What stands out worked out from the figures below

Maynard has the most homeowners (75%).

Somerville has the most expensive homes ($911k median).

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	Maynard	Somerville
People
Population	10,712Lowest	81,036Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.3%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+7%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	45.3±4.3Highest 13% above MA	31.9±0.6Lowest 20% below MA
Kids under 18	16.9%±4.3Highest MA: 19.4%	9.8%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	18.2%±3.3Highest MA: 17.9%	10%±0.8Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	64.2%Lowest MA: 47.3%	69.4%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.5%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9%	12.8%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$124,067±$16kLowest 19% above MA	$132,572±$6kHighest 28% above MA
	Somerville and Maynard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$527,400±$31kLowest 6% below MA	$911,300±$26kHighest 62% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,800±$148Lowest about the MA average	$2,517±$64Highest 43% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,266Highest 38% above MA	$6,186Lowest 3% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	44.9%±9.6Highest MA: 51.8%	36.2%±2.9Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Maynard and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.3%Lowest MA: 10%	9.8%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75%Highest MA: 62.5%	34.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1963Highest 1 yr older than MA	1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minHighest 9% above MA	31 minLowest 7% above MA
Work from home	22.9%±7.7Lowest MA: 18.6%	31.3%±2.2Highest MA: 18.6%
	Somerville and Maynard 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	#166 of 282 in MA	#225 of 282 in MA
School district	Maynard	Somerville
High school in town	Maynard High	Somerville High
Students per teacherat that high school	9.7Lowest	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.