Compare towns
Cambridge vs Hooksett vs Somerville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cambridge has the most expensive homes ($1092k median).
Hooksett has the most homeowners (80.6%).
Somerville has the most people working from home (31.3%).
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 | Hooksett | Somerville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 118,796Highest |
15,057Lowest |
81,036 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 30.4±0.4Lowest 22% below U.S. |
41.3±1.5Highest 6% above U.S. |
31.9±0.6 18% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 12.4%±0.8 U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
9.8%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 12.2%±0.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.3%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
10%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 80.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
69.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 25.1%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.9%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
12.8%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $130,748±$4k 62% above U.S. |
$117,962±$11kLowest 46% above U.S. |
$132,572±$6kHighest 64% above U.S. |
| Somerville and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,092,100±$42kHighest 228% above U.S. |
$407,000±$26kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$911,300±$26k 174% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,787±$48Highest 97% above U.S. |
$1,661±$206Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$2,517±$64 78% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,802Lowest 54% above U.S. |
$6,554Highest 110% above U.S. |
$6,186 98% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45%±2.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±16.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
36.2%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Cambridge and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 33.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
34.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 30.8%±1.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
31.3%±2.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Somerville and Cambridge 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 | #30 of 120 in NH | #225 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Cambridge | Hooksett School District | Somerville |
| High school in town | Cambridge Rindge and Latin | None in town | Somerville High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.3Lowest |
— | 11.2Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.