Somerville, MA

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Population

79,983

0.599% growth

Median Age

31.5


Median Household Income

$84,722

7.69% growth

Poverty Rate

12.4%


Number of Employees

53,231

3.05% growth

Median Property Value

$558,300

8.94% growth

About

Economy

Health

Diversity

Education

Housing & Living

About

In 2017, Somerville, MA had a population of 80k people with a median age of 31.5 and a median household income of $84,722. Between 2016 and 2017 the population of Somerville, MA grew from 79,507 to 79,983, a 0.599% increase and its median household income grew from $78,673 to $84,722, a 7.69% increase.

The population of Somerville, MA is 70.6% White Alone, 9.93% Hispanic or Latino, and 9.56% Asian Alone. N/A% of the people in Somerville, MA speak a non-English language, and 86.2% are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Somerville, MA are Lincoln Technical Institute-Somerville (205 degrees awarded in 2017).

The median property value in Somerville, MA is $558,300, and the homeownership rate is 34.4%. Most people in Somerville, MA commute by Drove Alone, and the average commute time is 30.2 minutes. The average car ownership in Somerville, MA is 1 car per household.

Photo by Eric Kilby

United StatesMassachusettsMiddlesex County, MABoston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NHMalden & Medford Cities PUMA, MAWatertown Town City, Arlington, Belmont & Winchester Towns PUMA, MASomerville & Everett Cities PUMA, MA

Economy

The economy of Somerville, MA employs 53.2k people. The largest industries in Somerville, MA are Educational Services (9,869 people), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (9,510 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (7,296 people), and the highest paying industries are Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($210,380), Manufacturing ($70,496), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($68,775).

Median household income in Somerville, MA is $84,722. Males in Somerville, MA have an average income that is 1.34 times higher than the average income of females, which is $62,850. The income inequality in Somerville, MA (measured using the Gini index) is 0.485, which is higher than than the national average.

Wages

Median Household Income

$84,722

2017 value

± $3,312

7.69%

1 Year Growth

± 5.07%

Households in Somerville, MA have a median annual income of $84,722, which is more than the median annual income of $61,937 across the entire United States. This is in comparison to a median income of $78,673 in 2016, which represents a 7.69% annual growth.

Look at the chart to see how the median household income in Somerville, MA compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Wage by Gender in Common Jobs

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place level, so we are showing data for Massachusetts.

$84,043

Average Male Salary

± $1,786

$62,850

Average Female Salary

± $1,306

In 2017, full-time male employees in Massachusetts made 1.34 times more than female employees.

This chart shows the gender-based wage disparity in the 5 most common occupations in Massachusetts by number of full-time employees.

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Wage by Race and Ethnicity in Common Jobs

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place level, so we are showing data for Massachusetts.

Highest Average Salaries by Race & Ethnicity

  1. Asian

    $68,516 ± $4,051

  2. White

    $64,668 ± $1,113

  3. Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander

    $49,586 ± $39,015

In 2017 the highest paid race/ethnicity of Massachusetts workers was Asian. These workers were paid 1.06 times more than White workers, who made the second highest salary of any race/ethnicity.

This chart shows the race- and ethnicity-based wage disparities in the 5 most common occupations in Massachusetts by number of full-time employees.

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Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Somerville, MA is from Massachusetts.

0.485

2017 Wage GINI

0.485

2016 Wage GINI

In 2017, the income inequality in Massachusetts was 0.485 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.0457% growth from 2016 to 2017, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even.

The 2017 the GINI for Massachusetts was higher than than the national average of 0.479. In other words, wages are distributed less evenly in Massachusetts in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Massachusetts across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

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Income by Location

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Highest Median Household Income (Total)

  1. Census Tract 3506

  2. Census Tract 3509

  3. Census Tract 3508

In 2017, the place with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Somerville, MA was Census Tract 3506 with a value of $138,056, followed by Census Tract 3509 and Census Tract 3508, with respective values of $130,990 and $123,523.

