Cost of living in Nantucket research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Nantucket is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Massachusetts, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Nantucket is 211, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Nantucket is 2.1x higher than the national average.
Nantucket ranks as the #108 cheapest in Massachusetts out of 112.
Nantucket ranks as the #6,358 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Nantucket is $2,964,464.
The median income in Nantucket is $109,988.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Nantucket has an overall cost of living index of 211, which is 2.1x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Massachusetts, Nantucket has a cost of living index that's 1.6x higher than Massachusetts's index of 134.
The standard of living in Nantucket ranks as #108 most affordable out of the 112 places we measured in Massachusetts. By definition, that implies Nantucket ranks as the #4 most expensive place in the Bay State.
For more reading on life in Nantucket, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Nantucket. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Nantucket is 116.
The Groceries index in Nantucket is 102.
The Health index in Nantucket is 109.
The Housing index in Nantucket is 441.
The Transportation index in Nantucket is 93.
The Utilities index in Nantucket is 110.
| Living Expense | Nantucket | Massachusetts | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 211 | 134 | 100 | |
| Services | 116 | 121 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 102 | 106 | 100 | |
| Health | 109 | 112 | 100 | |
| Housing | 441 | 164 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 93 | 120 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 110 | 136 | 100 | |
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Massachusetts, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Nantucket is $2,964,464.
The Median Rent in Nantucket is $2,484.
The Median Income in Nantucket is $109,988.
The Home Value To Income in Nantucket is 27.0x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Nantucket is 0.27x.
| Statistic | Nantucket | Massachusetts | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $2,964,464 | $649,115 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $2,484 | $1,687 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $109,988 | $101,341 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 27.0x | 6.4x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.27x | 0.2x | 0.21x |
| Item | Nantucket | Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.43 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $14.37 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $22.72 | $18 |
| Haircut | $31.5 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $49.92 | $45.56 |
| Item | Nantucket | Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.85 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.43 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.74 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $5.0 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $11.59 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $10.74 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.46 | $3.7 |
| Item | Nantucket | Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $104.45 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $169.83 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $130.28 | $113.29 |
| Item | Nantucket | Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.38 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $48.2 | $59.92 |
| Item | Nantucket | Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $230.62 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $195.18 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Nantucket. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
South Yarmouth, MA has a cost of living index of 130, 0.6x Nantucket.
East Falmouth, MA has a cost of living index of 135, 0.6x Nantucket.
West Yarmouth, MA has a cost of living index of 128, 0.6x Nantucket.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Nantucket |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Yarmouth, MA | 11,642 | 130 | 0.6x |
| East Falmouth, MA | 6,415 | 135 | 0.6x |
| West Yarmouth, MA | 6,323 | 128 | 0.6x |
| Bliss Corner, MA | 5,666 | 122 | 0.6x |