Compare towns
Orleans vs Upton vs Wellfleet vs Nahant
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Orleans has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Upton has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
Wellfleet has grown the fastest since 2010 (+29.7%).
Nahant has the most renters (21.1% 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 | Orleans | Upton | Wellfleet | Nahant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,415 |
8,189Highest |
4,404 |
3,325Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.1% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+29.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-2.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 64.7±2.5Highest 62% above MA |
46.4±4.8Lowest 16% above MA |
58.4±4.1 46% above MA |
60.7±2.9 52% above MA |
| Orleans and Nahant are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 10.6%±2.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
14.4%±5.4 MA: 19.4% |
11%±3.1 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+ | 49.3%±6.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
35.3%±5.8 MA: 17.9% |
36.2%±6.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Orleans and Nahant are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 58.8% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
64.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
61.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Nahant and Wellfleet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $102,335±$13kLowest about the MA average |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$117,938±$27k 13% above MA |
$112,762±$6k 8% above MA |
| Upton and Wellfleet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $957,000±$85kHighest 70% above MA |
$576,700±$41kLowest about the MA average |
$855,300±$70k 52% above MA |
$748,800±$99k 33% above MA |
| Orleans and Wellfleet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,502±$703 15% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,563±$597 11% below MA |
$1,777±$334Highest about the MA average |
| Nahant and Wellfleet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,486 8% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$4,862Lowest 19% below MA |
$6,615 10% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±22.7 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
28.6%±23.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
53.5%±17.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Nahant and Orleans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.6% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
9.2%Highest MA: 10% |
8.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.5% MA: 62.5% |
78.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 24% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
35 min 19% above MA |
32 min 10% above MA |
| Work from home | 27.4%±5.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
20.7%±7.4 MA: 18.6% |
18.7%±5.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Orleans 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 | #158 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | — | #129 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Nauset · Orleans | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Wellfleet | Nahant |
| 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.