Compare towns
Medford vs Marblehead vs Somerville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Medford has the most affordable homes ($756k median).
Marblehead has the most kids (22.3% 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 | Medford | Marblehead | Somerville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 59,354 |
20,413Lowest |
81,036Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.2% MA: +7.4% |
+3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.9±1 10% below MA |
49.1±2Highest 23% above MA |
31.9±0.6Lowest 20% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 12.7%±1.3 MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
9.8%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 15.2%±1.3 MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
10%±0.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
78.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
69.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.2%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
12.8%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Somerville and Medford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $129,540±$8kLowest 25% above MA |
$182,132±$28kHighest 75% above MA |
$132,572±$6k 28% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $755,500±$23kLowest 34% above MA |
$943,900±$31kHighest 68% above MA |
$911,300±$26k 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 | $2,509±$94 42% above MA |
$1,764±$147Lowest about the MA average |
$2,517±$64Highest 43% above MA |
| Somerville and Medford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,286 5% above MA |
$8,309Highest 39% above MA |
$6,186Lowest 3% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.1%±4.9 MA: 51.8% |
49.5%±8.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
36.2%±2.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Marblehead and Medford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.6% MA: 10% |
4.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
9.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54.1% MA: 62.5% |
85.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
34.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1942 22 yrs older than MA |
1944Highest 20 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 4% above MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
31 min 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 26.8%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
31.3%±2.2 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 | #203 of 282 in MA | #47 of 282 in MA | #225 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Medford | Marblehead | Somerville |
| High school in town | Medford High | Marblehead High | Somerville High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.2Lowest |
10.7 |
11.2Highest |
| 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.