Compare towns
Amherst Town vs Ogunquit vs Somerville vs Medford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Amherst Town has the most affordable homes ($485k median).
Ogunquit has the oldest population (median age 62.8).
Somerville has the most renters (65.8% rent).
Medford has the most kids (12.7% under 18).
Amherst Town is a college town. 59.6% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Amherst Town | Ogunquit | Somerville | Medford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 38,182 |
1,379Lowest |
81,036Highest |
59,354 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 21.4±0.2Lowest 45% below U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
31.9±0.6 18% below U.S. |
35.9±1 8% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 7.5%±1.1 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
9.8%±0.8 U.S.: 22% |
12.7%±1.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 10.1%±1 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
10%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.2%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 75.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
69.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 59.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
12.8%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
11.2%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $66,968±$7kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$132,572±$6kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$129,540±$8k 60% above U.S. |
| Somerville and Medford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $484,900±$21kLowest 46% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79k 163% above U.S. |
$911,300±$26kHighest 174% above U.S. |
$755,500±$23k 127% above U.S. |
| Somerville and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,671±$93Lowest 18% above U.S. |
— | $2,517±$64Highest 78% above U.S. |
$2,509±$94 78% above U.S. |
| Somerville and Medford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,787Highest 182% above U.S. |
$4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$6,186 98% above U.S. |
$6,286 102% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.1%±8.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
36.2%±2.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.1%±4.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 23.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 44.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
34.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
54.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1942 38 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 21%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
31.3%±2.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.8%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #58 of 282 in MA | — | #225 of 282 in MA | #203 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Amherst · Amherst-Pelham | — | Somerville | Medford |
| High school in town | Amherst Regional High | — | Somerville High | Medford High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Highest |
— | 11.2 |
9.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.