Compare towns
Cambridge vs Hingham vs Somerville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cambridge has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.6%).
Hingham has the most homeowners (80.7%).
Somerville has the most affordable homes ($911k median).
Cambridge is a college town. 25.1% 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 | Cambridge | Hingham | Somerville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 118,796Highest |
24,283Lowest |
81,036 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6% MA: +7.4% |
+7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 30.4±0.4Lowest 24% below MA |
48.4±2.4Highest 21% above MA |
31.9±0.6 20% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 12.4%±0.8 MA: 19.4% |
23.4%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
9.8%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 12.2%±0.7 MA: 17.9% |
26%±2.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
10%±0.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 80.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
76.2% MA: 47.3% |
69.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 25.1%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
12.8%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $130,748±$4kLowest 26% above MA |
$178,390±$15kHighest 72% above MA |
$132,572±$6k 28% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,092,100±$42k 94% above MA |
$1,134,200±$47kHighest 102% above MA |
$911,300±$26kLowest 62% above MA |
| Hingham and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,787±$48Highest 58% above MA |
$2,465±$603Lowest 40% above MA |
$2,517±$64 43% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,802Lowest 20% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,186 3% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45%±2.3 MA: 51.8% |
60.3%±12Highest MA: 51.8% |
36.2%±2.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 12.8%Highest MA: 10% |
4.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
9.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 33.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
80.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
34.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950 14 yrs older than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% below MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
31 min 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 30.8%±1.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.1%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
31.3%±2.2 MA: 18.6% |
| Hingham 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 | #122 of 282 in MA | #14 of 282 in MA | #225 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Cambridge | Hingham | Somerville |
| High school in town | Cambridge Rindge and Latin | Hingham High | Somerville High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.3Lowest |
12.9Highest |
11.2 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.