Population 4,332 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in East Somerville
Household size in East Somerville
| Period | East Somerville | Somerville | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.49 | 2.30 | 2.54 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.68 | 2.37 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.90 | 2.38 | 2.60 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.43 | 2.27 | 2.55 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.06 | −0.03 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in East Somerville run small, averaging 2.43 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Still, the typical household here is bigger than in Somerville as a whole, where it has 2.27 people.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in East Somerville
| Period | East Somerville | Somerville | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.0 | 32.3 | 38.9 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 35.5 | 32.4 | 39.7 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 32.1 | 32.5 | 40.4 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 36.4 | 32.9 | 40.8 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.4 | +0.6 | +1.9 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
The median resident of East Somerville is 36.4 years old, a few years younger than the national median of 40.1. Even so, the population here is older than in Somerville overall, where the median age is 32.9.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in East Somerville
| Period | East Somerville | Somerville | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.3% | 8.0% | 10.4% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.1% | 7.7% | 10.2% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 12.0% | 6.6% | 9.6% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 12.0% | 3.9% | 9.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.3 pts | −4.1 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are about as common in East Somerville as they are nationally: 12.0%, against 11.6%. Single parents are more common here than in Somerville as a whole (3.9%).
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in East Somerville
Renters in East Somerville
| Period | East Somerville | Somerville | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 67.7% | 66.3% | 36.8% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 61.8% | 65.3% | 38.5% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 60.2% | 66.1% | 38.3% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 67.7% | 65.7% | 38.4% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.1 pts | −0.6 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in East Somerville rent: 67.7% of occupied homes are rented, far above the national share of 34.8%. Expect more apartments, and more turnover, than in owner-heavy areas. Among owners, 23.0% have paid off their mortgages, well below the national share of 39.8%.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in East Somerville
| Period | East Somerville | Somerville | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.2% | 9.7% | 8.1% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.2% | 5.1% | 7.4% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.7% | 6.5% | 7.3% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 4.4% | 6.6% | 6.7% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.8 pts | −3.1 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 4.4% of homes in East Somerville are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 3.8 points, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in East Somerville
| Period | East Somerville | Somerville | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1938 | 1939 | 1958 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1938 | 1940 | 1959 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1938 | 1941 | 1961 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1938 | 1945 | 1964 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | ±0 | +6 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in East Somerville is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1938, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in East Somerville
| Period | East Somerville | Somerville | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,185 | $1,313 | $1,171 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,249 | $1,479 | $1,251 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,820 | $1,887 | $1,537 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,673 | $2,529 | $2,051 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,489 | +$1,216 | +$881 | +$775 | +$606 |
Rent in East Somerville runs $2,673 a month at the median, utilities included, well above the U.S. median of $1,571. The typical renter here spends 28.5% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in East Somerville
Bachelor's degrees in East Somerville
| Period | East Somerville | Somerville | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.0% | 52.6% | 42.2% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 32.5% | 56.0% | 44.1% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 48.5% | 65.2% | 48.2% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 49.4% | 70.5% | 51.9% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +15.4 pts | +18.0 pts | +9.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in East Somerville: 49.4% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. Locally, though, the share is lower than in Somerville as a whole (70.5%).
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in East Somerville
| Period | East Somerville | Somerville | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 81.4% | 88.9% | 89.8% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 83.9% | 89.4% | 90.6% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 83.0% | 91.2% | 91.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 82.6% | 93.3% | 91.8% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.1 pts | +4.4 pts | +2.1 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
Just over one in six adults in East Somerville never finished high school, well above the national share: only 82.6% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in East Somerville
| Period | East Somerville | Somerville | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.6% | 6.6% | 7.0% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 3.6% | 6.7% | 8.0% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.2% | 3.5% | 4.6% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 1.3% | 3.2% | 4.9% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.2 pts | −3.4 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in East Somerville has been low: just 1.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
East Somerville compared with nearby neighborhoods
| Neighborhood | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Somerville | 2.43 | 36.4 | 12.0% | 67.7% | 4.4% | 1938 | $2,673 | 49.4% | 82.6% | 1.3% |
| Ten Hills | 2.49 | 35.2 | 3.4% | 63.0% | 2.3% | 1947 | $2,315 | 44.9% | 83.4% | 1.9% |
| Winter Hill | 2.42 | 33.7 | 5.8% | 59.4% | 6.5% | 1939 | $2,224 | 59.3% | 90.4% | 3.9% |
| Union Square | 2.07 | 32.4 | 2.9% | 72.0% | 6.7% | 1947 | $2,522 | 75.1% | 92.8% | 2.6% |
| Wellington-Harrington | 2.28 | 31.1 | 10.9% | 73.9% | 4.5% | 1942 | $2,652 | 64.4% | 90.8% | 2.2% |
| East Cambridge | 1.83 | 31.8 | 3.4% | 78.1% | 15.6% | 1984 | $3,165 | 82.0% | 96.5% | 3.3% |
| Spring Hill | 2.15 | 32.6 | 2.1% | 65.4% | 6.8% | 1944 | $2,497 | 78.3% | 96.6% | 2.5% |
| Area IV | 2.24 | 30.4 | 12.5% | 77.8% | 4.8% | 1962 | $2,366 | 71.0% | 92.0% | 4.2% |
| Mid-Cambridge | 2.00 | 32.2 | 3.7% | 61.6% | 11.9% | 1942 | $2,727 | 86.8% | 97.3% | 2.8% |
| Aggasiz-Harvard | 1.97 | 31.1 | 2.7% | 66.0% | 19.4% | 1945 | $2,773 | 85.6% | 98.1% | 2.3% |
| Ball Square | 2.41 | 33.0 | 2.2% | 55.4% | 6.5% | 1938 | $3,053 | 74.6% | 96.2% | 0.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Adams, Huntington Beach, CA · Tyner Homes, Bakersfield, CA · Turtle Ridge, Irvine, CA · Western Hills, Beaumont, TX · Woodmoor, Lochearn, MD · Arctic, West Warwick, RI · Alturas de Rio Grande, Rio Grande, PR · Alondra Park, Lawndale, CA · Allendale, Oakland, CA · Allendale Area, Arvada, CO
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up East Somerville. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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