Somerset is a city of 18,298 people in Massachusetts. At a median age of 47.0, this is an older place than the country as a whole. 87% of homes are owner-occupied. That puts it in the top 5% of US cities for household income. There are 2,317 people per square mile. The poverty rate is 4.9%, under the national 12.5%.
At a glance
Wealthier
median household income $112,677, above the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 47.0
US median: 38.9
Average education
38% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 58%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Somerset
What changed most since 1990
White share98.1% → 90.2%(−7.9 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
Median home value (2024 dollars)$338,890 → $418,800(+24%)US over the same years: +67%
Somerset's population equals 3.1% of Bristol County's. Its number of households without a car equals 1.3% of the county's. Its number of residents living in poverty equals 1.4% of the county's.
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans
Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)17.9%(201)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)13.2%(148)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era35.1%(394)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War5.9%(66)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II11.4%(128)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 1,124 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time
Somerset, decade by decade
Somerset population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
17,655
$87,406
$338,890
21.2%
4.7
2000
18,234
$94,307
$265,051
19.7%
5.4
2010
18,165
$96,495
$424,666
26.4%
8.2
2020
18,303
$109,399
$355,127
30.4%
19.6
2024
18,298
$112,677
$418,800
37.6%
23.0
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
