The short version

  • Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
  • The median home costs $510,100 in Lynn and $911,300 in Somerville.
  • Households earn more in Somerville ($132,572 vs $75,043 median).

Side by side

Lynn, MASomerville, MA
People
Population (2025)104,23684,211
Growth since 2020+2.9%+4%
People per square mile9,70620,440
Median age36.531.9
Bachelor's degree or higher24%69%
Money and housing
Median household income$75,043$132,572
Median home value$510,100$911,300
Home value to income6.8×6.9×
Median rent (with utilities)$1,722$2,517
Metro price level (US = 100)108.3108.3
Housing price level (US = 100)148.4148.4
$75,000 elsewhere equals$81,200$81,200
Homeowners48%34%
Top state income tax9%9%
Combined sales tax6.25%6.25%
Work and commute
Average commute (minutes)31.531.0
Work from home8%31%
Take public transit9%19%
Unemployment (2020-24 avg)5%3%
Poverty rate13.8%9.8%
Weather
January high / low37° / 23°37° / 23°
July high / low82° / 66°82° / 66°
Precipitation per year44 in44 in
Snowfall per year49 in49 in
Days 90°F or hotter1414
Nights below freezing9292
Comfortable months66
Risks, air and home prices
Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county)Relatively HighRelatively High
FEMA risk score (lower is safer)95.696.9
Good air days, 202571%71%
Home prices, past year+2.8%+2.8%
Home prices, past 5 years+39.7%+39.7%

Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.

Weather, month by month

20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Lynn Somerville. Solid lines are average highs, dashed lines average lows (°F), NOAA 1991-2020 normals.

Most comfortable months: Lynn: May to October. Somerville: May to October.

Full monthly tables: Lynn weather by month and Somerville weather by month.

What $75,000 is worth

A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $81,200 in Lynn and $81,200 in Somerville. Moving from Lynn to Somerville, you would need about $75,000 to match a $75,000 salary.

Try your own salary

Moving between Lynn and Somerville

6,252people moved from Essex County, MA to Middlesex County, MA in a year
7,552moved the other way

IRS county-to-county migration, 2022 to 2023 tax years, for the counties that contain each city. See where else people move from Lynn and Somerville.

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