Nantucket, MA: town finances
Low debt and solid savings (12% of budget); 2 override votes since 2016; another override vote likely.
Budget grade
Better than 90% of MA towns · score 93 of 100
± Borderline: the score is within 2 points of the A/B cutoff, so a small change in the data could move the budget grade.
Ability to pay
Top 25% for income; second homes inflate property value here
Shown separately; not part of the budget grade. Income per resident $77,014 (Census ACS 2020-24); property value (EQV) per resident $2,817,820 (DLS 2024).
Chance of an override vote
6 points on our 0-8 scale: Low 0-2, Medium 3-4, High 5+. It ranks towns; it is not a percentage.
Key numbers
| Measure | Nantucket | Median MA town |
|---|---|---|
| Typical tax bill, FY2026 (average single-family) | $9,904 | $6,755 |
| Tax bill as a share of median household income | 7.1% | 6.4% |
| Tax bill growth per year, FY2022-26 | 9.67% | 3.95% |
| Override vote dates, last 5 years | Yes (1 vote) | 35% of towns had one |
| Savings (reserves), % of budget, FY2024-26 average | 11.5% | 7.3% |
| Debt, % of property value, FY2023-25 (voter-approved debt at half weight) | 0.55% | 0.70% |
| Debt payments inside the tax cap, % of budget | 1.4% | 1.3% |
| Unused room under the tax cap, FY2026 (% of max levy) | 0.44% | 0.34% |
| School enrollment, 5-year change | -1% | -2% |
| Students per teacher, 2025-26 | 10.1 | 11.4 |
| Median single-family sale price, 2024 | $3.3M (126 sales) | $614k |
| Single-family price change, 2019-24 | +108.5% | +52.8% |
| Median household income (Census, 2020-24) | $139,688 | $113,750 |
| Population (DLS) | 14,421 | 10,585 |
Main school district: Nantucket. Shaded = worse than the median town on tax bill share or enrollment. Medians are across all 351 towns with data.
Why this budget grade
Budget grade A, excellent (93/100, near the A/B line; better than 90% of MA towns): reserves averaged 12% of budget over FY2024-26 (state median 7.3%); debt 0.55% of property value with voter-approved debt at half weight (0.95% before; median 0.70%); debt payments inside the tax cap 1.4% of budget (median 1.3%). 84% of debt payments are voter-approved and paid outside the cap.
Why this chance of an override vote
Chance of an override vote: High (6 pts): almost no unused room under the tax cap (0.44% of max levy, +3); override votes since July 2016, latest 2023-05 (+2); voter-approved debt or capital increase passed since July 2021 (+1).
Context, not scored
Teacher jobs -4.4% last year; enrollment -1% over 5 yrs; tax bill 7.1% of median income (state median 6.4%).
"pts" are points toward the chance of an override vote. Max levy is the most the town can raise without a vote under Prop 2½. See how the budget grade works.
Override votes since July 2016
| Vote date | Result | Amount | Purpose (as listed by DLS) |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 23, 2023 | Passed | $6,500,000 | Affordable Housing Override |
| May 23, 2023 | Passed | $3,750,000 | Solid Waste Operating Override |
| Jun 15, 2021 | Passed | $5,000,000 | Purpose Of Supporting The Operation Of Our Island Home |
Source: MA DLS Proposition 2½ override vote file, as of 25 Oct 2026. One ballot can carry several questions.
See this town in the full data table →