Nantucket County, MA

This county of 14,946 residents needs 547 more housing units over the next five years.

Housing snapshot

Population
14,946 (2026)
Households
5,341
Median household income
$147,958 (2026)
Typical home value
$3,168,634
Owner-occupied
30%
Five-year housing need
547 units

Comparison to other Massachusetts counties

Nantucket County: $147,958 Median income (2026 estimate)
<$80K >$148K
Nantucket County: 1.23 jobs to household ratio
<0.79 >1.66
Nantucket County: Permits since 2021 represent 10.0% of housing
<0.8% >5.5%
On this page

How affordable is this community?

The typical home in Nantucket County, MA is valued at $3,168,634, well above the Massachusetts average of $604,166. With a median household income of $147,958 in Nantucket County, MA, the typical home is far out of reach for most households, requiring roughly $586,584 more in annual income to afford.

This chart tracks whether housing prices are keeping pace with local incomes. The gap between what homes cost and what households can afford reveals affordability trends over time.

How is the population changing?

Nantucket County, MA has a population of roughly 14,483, growing steadily at 2.4% per year.

Population growth patterns reveal how communities are evolving. This chart shows historical population changes by age group and projects future trends based on demographic patterns.

How has employment changed over time?

Jobs by industry sector since 2012. Switch between local jobs — counted where the jobs are located — and resident jobs, counted where the workers live. On the local view the most recent year is a nowcast: it grows the latest local LODES job mix forward using recent county employment growth from QCEW and the BLS local employment series, so the newest point tracks today's economy instead of data that is roughly two years old.

How are households changing by income?

Nantucket County, MA is a growing community of roughly 5,341 households, with population increasing at 2.4% per year.

Understanding how households at different income levels are growing or declining helps identify which groups face the greatest housing pressure and where new housing is most needed.

Who lives here today?

The housing stock in Nantucket County, MA is heavily oriented toward detached single-family, which makes up 79% of units. Nantucket County, MA is a heavily renter-occupied market, with just 30% of households owning their home.

Households may have different structure type preferences depending on characteristics such as household size, income, employment, presence of children, age of individuals, and lifestyle choices. Understanding the housing stock in corresponding terms helps assess how well existing units align with existing households' ideals.

What does the housing stock look like?

The mix of housing types and ownership patterns shapes a community's character. This chart breaks down housing units by structure type and whether they're owner-occupied or rented.

How much new housing supply is needed?

To keep up with growth and fill current housing shortages, Nantucket County, MA needs 547 new units over the next 5 years.

247
Units needed to keep up with expected growth
Projected total household growth from 2026 to 2031.
4.6%
Projected household growth rate
Expected increase in total households from 5,341 in 2026 to 5,588 in 2031.
300
Units to address shortages in existing housing stock
Production needs to address vacancy rates and other factors.
45
Replacement housing
Effective annual loss rate is 0.7 per 1,000 units.
39
Ownership vacancy adjustment
Owner-occupied vacancy is 0.5%. This is below the minimum stable target of 1.5%.
40
Rental vacancy adjustment
Rental vacancy is 5.1%. This is below the minimum stable target of 7.4%.
176
Overcrowding adjustment
Overcrowding rate is 6.8%. This is above National avg. of 3.4%.
547
Total 5-year housing production need (2026-2031)
109
Annual production pace
Average units needed per year to meet 5-year need
4.3%
Total housing unit growth
Percent increase in housing stock over 5 years
0.9%
Annual housing unit growth
Average percent increase in housing stock per year

How do these communities compare to each other?