LivabilityCalc
Find Your City
City Housing Verdict

Nantucket, MA

High Pressure

Nantucket, MA is one of the most expensive places to live in the United States — roughly 2.3x the national average (Cost Index: 232). The housing market drives nearly all of that premium: the typical home here is valued at $1,359,200, far above the $303,400 US median. Local household income is $109,988, which should be read as place context rather than a personal salary target.

Nantucket already reads as a high-pressure housing market, with 27% rent burden, 12.4x home-price-to-income, and a housing index of 448. Treat this page as a stress test for rent, mortgage, and tax burden before assuming the move works.Data Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 · BEA RPP 2023 · Zillow ZHVI

Data Updated: March 2026
Housing Feasibility Verdict
Stretch

Based on your household income, housing mode, local rent, home value, property tax, and mortgage assumptions for Nantucket.

Monthly Housing
$2,484/mo
Lower of rent or buy scenario
Housing Burden
27%
Healthy
Residual Cash
$6,182/mo
After housing and debt · $2,061/person
Rent vs Buy
Rent first
Main pressure: everyday costs
Assumptions
Housing Mode
Confidence: MediumHome source: ACSRent source: ACSBEA proxy: nonmetroHousehold size: 3Down payment: 20%Fixed burden: 33%
Uses a URL fragment, so it does not create a separate indexed page.
Cost Index
232
Very Expensive
Based on housing costs · See methodology
Median Home Value
$1,359,200
Source: Census ACS
National: $303,400
Median Rent
$2,484/mo
Source: Census ACS
National: $1,348/mo
Household Income
$109,988
National: $78,538
Population
10,837
Purchasing Power
60
100 = national baseline

Cost of Living Breakdown

Each index uses 100 as the US national average. A score of 150 means 50% more expensive; 80 means 20% cheaper.

Housing Cost Index
448 / 100
~4.5x more expensive
Rent Index
184 / 100
84% above average
Goods & Groceries
96 / 100
About the same as most US cities
BEA State Nonmetro avg.
Utilities
88 / 100
12% lower utility bills
BEA State Nonmetro avg.
Healthcare & Services
98 / 100
In line with national average
BEA State Nonmetro avg.
Overall Index
232
Very Expensive · ~2.3x the US average

Nantucket Mortgage Calculator

Pre-filled with the local median home value of $1,359,200 and Massachusetts's property tax rate of 1.15%.

Household Housing Budget

Local median household income is shown only as a place-side affordability input. Personal salary, filing status, and take-home pay analysis belong in salary.city.

Local Household Income
$109,988
Census ACS place context
Rent Burden Estimate
27%
Typical annual rent / local household income
Home Price to Income
12.4x
Typical home value / local household income
Use this section to judge whether Nantucket looks structurally manageable for a household budget. For a specific job offer, filing status, payroll taxes, or salary equivalence across cities, run the income-side decision in salary.city.

Property Tax in Nantucket, MA

Est. Annual Property Tax
$15,631
Monthly Impact
$1,303
Added to your mortgage
Effective Rate
1.15%
National avg: ~1.00%

Massachusetts Place Tax Context

Tax TypeMassachusettsNational Avg
Property Tax Rate1.15%1.00%
Top Income Tax Rate9%~5.0%
State Sales Tax6.25%~5.0%

Compare Nantucket to Another City

Compare place-side costs such as housing, rent, groceries, utilities, services, and tax context.

Cost of Living Comparison

Compare place-side housing, rent, goods, services, and utility pressure between cities.

Nantucket, MA
232
184
Loading cities...
---
---

Cost Index Comparison (100 = National Avg)

Housing CostsNational Avg: 100
Nantucket, MA: 448
Rent Prices
184

FAQ: Living in Nantucket

Is Nantucket, MA an expensive place to live?+

Yes — Nantucket is about 132% more expensive than the national average, with an overall Cost Index of 232. Housing is the biggest factor: the typical home here is valued around $1,359,200, and monthly rents average roughly $2,484. Day-to-day costs like groceries and utilities tend to run closer to the national norm.

How does Nantucket fit a household housing budget?+

Start with housing. Typical monthly rent is $2,484, while local median household income is $109,988. That implies a rent-burden proxy of about 27% before utilities and other costs. For a specific job offer, filing status, or take-home pay scenario, use salary.city.

How much are taxes in Nantucket, MA?+

Massachusetts has a progressive state income tax with a top rate of 9%. The effective property tax rate is 1.15%. On a home worth $1,359,200, that translates to roughly $15,631 per year in property taxes. Sales tax (state + local) averages around 6.25% on everyday purchases.

How much does it cost to rent in Nantucket, MA?+

The typical monthly rent in Nantucket is around $2,484. That's about 84% higher than the $1,348 national median. For comparison, the median home value here is $1,359,200, so buyers should also factor in mortgage payments, property taxes, and insurance.

How much does a house cost in Nantucket, MA?+

The median home in Nantucket is valued at $1,359,200. With 20% down and a 6.5% mortgage rate, you'd be looking at roughly $6,873/month for principal and interest alone — before property taxes and insurance. About 82% of residents here own their homes.

Are groceries and utilities expensive in Nantucket?+

Grocery prices in Nantucket are about average compared to the rest of the US (index: 96, where 100 is the national average). Utility bills (electricity, gas, water) are below average (index: 88). Overall, these everyday costs shouldn't cause major surprises if you're moving from another similarly-sized US city.

What is Nantucket, MA like to live in?+

Nantucket is a small town with a population of about 10,837. The median age of residents is 40.3, which is close to the national median. The local poverty rate is 2.64%, well below the national average of 12.4%.

Lower-Pressure Alternatives in Massachusetts

If Nantucket feels tight, start with these same-state cities that look easier on rent burden or buy-side pressure.

Higher-Pressure Comparisons in Massachusetts

Use these city pages when you want to compare Nantucket against tougher same-state markets before deciding whether the current city is already a stretch.

LC
Reviewed by LivabilityCalc Research Team
Financial Data Analysts · Census & Economic Data Specialists
Data Sources & Methodology
  • Real Estate & Housing: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI, Smoothed & Seasonally Adjusted) and Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI). Structural fallback utilizes U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates.
  • Goods, Utilities & Services: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Metropolitan Area Regional Price Parities (MARPP), incorporating verified State Nonmetropolitan averages.
  • Mortgage Rates: Freddie Mac 30-Year Fixed Rate Mortgage Average in the United States (PMMS) via Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED).
  • Tax Context: State-level property, sales, and income-tax context used for place-side relocation planning. Personal take-home pay and offer analysis are handled by salary.city.
  • Index Methodology: Weighting matrix derived from Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Consumer Expenditure Surveys (CEX) distributional models. Baseline standardized at 100. (Read methodology details)
Last data update: March 2026 · Mortgage rates updated monthly