Compare towns
Nahant vs Ripton vs Wellfleet
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).
Ripton has the most affordable homes ($394k median).
Wellfleet has the most kids (14.4% under 18).
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 | Ripton | Wellfleet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,325 |
508Lowest |
4,404Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+29.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 60.7±2.9Highest 56% above U.S. |
47.7±14.2Lowest 23% above U.S. |
58.4±4.1 50% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±6.3 U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Wellfleet and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 36.2%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
35.3%±5.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
48%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
64.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,762±$6kLowest 40% above U.S. |
$112,917±$15k 40% above U.S. |
$117,938±$27kHighest 46% above U.S. |
| Wellfleet and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $748,800±$99k 125% above U.S. |
$394,400±$61kLowest 19% above U.S. |
$855,300±$70kHighest 157% above U.S. |
| 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 26% above U.S. |
— | $1,563±$597Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| 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 112% above U.S. |
$4,915 58% above U.S. |
$4,862Lowest 56% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.5%±17.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
28.6%±23.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Nahant and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 21% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 31% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.7%±5.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.7%±7.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wellfleet and Nahant 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 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Wellfleet |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.