Population 22,789 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Somerville
Household size in Somerville
| Period | Somerville | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.63 | 2.79 | 2.77 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.64 | 2.85 | 2.82 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.63 | 2.82 | 2.78 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.37 | 2.79 | 2.76 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.26 | −0.00 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Somerville are small: just 2.37 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. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.63, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Somerville
| Period | Somerville | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.2 | 38.0 | 39.1 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.8 | 38.7 | 40.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.4 | 39.8 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 41.8 | 40.4 | 40.9 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.7 | +2.4 | +1.8 | +2.3 |
Somerville skews a little older than the country: its median age is 41.8, against 40.1 nationally. That is in line with the rest of the New York area. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 39.2, mirroring the country.
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 Somerville
| Period | Somerville | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.1% | 13.1% | 11.6% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.2% | 12.8% | 11.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 5.6% | 11.4% | 10.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.1% | 11.6% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +3.0 pts | −1.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 8.1% of households in Somerville, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is up 3.0 points from 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
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 Somerville
Renters in Somerville
| Period | Somerville | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 27.4% | 47.1% | 33.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 27.7% | 48.7% | 35.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 33.9% | 48.8% | 36.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 41.0% | 48.6% | 36.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | +13.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +3.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
About four in ten households in Somerville rent their homes (41.0%), a bit above the national share of 34.8%. Locally, though, renters make up a smaller share here than in the wider New York area (48.6%). Nearly three in ten owners (28.4%) have paid off their mortgages, well below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has risen 13.6 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Somerville
| Period | Somerville | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.3% | 9.1% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 12.1% | 9.0% | 9.3% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.6% | 9.1% | 9.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 3.1% | 7.9% | 6.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | −6.2 pts | −1.2 pts | −2.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 3.1% of homes in Somerville are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 6.2 points, a much bigger shift than nationally. Somerville has a lower vacancy rate than the great majority of New Jersey cities.
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 Somerville
| Period | Somerville | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1963 | 1957 | 1965 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1965 | 1958 | 1966 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1967 | 1959 | 1967 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1975 | 1962 | 1969 | 1980 |
| Change | +11 | +5 | +5 | +6 |
Housing in Somerville leans a little older: the median home dates to 1975, against 1980 nationally. Locally, though, homes here are newer than in the New York area overall, where the median home dates to 1962. The median year built has moved up from 1963 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the south, the oldest in the east.
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 Somerville
| Period | Somerville | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,195 | $1,268 | $1,246 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,501 | $1,377 | $1,324 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,452 | $1,645 | $1,522 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,192 | $2,060 | $1,896 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$996 | +$792 | +$651 | +$606 |
Rent in Somerville runs $2,192 a month at the median, utilities included, well above the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $996 a month since 2006–10, up 83%, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 27.7% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the center; the highest are in the west.
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 Somerville
Bachelor's degrees in Somerville
| Period | Somerville | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 44.1% | 35.0% | 34.7% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 46.7% | 36.7% | 36.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 51.0% | 39.9% | 39.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 57.4% | 43.6% | 43.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +13.4 pts | +8.6 pts | +8.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Somerville: 57.4% 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. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 13.4 points, in line with the national trend.
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 Somerville
| Period | Somerville | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 91.4% | 83.7% | 87.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 93.7% | 84.6% | 88.1% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 92.4% | 86.2% | 89.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 95.7% | 86.9% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.4 pts | +3.3 pts | +3.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Somerville: 95.7% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 4.4 points since 2006–10, as it has 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 Somerville
| Period | Somerville | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.4% | 7.9% | 7.9% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.8% | 9.5% | 9.8% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.1% | 5.7% | 5.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.4% | 6.9% | 6.4% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.0 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Somerville runs below the national rate: 4.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 2.0 points, mirroring the country. 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).
Somerville 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Somerville | 2.37 | 41.8 | 8.1% | 41.0% | 3.1% | 1975 | $2,192 | 57.4% | 95.7% | 4.4% |
| Bradley Gardens | 2.79 | 40.7 | 8.4% | 10.3% | 2.9% | 1983 | $2,691 | 64.3% | 95.6% | 3.7% |
| Raritan | 2.52 | 41.5 | 2.0% | 50.3% | 1.4% | 1978 | $2,057 | 44.3% | 91.9% | 2.8% |
| Green Knoll | 2.70 | 43.9 | 4.1% | 16.6% | 4.9% | 1975 | $1,927 | 64.1% | 97.5% | 4.3% |
| Bridgewater | 3.17 | 43.8 | 5.8% | 12.1% | 4.6% | 1972 | $2,374 | 64.0% | 97.8% | 2.6% |
| North Branch Depot | 2.36 | 51.9 | 6.4% | 19.4% | 2.0% | 1966 | $2,580 | 48.0% | 99.4% | 7.9% |
| Finderne | 2.30 | 42.5 | 8.4% | 41.8% | 4.7% | 1968 | $2,089 | 38.1% | 91.5% | 5.4% |
| Manville | 2.52 | 45.9 | 8.5% | 24.2% | 5.6% | 1959 | $1,830 | 27.4% | 91.2% | 3.4% |
| Flagtown | 2.94 | 46.9 | 10.7% | 4.5% | 2.0% | 1985 | $2,176 | 53.2% | 95.1% | 4.8% |
| Zarephath | 2.92 | 33.0 | 2.9% | 43.0% | 3.5% | 2007 | $2,750 | 63.8% | 96.0% | 1.0% |
| Hillsborough | 2.67 | 42.1 | 5.2% | 20.9% | 1.5% | 1986 | $2,564 | 62.3% | 95.8% | 4.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: St. Andrews, SC · Gretna, LA · Hammonton, NJ · Hampstead, NC · Hanover, MD · Hockley, TX · Horizon City, TX · South Holland, IL · South St. Paul, MN · Spring Lake, NC
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 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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