| Index | Somerville | Massachusetts | National |
| Cost of living | 185 | 131 | 100 |
| Groceries | 107 | 109 | 100 |
| Health care | 120 | 116 | 100 |
| Housing | 344 | 169 | 100 |
| Transportation | 118 | 115 | 100 |
| Utilities | 123 | 117 | 100 |
| Lifestyle & Entertainment | 115 | 115 | 100 |
| Household Items | 112 | 109 | 100 |
| Education & Childcare | 135 | 127 | 100 |
Knowing the cost of living in Somerville allows individuals to create a realistic budget. This helps them understand how their income will cover expenses and whether they need to make financial adjustments. The cost of living in any region can fluctuate due to various factors. To assess the cost of living consistently across different areas, a national average of 100 serves as the basis for the cost of living index. The cost of living in Somerville stands at 185, marking it 85% higher than the national average.
If you value affordability in your search for a new place to live, Somerville may not be the most suitable option, as it stands out as one of the priciest areas in the entire United States. Only a small fraction of regions have a cost of living that is more than 20% higher than the national average, and regrettably, Somerville falls into this category, which may not align with your desire for an affordable place to call home.
Housing costs are a major factor in the Somerville cost of living index, and they often eat up a big chunk of your take-home pay. Unfortunately, in this area, housing expenses for both homeownership and rentals were 244.2% higher than what's typical in an average city. That includes the prices of homes and rents, as well as mortgage rates and insurance.
The routine items you regularly buy for your home, such as cleaning supplies, personal care products, clothing basics, and kitchen essentials, make up 8% of the cost of living index. In Somerville, these items cost 11.6% more than the national average, making day-to-day living a bit more expensive.
The real experts on a city are its residents. That's why we reached out to 14 locals to get their views on the cost of living in Somerville. We surveyed the residents and asked them if they felt like prices were affordable or out of reach. The results were as follows. 7% found it budget-friendly with decreasing prices, while 93% said it's simply not affordable as prices have continued to rise.
Is Somerville an affordable place to live? That's a valid question to ask when you're thinking about moving to a new city. After all, how much it costs to live somewhere can be a huge factor in your decision. Affordability can be broken down into 3 common categories. The cost of living index (we talked about it earlier), housing expenses and income levels all play a big role in figuring out if a place is affordable. For instance, in Somerville, the median home price is 299.5% higher than what most folks pay across the country, and monthly rent prices are 115% higher than the usual rates. Income levels in Somerville come in at $153,752, which is 89% higher than the national average.
Subsidies: Certain regions may provide government subsidies or assistance initiatives designed to alleviate the cost of living burden on their residents. These programs encompass a wide range of support mechanisms, such as Medicare, Medicaid, housing subsidies, low-income home energy assistance programs, school lunch programs, supplemental nutrition assistance programs, student loans, electric vehicle tax credits, affordable care act subsidies and farming subsidies. Areas with fewer subsidy offerings might experience an elevation in their cost of living.
Urbanization: Urban areas with a wealth of amenities and employment opportunities tend to come with a higher price tag for living. Why? Well, more people want to be there, which drives up home prices and rents. On the flip side, less densely populated rural areas or places where there's not as much demand usually mean fewer attractions, things to do and slower job growth. That often results in a lower cost of living.
Transportation: If public transportation is limited or not available, residents may need to own and maintain vehicles, which can add to the cost of living. Gas, insurance, regular maintenance and potentially lease or finance payments will all need to be paid on a monthly basis. In Somerville, the transportation index is 18.2% higher than the national average.
The Somerville cost of living estimates above use a normalized U.S. average of 100 as the baseline for comparison. Housing values incorporate local home price and rental information from the U.S. Census, while all other estimates are AI-assisted and modeled using expected everyday expenses, local market trends, climate, and transportation-related cost pressures. The results are intended for practical city-to-city comparisons.
| Cost of living index | |
| Groceries index | |
| Health care index | |
| Housing index | |
| Transportation index | |
| Utilities index | |
| Lifestyle index | |
| Household index | |
| Educare index |
| Median Income | Per Year | Per Month | Max Budget (28% DTI) | Max Budget (36% DTI) |
| Owners | $176,759 | $14,730 | $4,124 | $5,303 |
| Renters | $140,004 | $11,667 | $3,267 | $4,201 |
| State | General Sales Tax | With Max Surtax |
| Massachusetts | 6.25% | 6.25% |
| State | Income Tax (Low) | Income Tax (High) |
| Massachusetts | 5% | 9% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Randolph, MA | 34,560 | 123 | 23.3% |
| Lynn, MA | 97,235 | 134 | 34.4% |
| Salem, MA | 44,881 | 135 | 35.3% |
| Chelsea, MA | 41,000 | 135 | 35.2% |
| Saugus, MA | 29,084 | 139 | 38.9% |
| Somerville, MA | 84,018 | 185 | 85.2% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Buena Park, CA | 83,989 | 167 | 67.4% |
| Manteca, CA | 84,071 | 143 | 43.1% |
| The Villages, FL | 84,115 | 120 | 20.5% |
| Medford, OR | 84,271 | 117 | 17.0% |
| Cicero, IL | 84,320 | 100 | 0.3% |
| Somerville, MA | 84,018 | 185 | 85.2% |
Here are the best places to live in Massachusetts
Check out the 10 most dangerous cities in Massachusetts
These are the largest cities in Massachusetts
Safest Cities In The US