What it's like to live in Somerville
Somerville is a smaller city in Massachusetts with unemployment below the national average, household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, and air quality that stays clean most of the year. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Somerville deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, commute times longer than most cities, and cold winters.
The good
- Low unemployment
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Clean air
- Highly educated workforce
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Above-average commute times
- Cold winters
- Snowy winters — 49" per year
How Somerville compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Somerville
Based on Somerville's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$5,034
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $100,680 a year
- 35% of Somerville renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$182,260
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $91,130
- Homes cost 6.9× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 78% above US
$2,517/mo median rent
Rent is expensive here, at $2,517 a month median and well above the national average. This is the kind of city where housing costs deserve serious budgeting before committing to a move. Home prices are steep, with a median around $911,300. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $911,300 · 35% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 19% below US
3.5% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.5%, a little below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 41% below US
195 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 1581/100k · Somerville Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 19% above US
31 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 31 minute average means plenty of commuters are pushing 45 to 60 minutes on a bad day. Proximity to work matters more here than it might elsewhere. 3 in 10 workers drive to work; 19% take public transit; 31% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are comfortable, with highs around 80°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 26°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▲ 93% above US
69% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a highly educated city, with over half the adult population holding a college degree. That tends to shape the job market and the broader culture, and it's a solid indicator of a strong professional scene.
Schools
11 public schools inside the boundary
There are 11 public schools inside the boundary and 2 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 11:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Longfellow House Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site (2 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Somerville's strongest points are unemployment below the national average and household incomes running above the national average; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($2,517/mo) equals 23% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime, remote workers (31% of workers here already work from home), and people who would rather not drive. It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget.
See all the data for Somerville →·All Massachusetts cities →
Other places near Somerville
All Massachusetts guides →Not sure Somerville is the one?
Put it side by side with another city.