334 about the MA average |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,563±$597Lowest 11% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,615 10% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,862Lowest 19% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.5%±17.4 MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
28.6%±23.8Lowest 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% MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
9.2%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1% MA: 62.5% |
85.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 10% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
| Work from home | 18.7%±5.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
20.7%±7.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #129 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Nahant | Needham | Wellfleet |
| High school in town | None in town | Needham High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.9 |
— |
| 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.