Signals
Burlington
Somerville
Climate
62 · Bottom 20%
vs65 · Bottom 36%
Physical resilience
88 · Top 14%
vs88 · Top 14%
Housing affordability
67 · Bottom 30%
vs56 · Bottom 16%
Schools
87 · Top 5%
vs53 · Top 48%
Access
96 · Top 30%
vs99 · Top 14%
Economic stability
74 · Top 19%
vs73 · Top 23%
Measured values
| Metric | Burlington | Somerville | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 26,274 | 81,036 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $146,436 | $132,572 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $69,012 | $73,940 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,236/sq mi | 19,669/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $740,600 | $911,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,718 | $2,517 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 74.2% | 34.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 58.4% | 69.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.9% | 9.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 85°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 18°F | 23°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 42.6" | 43.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 14 mi | 5 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.4 min | 33.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 45.9 | 31.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 11 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 10.99 | 11.90 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 54.8% | 25.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 62.1% | 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
Burlington
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Somerville
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Your best match
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Burlington
79
Your Score
—
Area Score
Somerville
69
Your Score
67
Area Score
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Full profiles: Burlington, MA · Somerville, MA · How this is calculated: methodology