What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Marblehead has the most homeowners (85.2%).

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	Marblehead
People
Population	81,036Highest	20,413Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7%Highest MA: +7.4%	+3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	31.9±0.6Lowest 20% below MA	49.1±2Highest 23% above MA
Kids under 18	9.8%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4%	22.3%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	10%±0.8Lowest MA: 17.9%	22.7%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	69.4%Lowest MA: 47.3%	78.3%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	12.8%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9%	3.8%±1Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$132,572±$6kLowest 28% above MA	$182,132±$28kHighest 75% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$911,300±$26kLowest 62% above MA	$943,900±$31kHighest 68% above MA
	Marblehead and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,517±$64Highest 43% above MA	$1,764±$147Lowest about the MA average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,186Lowest 3% above MA	$8,309Highest 39% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	36.2%±2.9Lowest MA: 51.8%	49.5%±8.8Highest MA: 51.8%
Below poverty line	9.8%Highest MA: 10%	4.4%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	34.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%	85.2%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA	1944Highest 20 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minLowest 7% above MA	33 minHighest 13% above MA
Work from home	31.3%±2.2Lowest MA: 18.6%	34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6%
	Marblehead 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	#47 of 282 in MA
School district	Somerville	Marblehead
High school in town	Somerville High	Marblehead High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.2Highest	10.7Lowest
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.