Compare towns
Nahant vs Upton vs Wellfleet vs Truro
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).
Upton has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
Wellfleet has grown the fastest since 2010 (+29.7%).
Truro has the most people working from home (35.2%).
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 | Wellfleet | Truro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,325 |
8,189Highest |
4,404 |
1,708Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+29.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+22.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 60.7±2.9 52% above MA |
46.4±4.8Lowest 16% above MA |
58.4±4.1 46% above MA |
64.1±5.8Highest 60% above MA |
| Truro 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% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
14.4%±5.4 MA: 19.4% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Wellfleet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 36.2%±6.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
35.3%±5.8 MA: 17.9% |
45.6%±10.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Truro 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% |
53.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
64.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
57.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±5.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Truro 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 |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$117,938±$27k 13% above MA |
$118,984±$72k 14% above MA |
| Upton and Truro 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 |
$576,700±$41kLowest about the MA average |
$855,300±$70k 52% above MA |
$888,200±$117kHighest 58% above MA |
| Truro and Wellfleet 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 |
$948±$599Lowest 46% 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 | $6,615 10% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$4,862 19% below MA |
$3,997Lowest 33% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.5%±17.4 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
28.6%±23.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Truro 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% |
9.2%Highest MA: 10% |
4.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.5% MA: 62.5% |
84.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1980 16 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 10% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
35 min 19% above MA |
30 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 18.7%±5.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
20.7%±7.4 MA: 18.6% |
35.2%±22.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Truro and Upton 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 | — | — |
| School district | Nahant | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Wellfleet | Truro |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2 |
— | — |
| 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.