Bridgewater Town and Somerville receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Bridgewater Town
Somerville
Opportunity
62 · Top 38%
vs72 · Top 19%
Growth
56 · Top 39%
vs47 · Bottom 45%
Climate
62 · Bottom 24%
vs65 · Bottom 36%
Physical resilience
89 · Top 13%
vs88 · Top 14%
Housing affordability
71 · Bottom 35%
vs56 · Bottom 16%
Schools
56 · Top 44%
vs53 · Top 48%
Access
88 · Bottom 37%
vs99 · Top 14%
Economic stability
70 · Top 30%
vs73 · Top 23%
Measured values
| Metric | Bridgewater Town | Somerville | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 28,471 | 81,036 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $112,651 | $132,572 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $46,657 | $73,940 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,045/sq mi | 19,669/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $533,100 | $911,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,092 | $2,517 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 75.6% | 34.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.5% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 39.5% | 69.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.8% | 9.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 23 | 97 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.8 | 1.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 109.1% | 11.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 19°F | 23°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 47.6" | 43.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 27 mi | 5 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 34.1 min | 33.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.6 | 31.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 11 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.60 | 11.90 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 39.2% | 25.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 47.3% | 44.2% | 2019-20 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Bridgewater Town
Elevated or high exposure: coastal flooding, hurricane.
Somerville
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Bridgewater Town
69
Your Score
68
Area Score
Somerville
69
Your Score
67
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Bridgewater Town, MA · Somerville, MA · How this is calculated: methodology