Compare towns
Somerville vs Stoneham vs Freedom
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Somerville has the most kids (28.8% under 18).
Stoneham has the most people working from home (40.7%).
Freedom has the most affordable homes ($191k median).
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 | Stoneham | Freedom |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 837Highest |
271Lowest |
670 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— | -1.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 33.5±11.3Lowest 25% below ME |
60.6±7.1Highest 35% above ME |
40.1±2.7 10% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 28.8%±7Highest ME: 18.1% |
5.9%±7.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Somerville and Freedom 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% |
41%±17.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Stoneham and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.7% ME: 36.2% |
37.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
23.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
14.8%±13.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Stoneham and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,250±$15kHighest 5% below ME |
$63,750±$27kLowest 15% below ME |
$64,861±$12k 13% below ME |
| Somerville and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $218,100±$41k 26% below ME |
$226,200±$32kHighest 24% below ME |
$190,600±$69kLowest 36% below ME |
| Stoneham and Somerville 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 |
$1,125±$383Lowest about the ME average |
— |
| Somerville and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,505Highest 17% below ME |
$1,426Lowest 53% below ME |
$2,328 23% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.7%±58.5 ME: 48.4% |
66.7%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
21.1%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Stoneham and Somerville 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% |
7.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.8% ME: 74.3% |
90.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 9% above ME |
29 min 18% above ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 3.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
40.7%±15.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±3.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 12 | — | — |
| High school 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.