Somerville, MA 02143 · 02144 · 02145
Somerville Real Estate
Seven hills of triple-deckers, Davis and Union Squares, and new Green Line stations
Updated
- ZIP codes
- 02143 · 02144 · 02145
- Getting around
- Red Line at Davis; Green Line at Union Square, East Somerville, Gilman Square, Magoun Square and Ball Square; Orange Line at Assembly
- Typical homes
- Triple-deckers, two-families and Victorian single-families, many split into condos, plus newer buildings at Assembly Row and Union Square
Somerville split off from Charlestown in 1842 and packs its roughly four square miles over a set of glacial hills, Prospect, Winter, Spring, Central and Clarendon among them. On Prospect Hill the Grand Union flag is believed to have flown for the first time on January 1, 1776, an event the stone tower of the Prospect Hill Monument still marks. The city is often described as the most densely populated municipality in New England, and the wood-frame two- and three-family house is its signature building.
Daily life here runs through the squares. Davis Square has the Red Line and the Somerville Theatre; Union Square has its own Green Line terminal and the plaza that hosts the Fluff Festival, a nod to Marshmallow Fluff's invention in the city. Ball, Magoun, Teele and Powder House Squares serve the hills, and Assembly Row brings shops and an Orange Line stop to the Mystic River. The Somerville Community Path carries walkers and cyclists east from the Cambridge line.
The Green Line Extension, finished in 2022, changed the transit map for much of the city. Blocks that once relied on buses now sit within walking distance of a station, so when comparing homes it's worth measuring the walk to Davis, Assembly or the nearest of the new Green Line stops.
Where Somerville is
Living in Somerville
What makes Somerville special
Davis Square
The Red Line stop, the Somerville Theatre's historic movie house and a cluster of shops and cafés meet where Elm Street, Highland Avenue and Holland Street converge.
Green Line Extension
Stations at Union Square, East Somerville, Gilman Square, Magoun Square and Ball Square opened in 2022, linking the city to Lechmere and downtown.
Assembly Row
A mixed-use district on former industrial land along the Mystic River, with retail, offices, apartments and its own Orange Line station.
Revolutionary hilltops
The Prospect Hill Monument and the Old Powder House, site of the 1774 Powder Alarm, recall the city's role in the run-up to the Revolution.
Somerville Community Path
A paved path on former railroad right-of-way, extended alongside the Green Line, that links Davis Square toward the Minuteman Bikeway and East Cambridge.
The Market
Somerville homes & real estate
Somerville's housing was largely built in the late 19th and early 20th centuries for the people who worked in its rail yards, brickworks and factories. Triple-deckers and side-by-side or stacked two-families fill most streets, mixed with Victorian and mansard single-families, especially on the slopes of the hills. A large share of those houses have been converted into condos of one to three units. Newer construction is concentrated at Assembly Row, Union Square and along the Green Line corridor.
Because so many sales are units in small converted buildings, buyers should look closely at the condo documents, how the association handles shared costs and reserves, and whether any parking or yard space is deeded or simply shared by custom. Most streets use resident permit parking. Top-floor units often gain attic space and light, while first-floor units may come with the yard. For a current read on Somerville prices by square or by building type, get in touch and we'll walk you through what has been selling.
Helpful guides: First-time buyer guideHow offers work in MassachusettsMortgage options by property typeSelling a house in Massachusetts
Compare: Cambridge vs. Somerville
Getting around: Green Line guideOrange Line guideRed Line guide
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What ZIP codes cover Somerville?
Somerville uses three ZIP codes, 02143, 02144 and 02145. Davis Square and West Somerville fall in 02144, Union Square in 02143, and East Somerville, Winter Hill and Assembly Square in 02145.
How do you get to downtown Boston from Somerville?
The Red Line at Davis runs through Cambridge to Park Street, the Green Line from Union Square and the Medford Branch stations runs through Lechmere into downtown, and the Orange Line at Assembly reaches North Station and Downtown Crossing.
What types of homes are for sale in Somerville?
Most listings are condos in converted triple-deckers and two-families, along with whole multi-family houses, some Victorian single-families, and units in newer buildings at Assembly Row and Union Square.
What is Somerville known for?
Somerville is known for its busy squares, especially Davis and Union, its dense streets of triple-deckers, events like Porchfest and the Fluff Festival, and Revolutionary history on Prospect Hill and at the Old Powder House.
Did the Green Line Extension reach all of Somerville?
The 2022 extension added Union Square on its own branch and, on the Medford Branch, East Somerville, Gilman Square, Magoun Square and Ball Square at the Medford line, with Medford/Tufts beyond it, so most of the city is now near rapid transit, though some blocks are still a longer walk from any station.
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Home value
Somerville home values
What could your Somerville home sell for? A free, personalized estimate.
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Cambridge
Harvard, Central and Kendall Squares, Brattle Street houses and a Red Line spine
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Medford
The Mystic River and Lakes, the Middlesex Fells, Tufts and the Chevalier Theatre
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Charlestown
Bunker Hill Monument, the Navy Yard and brick and clapboard rowhouses across the harbor
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Arlington
Spy Pond, the Minuteman Bikeway and three business districts strung along Mass Ave
Read moreComparison
Cambridge vs. Somerville
Cambridge and Somerville share a long border and similar wood-frame housing, but they are separate cities. Cambridge is built along the Red Line and Mass Ave, while Somerville mixes one Red Line stop with the Green Line Extension and an Orange Line station at Assembly.
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