The following map shows all of the places in Somerville, MA colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

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Poverty by Age and Gender

Females 25 - 34

Largest Demographic Living in Poverty

12.4% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Somerville, MA (9.62k out of 77.3k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 13.1%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Males 25 - 34 and then Females 18 - 24.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

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Poverty by Race and Ethnicity

Largest Race or Ethnicity Living in Poverty

  1. White

    6,173 ± 662

  2. Black

    1,557 ± 368

  3. Asian

    1,292 ± 284

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Somerville, MA is White, followed by Black and Asian.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

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Occupations

Employment by Occupations

53.2k

2017 Value

± 1,718

3.05%

1 Year growth

± 4.46%

From 2016 to 2017, employment in Somerville, MA grew at a rate of 3.05%, from 51.7k employees to 53.2k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Somerville, MA, are Management Occupations (6,912 people), Education Instruction, & Library Occupations (5,753 people), and Computer & Mathematical Occupations (4,510 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Somerville, MA.

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Most Common

The most common jobs held by residents of Somerville, MA, by number of employees, are Management Occupations (6,912 people), Education Instruction, & Library Occupations (5,753 people), and Computer & Mathematical Occupations (4,510 people).

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Most Specialized

Compared to other places, Somerville, MA has an unusually high number of residents working as Life, Physical, & Social Science Occupations (6.07 times higher than expected), Computer & Mathematical Occupations (2.91 times), and Architecture & Engineering Occupations (2.36 times).

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Highest Paid

The highest paid jobs held by residents of Somerville, MA, by median earnings, are Legal Occupations ($95,759), Computer & Mathematical Occupations ($79,504), and Architecture & Engineering Occupations ($72,300).

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Industries

Employment by Industries

53.2k

2017 Value

± 1,718

3.05%

1 Year growth

± 4.46%

From 2016 to 2017, employment in Somerville, MA grew at a rate of 3.05%, from 51.7k employees to 53.2k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Somerville, MA, are Educational Services (9,869 people), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (9,510 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (7,296 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Somerville, MA, though some of these residents may live in Somerville, MA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

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Most Common

The most common industries in Somerville, MA, by number of employees, are Educational Services (9,869 people), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (9,510 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (7,296 people).

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Most Specialized

Compared to other places, Somerville, MA has an unusually high number of Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (2.55 times higher than expected), Management of Companies & Enterprises (2.44 times), and Information (2.01 times) industries.

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Highest Paying

The highest paying industries in Somerville, MA, by median earnings, are Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($210,380), Manufacturing ($70,496), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($68,775).

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Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from Massachusetts to other states, or from other states to Massachusetts.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

  1. Gasoline

    $30.9B

  2. Mixed freight

    $29.2B

  3. Electronics

    $27.7B

In 2015, the top outbound Massachusetts product (by dollars) was Gasoline with $30.9B, followed by Mixed freight ($29.2B) and Electronics ($27.7B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound Massachusetts products.

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Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Massachusetts state.

$260B

2020 Value

$364B

Projected 2045 Value

40% growth

In 2020, total outbound Massachusetts trade was $260B. This is expected to increase 40% to $364B by 2045.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound Massachusetts trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

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Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from Massachusetts to other states, or from other states to Massachusetts.

Most Common Trade Partners

  1. New York

    $14.6B

  2. Connecticut

    $13.9B

  3. New Hampshire

    $13.9B

In 2015, the top outbound Massachusetts domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was New York with $14.6B, followed by Connecticut with $13.9B and New Hampshire and $13.9B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that Massachusetts shares with each state (excluding itself).

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Health

96.3% of the population of Somerville, MA has health coverage, with 62.3% on employee plans, 16.1% on Medicaid, 6.96% on Medicare, 10.4% on non-group plans, and 0.429% on military or VA plans.

Per capita personal health care spending in the place of Somerville, MA was $10,559 in 2014. This is a 2.78% increase from the previous year ($10,273).

Primary care physicians in Somerville, MA see 954 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.421% increase from the previous year (950 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1010 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 185 patients per year.

Comparing across all counties in the state, Bristol County has the highest prevalence of diabetes (11.4%). Additionally, Bristol County has the highest prevalence of adult obesity (29.1%)

Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Massachusetts.

954 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio

Primary care physicians in Massachusetts see an average of 954 patients per year. This represents a 0.421% increase from the previous year (950 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Massachusetts in comparison to neighboring states.

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Behavioral Health Conditions

Data only available at the state level.

State with the Highest Prevalence

  1. West Virginia

    8.26% of the population affected

  2. Arkansas

    8.13% of the population affected

  3. New Hampshire

    7.98% of the population affected

In 2016, West Virginia had the highest prevalence of adults with major depressive episode, with 8.26% of the population affected. The second highest is Arkansas (8.13%), followed by New Hampshire (7.98%).

