Compare towns
Somerville vs Maynard vs Arlington
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).
Maynard has the most affordable homes ($527k median).
Arlington has the most kids (20.5% under 18).
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 | Maynard | Arlington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 81,036Highest |
10,712Lowest |
46,350 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7% MA: +7.4% |
+6.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 31.9±0.6Lowest 20% below MA |
45.3±4.3Highest 13% above MA |
41.6±1.3 4% above MA |
| Maynard and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 9.8%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±4.3 MA: 19.4% |
20.5%±1.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Arlington and Maynard 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% |
18.2%±3.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.3%±1.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Maynard and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 69.4% MA: 47.3% |
64.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
76.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 12.8%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $132,572±$6k 28% above MA |
$124,067±$16kLowest 19% above MA |
$150,701±$5kHighest 45% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $911,300±$26k 62% above MA |
$527,400±$31kLowest 6% below MA |
$933,800±$23kHighest 66% above MA |
| Arlington 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 |
$1,800±$148Lowest about the MA average |
$2,082±$76 18% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,186Lowest 3% above MA |
$8,266 38% above MA |
$9,604Highest 60% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.2%±2.9 MA: 51.8% |
44.9%±9.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
35%±4.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Maynard 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% |
8.3% MA: 10% |
5.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 34.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75%Highest MA: 62.5% |
61.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1963Highest 1 yr older than MA |
1945 19 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 7% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
32 minHighest 11% above MA |
| Work from home | 31.3%±2.2 MA: 18.6% |
22.9%±7.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
34.5%±2.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Arlington 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 | #166 of 282 in MA | #29 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Somerville | Maynard | Arlington |
| High school in town | Somerville High | Maynard High | Arlington High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2 |
9.7Lowest |
13.6Highest |
| 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.