Compare towns
Somerville vs Concord vs Waltham
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 renters (65.8% rent).
Concord has the most kids (23.6% under 18).
Waltham has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | Concord | Waltham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 81,036Highest |
18,223Lowest |
64,902 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7% MA: +7.4% |
+4.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 31.9±0.6Lowest 20% below MA |
47.6±2Highest 19% above MA |
34.4±1 14% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 9.8%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.6%±2.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.6%±1.1 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 10%±0.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
23.7%±2.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.8%±1.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 69.4% MA: 47.3% |
79.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
57.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 12.8%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
5.5%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
19.1%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $132,572±$6k 28% above MA |
$195,350±$22kHighest 88% above MA |
$120,216±$7kLowest 16% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $911,300±$26k 62% above MA |
$1,210,000±$72kHighest 115% above MA |
$748,700±$27kLowest 33% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,517±$64 43% above MA |
$2,631±$166Highest 49% above MA |
$2,268±$79Lowest 29% above MA |
| Concord and Somerville 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,766Lowest 20% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.2%±2.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
53.2%±10.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
44.7%±4.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Concord and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.8%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
9.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 34.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
49.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1969Highest 5 yrs newer than MA |
1961 3 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 7% above MA |
32 minHighest 11% above MA |
25 minLowest 15% below MA |
| Work from home | 31.3%±2.2 MA: 18.6% |
36.1%±4.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.2%±2.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Concord 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 | #225 of 282 in MA | #10 of 282 in MA | #217 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Somerville | Concord · Concord-Carlisle | Waltham |
| High school in town | Somerville High | Concord Carlisle High | Waltham Sr High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2 |
11.4Highest |
10.4Lowest |
| 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.