The following map shows the percent of individuals with major depressive episode by state over multiple years.

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Access and Quality

Data only available at state level.

Most prevalent states

  1. Mississippi

    19.2% of adults

  2. Texas

    17.9% of adults

  3. Louisiana

    17.6% of adults

In 2016, Mississippi had the highest prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost, at 19.2%. It is followed by Texas (17.9%) and Louisiana (17.6%).

The following map shows the prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost by state over multiple years.

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Health Care Spending

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Massachusetts.

$10,559

Total Per Capita Spending on Personal Health Care 

$5,302

Per Enrollee Private Health Insurance Spending on Personal Health Care

$8,922

Per Enrollee Medicaid Spending on Personal Health Care

$11,899

Per Enrollee Medicare Spending on Personal Health Care

Between 2013 and 2014, all personal health care spending per capita in Massachusetts (including private, Medicare, and Medicaid) grew 2.78%, from $10,273 to $10,559.

The following chart shows how this spending changed over time in comparison to Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance spending, per enrollee.

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Health Care Coverage

3.67%

Uninsured

62.3%

Employer Coverage

16.1%

Medicaid

6.96%

Medicare

10.4%

Non-Group

0.429%

Military or VA

Between 2016 and 2017, the percent of uninsured citizens in Somerville, MA declined by 13.6% from 4.25% to 3.67%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Somerville, MA changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

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Health Risks

Data available at the county level.

Most at risk counties

  1. Bristol County

    11.4% prevalence

  2. Hampden County

    11.1% prevalence

  3. Plymouth County

    10.8% prevalence

Bristol County has the highest prevalence of diabetes in Massachusetts, at 11.4%.

The following map shows the prevalence of diabetes in Massachusetts by county over multiple years.

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Diversity

Somerville, MA is home to a population of 80k people, from which 86.2% are citizens. As of 2017, 24.8% of Somerville, MA residents were born outside of the country (19.8k people).

The ethnic composition of the population of Somerville, MA is composed of 56.5k White Alone residents (70.6%), 7.94k Hispanic or Latino residents (9.93%), 7.64k Asian Alone residents (9.56%), 4.83k Black or African American Alone residents (6.04%), 2.19k Two or More Races residents (2.74%), 742 Some Other Race Alone residents (0.928%), 113 American Indian & Alaska Native Alone residents (0.141%), and 18 Native Hawaiian & Other Pacific Islander Alone residents (0.0225%).

Age

Age by Nativity

30

Median Native-Born Age

± 0.5

39

Median Foreign-Born Age

± 1.4

In 2017, the median age of all people in Somerville, MA was 31.5. Native-born citizens, with a median age of 30, were generally younger than than foreign-born citizens, with a median age of 39. But people in Somerville, MA are getting getting younger. In 2016, the average age of all Somerville, MA residents was 32.

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Heritage

Foreign-Born Population

24.8%

2017 Foreign-Born Population

19.8k people

25%

2016 Foreign-Born Population

19.9k people

As of 2017, 24.8% of Somerville, MA residents (19.8k people) were born outside of the United States, which is higher than the national average of 13.7%. In 2016, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Somerville, MA was 25%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Somerville, MA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place level, so we are showing data for Massachusetts.

Most Common Origin

  1. China

    88,014 ± 7,236 people

  2. Dominican Republic

    84,884 ± 7,108 people

  3. Brazil

    66,506 ± 6,300 people

In 2017, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Massachusetts was China, the natal country of 88,014 Massachusetts residents, followed by Dominican Republic with 84,884 and Brazil with 66,506.

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Citizenship

86.2%

2017 Citizenship

86%

2016 Citizenship

As of 2017, 86.2% of Somerville, MA residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.2%. In 2016, the percentage of US citizens in Somerville, MA was 86%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Somerville, MA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Race and Ethnicity

Most Common

  1. White Alone

    56.5k ± 1.29k

  2. Hispanic or Latino

    7.94k ± 1.16k

  3. Asian Alone

    7.64k ± 957

In 2017, there were 7.11 times more White Alone residents (56.5k people) in Somerville, MA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 7.94k Hispanic or Latino and 7.64k Asian Alone residents, the second and third most common racial or ethnic groups.

The following bar chart shows the 8 races and ethnicities represented in Somerville, MA as a share of the total population.

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Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

  1. Vietnam

    461 ± 122

  2. Gulf War (2001-)

    392 ± 142

  3. Korea

    254 ± 100

Somerville, MA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.18 times greater than any other conflict.

