What stands out worked out from the figures below

Medford has the most homeowners (54.1%).

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.

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

Measure	Medford	Somerville
People
Population	59,354Lowest	81,036Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.2%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+7%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	35.9±1Highest 10% below MA	31.9±0.6Lowest 20% below MA
Kids under 18	12.7%±1.3Highest MA: 19.4%	9.8%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	15.2%±1.3Highest MA: 17.9%	10%±0.8Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	59.8%Lowest MA: 47.3%	69.4%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	11.2%±1.1Lowest 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	$132,572±$6kHighest 28% above MA
	Somerville and Medford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$755,500±$23kLowest 34% above MA	$911,300±$26kHighest 62% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,509±$94Lowest 42% above MA	$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	$6,286Highest 5% above MA	$6,186Lowest 3% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	41.1%±4.9Highest MA: 51.8%	36.2%±2.9Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Medford and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.6%Lowest MA: 10%	9.8%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	54.1%Highest MA: 62.5%	34.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1942Highest 22 yrs older than MA	1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minLowest 4% above MA	31 minHighest 7% above MA
Work from home	26.8%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6%	31.3%±2.2Highest MA: 18.6%
	Somerville and Medford 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	#225 of 282 in MA
School district	Medford	Somerville
High school in town	Medford High	Somerville High
Students per teacherat that high school	9.2Lowest	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.