Population 5,913 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in West Somerville
Household size in West Somerville
| Period | West Somerville | Somerville | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.23 | 2.30 | 2.54 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.30 | 2.37 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.07 | 2.38 | 2.60 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.04 | 2.27 | 2.55 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.19 | −0.03 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
West Somerville is a place of small households, averaging 2.04 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has dropped from 2.23 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Households are largest in the center and smallest in the north.
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 West Somerville
| Period | West Somerville | Somerville | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 30.4 | 32.3 | 38.9 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 32.8 | 32.4 | 39.7 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 37.1 | 32.5 | 40.4 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 35.4 | 32.9 | 40.8 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +5.0 | +0.6 | +1.9 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 35.4, West Somerville is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. Locally, though, the population here is older than in Somerville overall, where the median age is 32.9. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 30.4, in line with the national trend.
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 West Somerville
| Period | West Somerville | Somerville | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.1% | 8.0% | 10.4% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 13.5% | 7.7% | 10.2% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.3% | 6.6% | 9.6% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.3% | 3.9% | 9.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −9.8 pts | −4.1 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in West Somerville: 4.3% of households, against 11.6% nationally. That is in line with the rest of Somerville. The single-parent share has fallen 9.8 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than 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 West Somerville
Renters in West Somerville
| Period | West Somerville | Somerville | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 77.8% | 66.3% | 36.8% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 72.7% | 65.3% | 38.5% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 72.7% | 66.1% | 38.3% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 70.2% | 65.7% | 38.4% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | −7.6 pts | −0.6 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in West Somerville rent: 70.2% of occupied homes are rented, far above the national share of 34.8%. Expect more apartments, and more turnover, than in owner-heavy areas. About a quarter of owners (24.6%) have paid off their mortgages, well below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has fallen 7.6 points since 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
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 West Somerville
| Period | West Somerville | Somerville | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.0% | 9.7% | 8.1% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 3.7% | 5.1% | 7.4% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.8% | 6.5% | 7.3% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.4% | 6.6% | 6.7% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.6 pts | −3.1 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in West Somerville: 6.4% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. That is in line with the rest of Somerville. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 1.6 points, as it has nationally.
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 West Somerville
| Period | West Somerville | Somerville | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1945 | 1939 | 1958 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1944 | 1940 | 1959 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1947 | 1941 | 1961 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1943 | 1945 | 1964 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | −2 | +6 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in West Somerville is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1943, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The picture is much the same across Somerville. Newer construction is concentrated in the north, while the east has the oldest housing.
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 West Somerville
| Period | West Somerville | Somerville | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,094 | $1,313 | $1,171 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,272 | $1,479 | $1,251 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,374 | $1,887 | $1,537 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,988 | $2,529 | $2,051 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$894 | +$1,216 | +$881 | +$775 | +$606 |
The median renter in West Somerville pays $1,988 a month for rent and utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Even so, rents here are lower than in Somerville as a whole ($2,529). Rent has climbed $894 a month since 2006–10, up 82%, faster than rents rose nationally. 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 West Somerville
Bachelor's degrees in West Somerville
| Period | West Somerville | Somerville | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 43.0% | 52.6% | 42.2% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 47.4% | 56.0% | 44.1% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 52.3% | 65.2% | 48.2% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 59.0% | 70.5% | 51.9% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +16.0 pts | +18.0 pts | +9.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in West Somerville: 59.0% 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. Even so, the share is lower than in Somerville as a whole (70.5%). The share with a degree has risen 16.0 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 West Somerville
| Period | West Somerville | Somerville | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 83.4% | 88.9% | 89.8% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 86.4% | 89.4% | 90.6% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 83.1% | 91.2% | 91.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.2% | 93.3% | 91.8% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +9.8 pts | +4.4 pts | +2.1 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in West Somerville is above the national rate: 93.2% of adults have a diploma, against 89.3%. The picture is much the same across Somerville. The share with a diploma is up 9.8 points from 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 West Somerville
| Period | West Somerville | Somerville | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.6% | 6.6% | 7.0% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.4% | 6.7% | 8.0% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.4% | 3.5% | 4.6% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.2% | 3.2% | 4.9% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.4 pts | −3.4 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in West Somerville is close to the national rate: 5.2% of the labor force, against 5.4%. The rate is higher than in Somerville as a whole (3.2%). 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).
West 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Somerville | 2.04 | 35.4 | 4.3% | 70.2% | 6.4% | 1943 | $1,988 | 59.0% | 93.2% | 5.2% |
| Tufts | 2.94 | 25.2 | 2.0% | 64.1% | 3.5% | 1938 | $2,908 | 88.6% | 97.6% | 2.9% |
| North Cambridge | 2.22 | 34.9 | 6.3% | 66.0% | 10.2% | 1963 | $2,601 | 76.5% | 94.7% | 3.1% |
| Ball Square | 2.41 | 33.0 | 2.2% | 55.4% | 6.5% | 1938 | $3,053 | 74.6% | 96.2% | 0.5% |
| Arlington Center | 2.11 | 44.0 | 3.8% | 56.1% | 5.0% | 1950 | $1,810 | 69.1% | 97.8% | 5.1% |
| Avon Hill | 2.04 | 32.8 | 2.5% | 54.0% | 7.5% | 1940 | $2,762 | 90.3% | 99.2% | 2.4% |
| Neighborhood Nine | 2.20 | 33.8 | 6.2% | 63.7% | 7.3% | 1961 | $2,581 | 80.6% | 99.2% | 3.9% |
| Spring Hill | 2.15 | 32.6 | 2.1% | 65.4% | 6.8% | 1944 | $2,497 | 78.3% | 96.6% | 2.5% |
| West Cambridge | 2.18 | 41.6 | 5.3% | 31.9% | 9.1% | 1938 | $2,931 | 88.0% | 98.5% | 5.5% |
| Winter Hill | 2.42 | 33.7 | 5.8% | 59.4% | 6.5% | 1939 | $2,224 | 59.3% | 90.4% | 3.9% |
| Aggasiz-Harvard | 1.97 | 31.1 | 2.7% | 66.0% | 19.4% | 1945 | $2,773 | 85.6% | 98.1% | 2.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Timmerman West, Milwaukee, WI · Downtown Huntington Beach, Huntington Beach, CA · Downtown, Scranton, PA · Downtown Southfield, Southfield, MI · Downtown, St. Louis, MO · East Cesar Chavez, Austin, TX · East End, Bridgeport, CT · Estrella-Goodyear, Goodyear, AZ · Fairwood Greens, Fairwood, WA · Fillmore, New Orleans, LA
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 West 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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