The Town FilesSomerset, Massachusetts
Community in Bristol County · population 18,303 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $418,800
- Household income
- $112,677
- Jan low / Jul high
- 24° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 38 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 47.0
Somerset is a community of 18,303 people in Bristol County, Massachusetts. The median home is worth $418,800, below the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). It ranks easier by car than 98% of Massachusetts towns, more of a college town than 85% of Massachusetts towns, more walkable than 83% of Massachusetts towns.
How Somerset ranks
Percentile among Massachusetts towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Massachusetts towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Somerset is worth $418,800, below the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). Homes cost about 3.7 times the median household income of $112,677, which is more affordable than 84% of Massachusetts towns. Median rent is $1,271 a month. 86.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Somerset | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $418,800 | $510,150 |
| Median rent | $1,271 | $1,561 |
| Median household income | $112,677 | $108,622 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.7× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 86.9% | 80.7% |
| Median year built | 1962 | 1968 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.1% | — |
Who lives in Somerset
| People | Somerset | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 47.0 | 44.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 25.3% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 18.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 37.6% | 45.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.9% | 6.3% |
| Veterans | 7.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.1% | — |
| Work from home | 12.0% | 17.7% |
| Average commute | 31.3 min | 30.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.8% | 93.9% |
Weather in Somerset
July highs average 84.9°F and January lows 23.6°F. About 49.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 38.1 inches of snow (typical Massachusetts town: 49.5 in). Expect about 13 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 105 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Somerset since 1950, compared with 8 for the typical Massachusetts town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on June 26, 2024 about 7.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 26, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 14 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on July 18, 2012.
Severe weather in Bristol County since 1996
Bristol County has been included in 30 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 15, 2024 | Flood | DR-4780: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| September 15, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3599: Hurricane Lee |
| April 18, 2022 | Snowstorm | DR-4651: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| March 27, 2020 | Biological | DR-4496: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3438: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Bristol County
Bristol County had 227,971 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $64,669 a year. Unemployment was 4.1% in 2023; in Somerset itself the ACS puts it at 3.3%.
Public schools in Somerset
5 public schools with 2,557 students, about 12.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Somerset Berkley Regional High School | 9-12 | 960 | 12.5 |
| Somerset Middle School | 6-8 | 566 | 12.9 |
| North Elementary | PK-5 | 464 | 12.5 |
| Chace Street | K-5 | 305 | 11.7 |
| South | K-5 | 262 | 10.9 |
Towns near Somerset
- Ocean Grove, MA2.4 mi · 2,904 people · home $362,200
- Swansea, MA2.9 mi · 17,144 people · home $445,000
- Fall River, MA3.8 mi · 94,000 people · home $395,500
- Warren, RI4.9 mi · 11,147 people · home $395,700
- North Westport, MA5.3 mi · 4,720 people · home $411,300
- Tiverton, RI6.1 mi · 7,809 people · home $407,200
- Dighton, MA6.3 mi · 8,101 people · home $501,900
- Bristol, RI7.1 mi · 22,493 people · home $485,000
Somerset questions
Is Somerset, Massachusetts a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Somerset scores better for retirees than 20% of Massachusetts towns and quieter than 20%. 25.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 47.0).
How much does a house cost in Somerset?
The median owner-occupied home in Somerset is valued at $418,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $112,677, so homes cost about 3.7 times income. Median rent is $1,271 a month.
What is the weather like in Somerset?
July highs average 84.9°F and January lows 23.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 49.4 inches of precipitation a year and 38.1 inches of snow.
Does Somerset get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Somerset since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on June 26, 2024. The typical Massachusetts town has had 8.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)