Somerset is a somewhat small coastal town (ie. on the ocean or tidally-influenced rivers) located in the state of Massachusetts. With a population of 18,234 people and two constituent neighborhoods, Somerset is the 97th largest community in Massachusetts.

Unlike some towns, Somerset isn't mainly white- or blue-collar. Instead, the most prevalent occupations for people in Somerset are a mix of both white- and blue-collar jobs. Overall, Somerset is a town of sales and office workers, professionals, and service providers. There are especially a lot of people living in Somerset who work in office and administrative support jobs (16.03%), sales jobs (13.08%), and management occupations (7.56%).

In addition, Somerset is home to many people who could be described as "urban sophisticates." Urban sophisticates are people who are both educated and wealthy, and thus tend to be older, richer, and more established than young professionals. "Urban sophisticates" is not just about being educated and well-off financially: it is a point of view and state of mind, one that you might call 'urbaneness.' But such people can and do regularly live in small towns, suburbs and rural areas, as well as in big cities. They read, support the arts and high-end shops, and love travel.

Because of many things, Somerset is a very good place for families to consider. With an enviable combination of good schools, low crime, college-educated neighbors who tend to support education because of their own experiences, and a high rate of home ownership in predominantly single-family properties, Somerset really has some of the features that families look for when choosing a good community to raise children. Is Somerset perfect? Of course not, and if you like frenetic night life, it will be far from your cup of tea. But overall this is a solid community, with many things to recommend it as a family-friendly place to live.

The town is also nautical, which means that parts of Somerset are somewhat historic and touch the ocean or tidal bodies of water, such as inlets and tidal rivers. Quite often, nautical areas such as these attract visitors and locals who come to enjoy the scenery and various waterfront activities.

For most residents of Somerset, getting to work requires a car. In fact, 98.3% of people in Somerset drive alone to work on most days, making Somerset a very car-oriented town. In general, car-oriented communities tend to emphasize streets, highways, and ease of parking, often to the detriment of walkability. Strip centers are a feature of Somerset's landscape.

Somerset Information and Demographics

In terms of college education, Somerset is somewhat better educated than the 14.96% who have a 4-year degree or higher in the typical US community: 19.69% of adults 25 and older in the town have at least a bachelor's degree.

The per capita income in Somerset in 2000 was $22,420, which is lower middle income relative to Massachusetts, and upper middle income relative to the rest of the US. This equates to an annual income of $89,680 for a family of four.

The people who call Somerset home come from a variety of different races and ancestries. The most prevalent race in Somerset is White, followed by Asian. Important ancestries of people in Somerset include Portuguese, Irish, French, English, French Canadian, Italian, and Polish.

The most common language spoken in Somerset is English. Other important languages spoken here include Portuguese and French.