Compare towns
Arlington vs Somerville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Arlington has the most kids (20.5% under 18).
Somerville has the most renters (65.8% rent).
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 | Arlington | Somerville |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 46,350Lowest |
81,036Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.6±1.3Highest 4% above MA |
31.9±0.6Lowest 20% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 20.5%±1.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
9.8%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 17.3%±1.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
10%±0.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 76.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
69.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±0.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
12.8%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $150,701±$5kHighest 45% above MA |
$132,572±$6kLowest 28% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $933,800±$23kHighest 66% above MA |
$911,300±$26kLowest 62% above MA |
| Arlington and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,082±$76Lowest 18% above MA |
$2,517±$64Highest 43% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,604Highest 60% above MA |
$6,186Lowest 3% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 35%±4.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
36.2%±2.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Somerville and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 5.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
9.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 61.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
34.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Highest 19 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 11% above MA |
31 minLowest 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 34.5%±2.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
31.3%±2.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Arlington 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 | #29 of 282 in MA | #225 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Arlington | Somerville |
| High school in town | Arlington High | Somerville High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.6Highest |
11.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.