Compare towns
Nahant vs Upton vs Lynn vs Boston
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 oldest population (median age 60.7).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Lynn has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.1%).
Boston has the most renters (64.3% rent).
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 | Upton | Lynn | Boston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,325Lowest |
8,189 |
101,709 |
666,442Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+12.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+9.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 60.7±2.9Highest 52% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
36.5±1.2 9% below MA |
33.3±0.2Lowest 17% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 11%±3.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
24.1%±1.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.1%±0.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Lynn and Upton 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% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
13.7%±0.9 MA: 17.9% |
13%±0.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 61.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
24.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
54.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
15%±0.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $112,762±$6k 8% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$75,043±$3kLowest 28% below MA |
$97,344±$2k 6% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $748,800±$99kHighest 33% above MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$510,100±$23kLowest 9% below MA |
$731,700±$10k 30% above MA |
| Nahant and Boston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,777±$334 about the MA average |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,722±$60 about the MA average |
$2,147±$25Highest 22% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,615 10% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$5,384 10% below MA |
$4,456Lowest 26% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.5%±17.4 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
60%±4.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±1.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Lynn 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% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
13.8% MA: 10% |
16.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.9% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
48.1% MA: 62.5% |
35.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1946 18 yrs older than MA |
1947 17 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 10% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
32 min 8% above MA |
30 minLowest 4% above MA |
| Work from home | 18.7%±5.7 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.9%±1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
21.3%±0.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Upton and Boston 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #277 of 282 in MA | #258 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Nahant | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Lynn | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Lynn English High | Boston Latin School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Lowest |
15.0 |
18.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.