Population 1,971 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Somerset
Household size in Somerset
| Period | Somerset | Washington area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.21 | 2.73 | 2.68 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.12 | 2.82 | 2.73 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.15 | 2.86 | 2.74 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.08 | 2.77 | 2.68 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.13 | +0.04 | +0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Somerset are small: just 2.08 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Household size has dropped from 2.21 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change.
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 Somerset
| Period | Somerset | Washington area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 55.4 | 37.0 | 38.5 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 55.8 | 37.6 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 57.3 | 38.5 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 59.4 | 39.2 | 40.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.0 | +2.2 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 59.4, Somerset is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees.
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 Somerset
| Period | Somerset | Washington area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.1% | 11.3% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.8% | 11.3% | 12.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 5.8% | 10.4% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 1.7% | 10.4% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −3.4 pts | −0.9 pts | −0.9 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Somerset: 1.7% of households, against 11.6% nationally.
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 Somerset
Renters in Somerset
| Period | Somerset | Washington area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 25.6% | 34.0% | 31.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 24.9% | 36.6% | 32.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 17.8% | 36.8% | 33.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 20.3% | 36.3% | 32.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | −5.3 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
Somerset is largely a place of homeowners: only 20.3% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Just over half of owners (53.5%) have paid off their mortgages, well above 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 Somerset
| Period | Somerset | Washington area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.6% | 8.7% | 9.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.6% | 7.3% | 8.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 11.0% | 6.6% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.4% | 5.9% | 7.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | +2.9 pts | −2.8 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Somerset than nationally: 6.4%, against 9.6% for the U.S. That is in line with the rest of the Washington area.
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 Somerset
| Period | Somerset | Washington area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1963 | 1977 | 1974 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1963 | 1978 | 1975 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1966 | 1979 | 1976 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1966 | 1982 | 1978 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +6 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in Somerset is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1966, 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 Somerset
| Period | Somerset | Washington area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,854 | $1,470 | $1,249 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $2,001 | $1,583 | $1,363 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $2,495 | $1,907 | $1,576 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,924 | $2,236 | $1,869 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,070 | +$766 | +$620 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Somerset costs $2,924 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rent takes 46.1% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
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 Somerset
Bachelor's degrees in Somerset
| Period | Somerset | Washington area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 85.4% | 46.6% | 36.3% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 81.3% | 48.2% | 37.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 87.4% | 51.0% | 40.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 75.8% | 53.9% | 43.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | −9.7 pts | +7.3 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Somerset: 75.8% 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.
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 Somerset
| Period | Somerset | Washington area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 97.5% | 89.4% | 88.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 99.1% | 90.2% | 89.1% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 99.7% | 90.8% | 90.2% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 97.2% | 91.2% | 90.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | −0.2 pts | +1.7 pts | +2.9 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Somerset: 97.2% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%.
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 Somerset
| Period | Somerset | Washington area | Maryland | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.8% | 5.9% | 6.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.2% | 6.9% | 8.1% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 1.6% | 4.7% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.4% | 4.8% | 5.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.4 pts | −1.1 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Somerset runs below the national rate: 3.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current 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).
Somerset compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Somerset | 2.08 | 59.4 | 1.7% | 20.3% | 6.4% | 1966 | $2,924 | 75.8% | 97.2% | 3.4% |
| Chevy Chase Village | 2.80 | 51.7 | 1.6% | 3.7% | 5.0% | 1938 | $3,501 | 95.2% | 99.2% | 2.6% |
| Chevy Chase | 2.38 | 46.7 | 6.9% | 41.6% | 8.3% | 1964 | $2,788 | 82.3% | 96.6% | 2.6% |
| Chevy Chase Section Three | 3.31 | 41.7 | 4.3% | 4.6% | 0.7% | 1938 | $3,501 | 95.2% | 98.9% | 0.5% |
| Chevy Chase Section Five | 2.86 | 48.3 | 8.0% | 9.6% | 7.0% | 1940 | $3,501 | 96.0% | 99.6% | 0.7% |
| Martins Additions | 2.85 | 49.1 | 5.4% | 6.2% | 8.8% | 1954 | $3,501 | 94.6% | 99.2% | 0.8% |
| Bethesda | 2.64 | 43.5 | 5.2% | 32.1% | 7.4% | 1969 | $2,962 | 87.2% | 98.3% | 3.0% |
| Glen Echo | 2.90 | 49.8 | 1.0% | 0.3% | 17.9% | 1957 | $2,963 | 80.5% | 98.8% | 0.4% |
| North Chevy Chase | 3.09 | 53.2 | 0.4% | 3.7% | 1.9% | 1957 | $3,472 | 77.0% | 93.0% | 1.3% |
| Cabin John | 2.50 | 53.3 | 0.5% | 4.9% | 8.7% | 1977 | $3,494 | 87.0% | 99.2% | 0.0% |
| Chevy Chase View | 3.16 | 43.9 | 0.8% | 6.1% | 3.6% | 1956 | $3,286 | 89.7% | 99.2% | 1.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Metamora, IN · Northfield, CT · North Bend, NE · Nellysford, VA · Mullens, WV · Morven, GA · Morgan, TX · Monongah, WV · Argenta, IL · Middlebourne, WV
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 Somerset. 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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