What stands out worked out from the figures below

Somerville has the most renters (65.8% rent).

Watertown has the most kids (14.3% 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Somerville	Watertown
People
Population	81,036Highest	35,543Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7% MA: +7.4%	—
Median age	31.9±0.6Lowest 20% below MA	39.4±1.3Highest about the MA average
Kids under 18	9.8%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4%	14.3%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	10%±0.8Lowest MA: 17.9%	18.3%±1.8Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	69.4%Highest MA: 47.3%	66.5%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	12.8%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9%	6%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$132,572±$6kHighest 28% above MA	$126,265±$6kLowest 21% above MA
	Somerville and Watertown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$911,300±$26kHighest 62% above MA	$784,600±$31kLowest 40% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,517±$64Highest 43% above MA	$2,502±$107Lowest 42% above MA
	Somerville and Watertown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,186Lowest 3% above MA	$6,799Highest 13% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	36.2%±2.9Lowest MA: 51.8%	42.7%±5.7Highest MA: 51.8%
	Watertown 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%	7.5%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	34.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%	47.7%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA	1947Highest 17 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 7% above MA	28 minLowest 5% below MA
Work from home	31.3%±2.2Highest MA: 18.6%	29.1%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Somerville and Watertown 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	#171 of 282 in MA
School district	Somerville	Watertown
High school in town	Somerville High	Watertown High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.2Highest	11.1Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.