What stands out worked out from the figures below

Somerville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7%).

Hatfield has the most homeowners (74.6%).

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	Hatfield
People
Population	81,036Highest	3,325Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7%Highest MA: +7.4%	+2.2%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	31.9±0.6Lowest 20% below MA	46.8±5Highest 17% above MA
Kids under 18	9.8%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4%	14%±4.3Highest MA: 19.4%
	Hatfield and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	10%±0.8Lowest MA: 17.9%	23.3%±4.6Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	69.4%Highest MA: 47.3%	48.5%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	12.8%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9%	5.1%±2.6Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$132,572±$6kHighest 28% above MA	$89,005±$25kLowest 14% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$911,300±$26kHighest 62% above MA	$440,800±$26kLowest 22% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,517±$64Highest 43% above MA	$1,267±$216Lowest 28% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,186Highest 3% above MA	$4,930Lowest 18% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	36.2%±2.9Lowest MA: 51.8%	42.6%±11.8Highest MA: 51.8%
	Hatfield and Somerville 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%	8.9%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	34.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%	74.6%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA	1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 7% above MA	20 minLowest 30% below MA
Work from home	31.3%±2.2Highest MA: 18.6%	16%±6.3Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#225 of 282 in MA	#198 of 282 in MA
School district	Somerville	Hatfield
High school in town	Somerville High	Smith Academy
Students per teacherat that high school	11.2Highest	6.1Lowest
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.