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Living in
Somerville.
About
Life in Somerville
Somerville is a community of 12,958 people in New Jersey. The median household income is $103,869, median rent runs about $1,802 per month, and median home values are around $435,700. Unemployment is low at 4.5%, suggesting a relatively healthy local job market.
Somerville at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
35.9 yrs
Poverty Rate
5.9%
Foreign-Born
23.9%
Broadband Internet
92.6%
of households
Population Growth
+18.8%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics23.9% foreign-born, most often from India
Who lives in Somerville: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Somerville, the largest foreign-born group is from India (14.2%), and 17.4% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
16.1%
of residents
65 and Older
14.5%
of residents
Households with Kids
25.7%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
33.6%
of households
Married Couples
39.0%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.20
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent about average for NJ
Rent, home values, and income in Somerville
Rent and home values here are close to the NJ average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
41.7%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
17.7%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
112.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Homeowners
43.0%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1960
median year built
Vacant Homes
2.5%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $542,961 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.7 pts below NJ average
Unemployment in Somerville
Unemployment in Somerset County, which includes Somerville, is 0.7 percentage points lower than the NJ average.
Unemployment rate
Somerville: Somerset County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Somerset County (county-wide) · Annual averages
Somerville is about 4% of Somerset County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What Somerville Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute28.2 min avg
How Somerville residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Somerville, most residents drive alone to work (67%), and 62% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 23 mi
Trenton Mercer Airport (TTN)
Regional airport · few flights162k passengers boarded in 2025
- 24 mi
Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)
Major hub23.5M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 62% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Somerville runs 62% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
126.4
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
625.3
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Somerville Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 28 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
90.9 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Somerset County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Somerset County, which includes Somerville, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 28 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 28 | Winter Weather | $45,000 |
| 2024 | 27 | Excessive Heat | None reported |
| 2023 | 26 | Dense Fog | None reported |
| 2022 | 16 | Winter Weather | None reported |
| 2021 | 25 | Thunderstorm Wind | $100.0M |
| 2020 | 14 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 27 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2018 | 19 | Winter Storm | None reported |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Somerset County, county-wide
Somerville is about 4% of Somerset County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality36 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Middlesex County, NJ (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 14 miles from Somerville) is typically good — 295 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
36
Good Days
295
per year
Moderate Days
66
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Middlesex County, NJ (14 mi away)
Climate83°F summers, 21°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Somerville has warm summers (avg high 83°F) and cold winters (avg low 21°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
61°/37°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
83°/59°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
65°/42°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
41°/21°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
48.8"
Annual Snowfall
21.0"
Hot Days/Year
16
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
137
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
121
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 39°F | 19°F | 3.55" |
| Feb | 41°F | 20°F | 2.79" |
| Mar | 50°F | 27°F | 4.11" |
| Apr | 62°F | 36°F | 3.96" |
| May | 72°F | 46°F | 3.44" |
| Jun | 81°F | 56°F | 4.25" |
| Jul | 86°F | 62°F | 4.68" |
| Aug | 83°F | 60°F | 3.74" |
| Sep | 77°F | 53°F | 4.26" |
| Oct | 64°F | 41°F | 4.27" |
| Nov | 54°F | 31°F | 3.20" |
| Dec | 43°F | 24°F | 4.42" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 3.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Somerville
Somerville has 1 hospital, averaging 3.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
7.5%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.0 / 5
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital - Somerset
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
University Behavioral Health Care
Psychiatric · ER available · 7.8 mi away · Piscataway
Hackensack Meridian Health Carrier Clinic
Psychiatric · 8.1 mi away · Belle Mead
Saint Peter's University Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 9.1 mi away · New Brunswick
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education10.0:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Somerville
Somerville's student/teacher ratio is 10.0:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 54.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
3
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
54.7%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
10.0:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Somerville (within 15 miles)
Rutgers University-New Brunswick
9.9 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 37,751 students · in-state tuition $18,824 · 85% graduate · median earnings $80,490 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Morristown National Historical Park, 14 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Somerville
Somerville has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Morristown National Historical Park (14 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Morristown National Historical Park
National Historical Park
14 mi awayLower Delaware National Wild and Scenic River
National Wild and Scenic River
23 mi awayThomas Edison National Historical Park
National Historical Park
25 mi awayNational Parks of New York Harbor
National Park Site
30 mi awayEllis Island Part of Statue of Liberty National Monument
Part of Statue of Liberty National Monument
31 mi awayStatue Of Liberty National Monument
National Monument
31 mi awayCastle Clinton National Monument
National Monument
32 mi awayGovernors Island National Monument
National Monument
32 mi awayPublic Libraries in Somerville
Somerville Branch Library
35 West End Avenue, Somerville
Cities Near Somerville
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Somerville?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Somerville FAQ
Is Somerville, New Jersey affordable?⌄
Somerville's median rent is $1,802/month, which is above the national average. The median household income is $103,760/year. Median home value is $435,700.
Is Somerville, New Jersey safe?⌄
Somerville's violent crime rate was 126 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 625 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Somerville, New Jersey?⌄
Somerset County, which includes Somerville, has an unemployment rate of 4.5%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Somerville, New Jersey?⌄
The cost of living in Somerville is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,802/month and median household income is $103,760/year. The median home value is $435,700. About 42% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Somerville, New Jersey?⌄
The average commute in Somerville is 28 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from