Data-driven insights shaping Nantucket’s future

Understanding Nantucket’s Updated Housing Needs Assessment

For the first time in ten years, Housing Nantucket has released a comprehensive study of the island’s year-round housing needs. This new 2025 Housing Needs Assessment, offers an updated and detailed look at how the island’s housing landscape has evolved—and what’s needed to sustain a thriving, year-round community.

Unlike past reports, this assessment layers in fresh data and nuanced analysis to reflect Nantucket’s changing economic, demographic, and environmental realities. For policymakers, nonprofits, and community partners, this report serves as a critical roadmap toward a more stable, sustainable, and equitable housing future.

“This study gives us a clear-eyed view of where we stand and where we need to go,” said Anne Kuszpa, Executive Director of Housing Nantucket. “It’s not just about numbers—it’s about the people and families who keep this island running year-round. Having up-to-date data allows us to make smarter, more equitable decisions for Nantucket’s future.”

The findings were presented at the Nantucket Atheneum by Brett Piercy, an urban planning and economic development specialist known for her ability to turn complex data into actionable community insights. Her presentation underscored both the challenges and opportunities ahead for Nantucket’s housing ecosystem.

Explore the Findings:

Key findings include:

• More than three-quarters of Nantucket households are in the low-, moderate, or middle-income brackets.
• This includes an estimated 3,060 households who currently own their homes and 1,150 who rent.
• The median home price increased by more than 140% in real terms since 2017, from a median of $1.54 million to $3.73 million in 2024.
• A household income in excess of $1.4 million would be necessary to purchase a median-priced home on Nantucket.
• Nearly 15% of renter households are overcrowded, far higher than the state-wide average.

What We Learned — And What Comes Next

The presentation was a milestone moment for Housing Nantucket and its partners, sparking thoughtful discussion about what the data tells us—and how we can act on it.

Topics from the Q&A included:

• The rising cost of construction and its ripple effects on affordability
• Strategies to support low-income homeowners
• Lessons from other resort and coastal communities facing similar pressures
  

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The conversation also tied into findings from the Moonshot Report, developed by Columbia University’s MOONSHOT team. That report introduced a customized model estimating ten-year rental housing demand for households earning between 60–120% of the area median income—a crucial lens for understanding Nantucket’s workforce housing gap.

A key data point from both studies is how a “household” is defined: all the people who occupy a single housing unit, whether related or not. In other words, each home, apartment, or accessory dwelling counts as one household—an important detail when we translate numbers into real-world housing solutions.

Updating the Housing Production Plan

Next on the horizon is an update to Nantucket’s Housing Production Plan (HPP)—a required part of Massachusetts’ Chapter 40B framework. The HPP serves as both a roadmap and a compliance tool, outlining how the island plans to meet its affordable housing goals while maintaining local control in the 40B process.

This update will build directly on the findings of the 2025 Housing Needs Assessment and reflect what’s happened since the 2023 Community Survey, including new developments that are approved, built, or underway.

The Affordable Housing Trust has already begun the update process, and public participation will be key. Community members, local leaders, and organizations alike are encouraged to stay engaged, share local insight, and help shape the path forward.

Why It Matters

Housing on Nantucket has always been about more than real estate—it’s about the people who make this island a community. This updated assessment provides the clarity and data we need to plan intelligently, invest wisely, and ensure that Nantucket remains livable for everyone who calls it home.

Together, we’re not just identifying the problem—we’re helping define the solution.