What stands out worked out from the figures below

Marblehead has the most homeowners (85.2%).

Somerville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Marblehead	Somerville
People
Population	20,413Lowest	81,036Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+7%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	49.1±2Highest 23% above MA	31.9±0.6Lowest 20% below MA
Kids under 18	22.3%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4%	9.8%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	22.7%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9%	10%±0.8Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	78.3%Highest MA: 47.3%	69.4%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.8%±1Lowest MA: 7.9%	12.8%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$182,132±$28kHighest 75% above MA	$132,572±$6kLowest 28% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$943,900±$31kHighest 68% above MA	$911,300±$26kLowest 62% above MA
	Marblehead and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,764±$147Lowest about the MA average	$2,517±$64Highest 43% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,309Highest 39% above MA	$6,186Lowest 3% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	49.5%±8.8Highest MA: 51.8%	36.2%±2.9Lowest MA: 51.8%
Below poverty line	4.4%Lowest MA: 10%	9.8%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	85.2%Highest MA: 62.5%	34.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1944Highest 20 yrs older than MA	1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 13% above MA	31 minLowest 7% above MA
Work from home	34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6%	31.3%±2.2Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Marblehead 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	#47 of 282 in MA	#225 of 282 in MA
School district	Marblehead	Somerville
High school in town	Marblehead High	Somerville High
Students per teacherat that high school	10.7Lowest	11.2Highest
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.