What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Cambridge has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.6%).

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.

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

Measure	Somerville	Cambridge
People
Population	81,036Lowest	118,796Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+12.6%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	31.9±0.6Highest 20% below MA	30.4±0.4Lowest 24% below MA
Kids under 18	9.8%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4%	12.4%±0.8Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	10%±0.8Lowest MA: 17.9%	12.2%±0.7Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	69.4%Lowest MA: 47.3%	80.8%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	12.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9%	25.1%±1Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$132,572±$6kHighest 28% above MA	$130,748±$4kLowest 26% above MA
	Somerville and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$911,300±$26kLowest 62% above MA	$1,092,100±$42kHighest 94% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,517±$64Lowest 43% above MA	$2,787±$48Highest 58% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,186Highest 3% above MA	$4,802Lowest 20% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	36.2%±2.9Lowest MA: 51.8%	45%±2.3Highest MA: 51.8%
Below poverty line	9.8%Lowest MA: 10%	12.8%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	34.2%Highest MA: 62.5%	33.5%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA	1950Highest 14 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 7% above MA	26 minLowest 11% below MA
Work from home	31.3%±2.2Highest MA: 18.6%	30.8%±1.5Lowest MA: 18.6%
	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	#225 of 282 in MA	#122 of 282 in MA
School district	Somerville	Cambridge
High school in town	Somerville High	Cambridge Rindge and Latin
Students per teacherat that high school	11.2Highest	9.3Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.