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Somerville, MA

Frequently asked questions

Somerville, MA

Somerville is a city located directly to the northwest of Boston, and north of Cambridge, in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2020 United States Census, the city had a total population of 81,045 people. With an area of 4.12 square miles (10.7 km2), the city has a density of 19,671/sq mi (7,595/km2), making it the most densely populated municipality in New England and the 19th most densely populated incorporated municipality in the country. Somerville was established as a town in 1842 when it was separated from Charlestown. In 2006, the city was named the best-run city in Massachusetts by The Boston Globe. In 1972, 2009, and 2015, the city received the All-America City Award. It is home to Tufts University, which has its campus along the Somerville and Medford border.

The territory now comprising the city of Somerville was first settled by Europeans in 1629 as part of Charlestown. In 1629, English surveyor Thomas Graves led a scouting party of 100 Puritans from the settlement of Salem to prepare the site for the Great Migration of Puritans from England. Graves was attracted to the narrow Mishawum Peninsula between the Charles and Mystic rivers, linked to the mainland at the present-day Sullivan Square. The area of earliest settlement was based at City Square on the peninsula, though the territory of Charlestown officially included all of what is now Somerville, as well as Medford, Everett, Malden, Stoneham, Melrose, Woburn, Burlington, and parts of Arlington and Cambridge. From that time until 1842, the area of present-day Somerville was referred to as "beyond the Neck" about the thin spit of land, the Charlestown Neck, that connected it to the Charlestown Peninsula.

The first European settler in Somerville of whom there is any record was John Woolrich, an Indian trader who came from the Charlestown Peninsula in 1630 and settled near what is now Dane Street. Others soon followed Woolrich, located in the vicinity of present-day Union Square. In 1639 colonists officially acquired the land in what is now Somerville from the Squaw Sachem of Mistick.

A bill incorporating a new town was signed by the governor on March 3, 1842. The original choice for the city's new name, after breaking away from Charlestown, was Walford, after the first settler of Charlestown, Thomas Walford. However, this name was not adopted by the separation committee. Charles Miller, a member of this committee, proposed the name "Somerville", which was ultimately chosen. It was not derived from any one person's name, and a report commissioned by the Somerville Historical Society found that Somerville was a "purely fanciful name".

Before Somerville became a township in 1842 the area was primarily populated by British farmers and brickmakers who sold their wares in the markets of Boston, Cambridge, and Charlestown. As the markets grew, the population of Somerville increased six-fold between the years of 1842 and 1870 to 14,685. Shortly thereafter Somerville incorporated as a city in 1872.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Somerville has a total area of 4.2 square miles (11 km2), of which 4.1 square miles (11 km2) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2), or 2.61%, is water. Somerville is bordered by the cities of Cambridge, Medford, Everett, Arlington, and the Boston neighborhood of Charlestown. It is located on the west bank of the Mystic River.

Millennia ago, glaciation left a series of drumlins running west to east across the landscape of what would become Somerville. These ridges would later become known as the "Seven Hills" of Somerville (like many other cities claiming to be built on seven hills, following the seven hills of Rome)

These hills rise from the floodplain of the Mystic River, and generally run west to east, providing beautiful vistas of Boston to the south and Medford/Everett to the north. Physical boundaries are also defined by prominent waterways: the Mystic River to the north, its tributary Alewife Brook to the west, and the Miller's River to the southeast.

Land in early Somerville was used primarily as grazing commons and small farms. After the proliferation of the railroads in the area during the mid-1800s, industrialization transformed the landscape. In the 1800s, the Millers River was used as a sewer and dumping ground for local industry and would be ordered filled by the Commonwealth before the end of the century, for health reasons. As a result of the landfill and the elimination of the former Cobble Hill, the Millers River marsh was turned into railyards, slaughterhouses, and other large-scale land uses.

Somerville, MA places a strong emphasis on health and wellness for its residents. CHA Somerville Campus is a major medical facility north of Boston. Located on Highland Avenue in Somerville, MA. Soul Train Fitness is a training facility located in Somerville, MA. Experience holistic healing services including acupuncture, massage therapy, and yoga at Water House Wellness. Embrace mindfulness and inner balance through yoga classes and workshops at Be. in Union Yoga. Join yoga classes tailored to different skill levels and preferences at Down Under School of Yoga. Reconnect with nature through outdoor activities like hiking, biking, and picnicking at Mystic River Reservation. Engage in personalized strength training programs at Commonwealth CrossFit and then connect with nature and inner peace at Ball Square Yoga.
 

Top Sites in Somerville, MA are Assembly Row, Museum of Science, The Rockwell, and LEGO Discovery Center Boston.
 

Population: 79,762 (2022). Elevation: 10 ft (3.0 m). Area: 133 ha. ZIP Codes: 02143–02145. Area code: 617 / 857.
 

FAQs

Is Somerville, MA a good place to live?

Somerville is a suburb of Boston with a population of 80,608. Somerville is in Middlesex County and is one of the best places to live in Massachusetts. Living in Somerville offers residents an urban suburban mix feel and most residents rent their homes. In Somerville, there are a lot of bars, restaurants, coffee shops, and parks.

Is Somerville, MA expensive to live in?

Somerville is ranked 7 out of 273 cities across the US in terms of cost of living. The cost of living in Somerville is 150.3% of the national average. The median household income in Somerville is $108,896, which is 22% more than that of the state. The median income for an individual is $56,734, which is 18% more than that of the state.

What is Somerville, MA famous for?

This city was home to one of the first hostile acts of the American Revolution when British soldiers stole colonial gunpowder, considered to be a major turning point in the events leading up to the war. On a lighter note, this city is also the birthplace of Fluff, an American favorite when coupled with peanut butter. Somerville’s industrial past set up the city to be a modern metropolis with countless restaurants and businesses lining its streets. This city was once home to 44th U.S. President Barack Obama.

Sources

City of Somerville

Wikipedia

Niche

Zero Down

Meet Boston

Assembly Row 

Museum of Science 

The Rockwell 

LEGO Discovery Center Boston

CHA Somerville Campus

Soul Train Fitness

Water House Wellness

Be. in Union Yoga

Down Under School of Yoga

Mystic River Reservation

Commonwealth CrossFit

Ball Square Yoga

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