Nantucket, a former whaling hub in Massachusetts that's roughly 14 miles long and averages 3.5 miles in width, reserves 50% of the island for conservation, putting it off-limits to future development.

Consequently, land and homes on the tiny island come at a steep premium, earning what used to be a humble fisherman's base the nickname "Billionaires Isle."

Most homes on Nantucket are vacation homes, with 55% of the island's housing stock falling into that category. That's the highest share of any market in the nation, according to the latest Realtor.com® Luxury Housing Report.

Meanwhile, the $1 million to $2 million price point on Nantucket purchases a median square footage of just 1,011, the smallest on the luxury report list. The report considered every metro or micropolitan area in the country with at least 100 listings priced at $1 million-plus in June 2026 and at least a 25% share of vacation homes.

Nantucket's luxury market (the top 10% of listings by price) starts at a whopping $14.1 million, the steepest threshold on the list by far. Vineyard Haven, also in the Bay State, comes in second on the list, but follows far behind with a luxury entry point of $8.2 million.  (link to article for full content)