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Education

In 2017, universities in Somerville, MA awarded 205 degrees. The student population of Somerville, MA is skewed towards women, with 28 male students and 244 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Somerville, MA are Hispanic or Latino (79 and 38.5%), followed by Black or African American (66 and 32.2%), White (35 and 17.1%), and Asian (12 and 5.85%).

The largest universities in Somerville, MA by number of degrees awarded are Lincoln Technical Institute-Somerville (205 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Somerville, MA are Medical Assistant (118 and 57.6%), Dental Assisting (46 and 22.4%), and Computer Systems Networking & Telecommunications (26 and 12.7%).

The median tuition costs in Somerville, MA are $N/A for private four year colleges, and $N/A and $N/A respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Concentrations

Most Common

  1. Medical Assistant

    118 degrees awarded

  2. Dental Assisting

    46 degrees awarded

  3. Computer Systems Networking & Telecommunications

    26 degrees awarded

In 2015, the most common concentation for 1 to 2 Year Postsecondary Certificate recipients in Somerville, MA was Medical Assistant with 118 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a 1 to 2 Year Postsecondary Certificate from schools in Somerville, MA according to their major.

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Universities

Lincoln Technical Institute-Somerville

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

205 degrees awarded

$N/A

Median In-State Public

$N/A

Median Private

In 2017, the Somerville, MA institution with the largest number of graduating students was Lincoln Technical Institute-Somerville with 205 degrees awarded.

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Student Gender for Common Institutions

39

Degrees Awarded to Men

166

Degrees Awarded to Women

In 2017, 39 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Somerville, MA, which is 0.235 times less than the 166 female students who received degrees in the same year.

This chart displays the gender disparity between the institutions in Somerville, MA by degrees awarded.

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Student Race and Ethnicity

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

  1. Hispanic or Latino

    79 degrees awarded

  2. Black or African American

    66 degrees awarded

  3. White

    35 degrees awarded

In 2017 the majority of degrees awarded at institutions in Somerville, MA were to Hispanic or Latino students. These 79 degrees mean that there were 1.2 times more Hispanic or Latino students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 66 degrees awarded.

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Housing & Living

The median property value in Somerville, MA was $558,300 in 2017, which is 2.43 times larger than the national average of $229,700. Between 2016 and 2017 the median property value increased from $512,500 to $558,300, a 8.94% increase. The homeownership rate in Somerville, MA is 34.4%, which is lower than the national average of 63.9%. People in Somerville, MA have an average commute time of 30.2 minutes, and they commute by Drove Alone. Car ownership in Somerville, MA is lower than the national average, with an average of 1 car per household.

Housing

Property Value

$558,300

2017 Median

± $17,731

$512,500

2016 Median

± $22,827

In 2017, the median property value in Somerville, MA grew to to $558,300 from the previous year's value of $512,500.

The following charts display, first, the property values in Somerville, MA compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies and, second, owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property value buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Somerville, MA the largest share of households have a property value in the $500k - $750k range.

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Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$84,722

Median Household Income

± $3,312

32.5k

Number of Households

± 1,233

In 2017, the median household income of the 32.5k households in Somerville, MA grew to $84,722 from the previous year's value of $78,673.

The following chart displays the households in Somerville, MA distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

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Property Taxes

$3k+

Average Range

This chart shows the households in Somerville, MA distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Somerville, MA the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

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Rent vs Own

34.4%

2017 Homeownership

34.7%

2016 Homeownership

In 2017, 34.4% of the housing units in Somerville, MA were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 34.7%.

This percentage of owner-occupation is lower than the national average of 63.9%. This chart shows the ownership percentage in Somerville, MA compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

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Commute Time

30.2 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Somerville, MA have a longer commute time (30.2 minutes) than the normal US worker (25.1 minutes). Additionally, 1.89% of the workforce in Somerville, MA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Somerville, MA compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Commuter Transportation

Most Common Method of Travel

  1. Drove Alone

    38%

  2. Public Transit

    32.6%

  3. Walked

    11.4%

In 2017, the most common method of travel for workers in Somerville, MA was Drove Alone (38%), followed by those who Public Transit (32.6%) and those who Walked (11.4%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

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Transportation

Car Ownership

1 car

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Somerville, MA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Somerville, MA have 1 car, followed by 2 cars.

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