Compare towns
Somerville vs China vs Palermo
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Somerville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.5%).
China has the highest household income ($96k).
Palermo has the most people working from home (18.8%).
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 | China | Palermo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 837Lowest |
4,526Highest |
1,473 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 33.5±11.3Lowest 25% below ME |
40.9±5.9 9% below ME |
43.4±6.1Highest 3% below ME |
| Palermo and China are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 28.8%±7Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
18.1%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Somerville and China are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±4.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.2%±2 ME: 22.4% |
| China and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
31.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
31.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.6%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Palermo and China are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,250±$15kLowest 5% below ME |
$96,309±$12kHighest 29% above ME |
$89,095±$15k 19% above ME |
| China and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $218,100±$41kLowest 26% below ME |
$240,000±$37k 19% below ME |
$259,700±$54kHighest 12% below ME |
| Palermo and China are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,583±$265Highest 39% above ME |
— | $1,235±$1kLowest 8% above ME |
| Somerville and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,505Lowest 17% below ME |
$2,535Highest 17% below ME |
$2,506 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.7%±58.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
10.6%±25.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.6%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Somerville and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6% ME: 10.7% |
4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
91.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 9% above ME |
30 min 21% above ME |
31 minHighest 24% above ME |
| Work from home | 3.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.6%±4.6 ME: 15.9% |
18.8%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Palermo and China 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 | — | #27 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 12 | RSU 18 | RSU 12 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
ME 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.