Compare towns
Nahant vs Plainfield 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 renters (21.1% rent).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($309k median).
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 | Plainfield | Wellfleet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,325 |
616Lowest |
4,404Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.2% MA: +7.4% |
-2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+29.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 60.7±2.9Highest 52% above MA |
50.6±9.5Lowest 27% 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% |
19%±9.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
14.4%±5.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Plainfield and Wellfleet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 36.2%±6.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
29.5%±7.1Lowest 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% MA: 47.3% |
52.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
64.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±2.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Plainfield 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 |
$63,500±$14kLowest 39% below MA |
$117,938±$27kHighest 13% above MA |
| Wellfleet and Nahant are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $748,800±$99k 33% above MA |
$309,000±$47kLowest 45% below MA |
$855,300±$70kHighest 52% above MA |
| Wellfleet and Nahant are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,777±$334Highest about the MA average |
$1,292±$558Lowest 27% below MA |
$1,563±$597 11% below MA |
| Nahant and Wellfleet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,615Highest 10% above MA |
$4,458Lowest 26% below MA |
$4,862 19% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.5%±17.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
40%±100 MA: 51.8% |
28.6%±23.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Nahant and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
16.9%Highest MA: 10% |
9.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
98%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minLowest 10% above MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
35 min 19% above MA |
| Work from home | 18.7%±5.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
26.2%±8.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
20.7%±7.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Plainfield and Wellfleet 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 | — | — |
| School district | Nahant | — | Wellfleet |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| 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.