Signals
Somerville
Watertown
Opportunity
72 · Top 19%
vs69 · Top 25%
Growth
47 · Bottom 45%
vs39 · Bottom 30%
Climate
65 · Bottom 36%
vs65 · Bottom 36%
Housing affordability
56 · Bottom 16%
vs57 · Bottom 17%
Access
99 · Top 14%
vs99 · Top 14%
Economic stability
73 · Top 23%
vs75 · Top 18%
Measured values
| Metric | Somerville | Watertown | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 81,036 | 35,543 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $132,572 | $126,265 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $73,940 | $73,851 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 19,669/sq mi | 8,895/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $911,300 | $784,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,517 | $2,502 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 34.2% | 47.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 3.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 69.4% | 66.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.8% | 7.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 97 | 15 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.2 | 0.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 11.5% | -6.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 23°F | 23°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 43.6" | 43.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 5 mi | 9 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 33.5 min | 29.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 31.9 | 39.4 | 2024 ACS 5-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
Somerville
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Watertown
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Somerville
69
Your Score
67
Area Score
Watertown
67
Your Score
—
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Somerville, MA · Watertown, MA · How this is calculated: methodology