Compare towns
Somerville vs Cambridge vs Brookline
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
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%).
Brookline has the most kids (18.7% under 18).
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.
| Measure | Somerville | Cambridge | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 81,036 |
118,796Highest |
63,266Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+12.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 31.9±0.6 20% below MA |
30.4±0.4Lowest 24% below MA |
35.2±1.2Highest 12% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 9.8%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
12.4%±0.8 MA: 19.4% |
18.7%±1.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 10%±0.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
12.2%±0.7 MA: 17.9% |
15.8%±1.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 69.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
80.8% MA: 47.3% |
85.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 12.8%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
25.1%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
10.8%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $132,572±$6k 28% above MA |
$130,748±$4kLowest 26% above MA |
$142,101±$8kHighest 37% above MA |
| Brookline and Somerville 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±$42k 94% above MA |
$1,246,800±$67kHighest 122% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,517±$64Lowest 43% above MA |
$2,787±$48 58% above MA |
$2,835±$82Highest 61% above MA |
| Brookline and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,186 3% above MA |
$4,802Lowest 20% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.2%±2.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
45%±2.3 MA: 51.8% |
46.9%±4Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Brookline and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.8% MA: 10% |
12.8%Highest MA: 10% |
8.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 34.2% MA: 62.5% |
33.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
46.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1950Highest 14 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 7% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
27 min 7% below MA |
| Work from home | 31.3%±2.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
30.8%±1.5 MA: 18.6% |
30.1%±2.2Lowest 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 | #22 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Somerville | Cambridge | Brookline |
| High school in town | Somerville High | Cambridge Rindge and Latin | Brookline High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2 |
9.3Lowest |
11.9Highest |
| 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.