What it's like to live in Somersworth
Somersworth is a small city in New Hampshire with unemployment below the national average, crime rates well below the national average, and schools with smaller class sizes than the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Somersworth deals with a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin, cold winters, snowy winters, and fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city.
The good
- Low unemployment
- Low crime rates
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- High rent burden for renters
- Cold winters
- Snowy winters — 39" per year
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
How Somersworth compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Somersworth
Based on Somersworth's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,954
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $59,080 a year
- 55% of Somersworth renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$63,680
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $31,840
- Homes cost 4.3× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of livingNear US average
$1,477/mo median rent
Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,477 a month median. Not a bargain, not a budget-buster. About typical for a city this size. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $318,400. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $318,400 · 55% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 37% below US
2.7% unemployment
Unemployment here is 2.7%, well below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 65% below US
114 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 1637/100k · Somersworth Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
26 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 25.8 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 12% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are comfortable, with highs around 80°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 18°F. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▼ 13% below US
31% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 31% college-educated. It's a mix of white-collar and blue-collar work, which can be an asset or a limitation depending on the field.
Schools
4 public schools inside the boundary
There are 4 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 12:1, 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 Lowell National Historical Park (47 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Somersworth's strongest points are unemployment below the national average and crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin and cold winters. A year of median rent ($1,477/mo) equals 24% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit job seekers and anyone prioritizing low crime.
See all the data for Somersworth →·All New Hampshire cities →
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