Compare towns
Somerville vs Springfield 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).
Springfield has the most affordable homes ($245k median).
Arlington has the most homeowners (61.6%).
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.
| Measure | Somerville | Springfield | Arlington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 81,036 |
154,749Highest |
46,350Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7% MA: +7.4% |
+1.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 31.9±0.6Lowest 20% below MA |
33.7±0.5 16% below MA |
41.6±1.3Highest 4% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 9.8%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
24.2%±0.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.5%±1.7 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 10%±0.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
13.2%±0.7 MA: 17.9% |
17.3%±1.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 69.4% MA: 47.3% |
20.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
76.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 12.8%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
7.5%±0.5 MA: 7.9% |
5%±0.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $132,572±$6k 28% above MA |
$52,656±$2kLowest 49% below MA |
$150,701±$5kHighest 45% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $911,300±$26k 62% above MA |
$245,000±$4kLowest 56% 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 |
$1,144±$55Lowest 35% below MA |
$2,082±$76 18% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,186 3% above MA |
$3,695Lowest 38% below MA |
$9,604Highest 60% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.2%±2.9 MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±3.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
35%±4.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 9.8% MA: 10% |
25.8%Highest MA: 10% |
5.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 34.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
49.6% MA: 62.5% |
61.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1952Highest 12 yrs older than MA |
1945 19 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 7% above MA |
20 minLowest 31% below MA |
32 minHighest 11% above MA |
| Work from home | 31.3%±2.2 MA: 18.6% |
8.4%±0.9Lowest 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 | #276 of 282 in MA | #29 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Somerville | Springfield | Arlington |
| High school in town | Somerville High | Springfield Central High | Arlington High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Lowest |
12.2 |
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.